1. Using Sign Language with Children Aged Birth-3 and Beyond SCSHA CONVENTION COLUMBIA, SC February 25, 2016 8:00-9:30 a.m. Jill Eversmann, MS, CCC-SLP

2. Speaker Disclosure Statements  No relevant financial information to disclose The presenter does NOT receive a salary, royalty, property rights, speaking fee, consulting fee, honorarium or ownership interest for providing this presentation The presenter does NOT receive a salary, royalty, property rights, speaking fee, consulting fee, honorarium or ownership interest for providing this presentation  Relevant non-financial information: The presenter is a Signing Time Academy Instructor The presenter is a Signing Time Academy Instructor Signing Time Academy Instructors are authorized retailers of Two Little Hands products Signing Time Academy Instructors are authorized retailers of Two Little Hands products

3. Jill Eversmann, MS, CCC-SLP  Owner, SPEECH SIGNS, LLC  Speech-Language Pathologist  Signing Time Academy Instructor  Speaker, Cross Country Education www.crosscountryeducation.com www.crosscountryeducation.com www.crosscountryeducation.com  Website: www.speechsigns.com www.speechsigns.com  Email: jill@speechsigns.com jill@speechsigns.com  FB: www.facebook.com/speechsigns www.facebook.com/speechsigns  LinkedIn: Jill Eversmann  Phone: 803.348.1654  *Slides not to be redistributed without the written permission of the author

4. SIGNING with CHILDREN  1) ASL is the language of the Deaf knowing some ASL will facilitate communication with hearing- impaired/hard of hearing and Deaf patients knowing some ASL will facilitate communication with hearing- impaired/hard of hearing and Deaf patients  2) Many preverbal and nonverbal children use sign language as a temporary means of communication or as a way to supplement their speech to improve overall communication Children can sign before they can speak Children can sign before they can speak Many children with speech and language delays use signs to communicate while they are developing their speech, then discontinue signing when their speech is intelligible Many children with speech and language delays use signs to communicate while they are developing their speech, then discontinue signing when their speech is intelligible

5. SIGNING with CHILDREN (continued)  3) Children with ASD, Down syndrome, Developmental Apraxia of Speech as well as other dx. Some hearing patients use signs for a longer period of time or it becomes their AAC system Some hearing patients use signs for a longer period of time or it becomes their AAC system  4) Sign Language adds a visual, tactile and motor component to language. For children who are not strong auditory learners, signing offers a memory aid to learning and can aid in the development of language, literacy and spelling skill For children who are not strong auditory learners, signing offers a memory aid to learning and can aid in the development of language, literacy and spelling skill  5) ASL an approved language for credit in many states as a World Language / Foreign Language option

6. FIRST SIGNS  MORE*  EAT CRACKER CRACKER BANANA BANANA CEREAL CEREAL  FINISHED / ALL DONE ALL DONE  DRINK MILK WATER JUICE  CUP*

7. SIGNING SYSTEMS for TODDLERS   1) ASL vs. “Baby Signs” (meaning many simplified or altered ASL signs as well as some non-ASL signs used only in this program)   2) Children can sign before they can speak, can reduce tantrums and increase bonding with parents   3) Manually Coded English

8. MORE EARLY SIGNS  Bathroom / Potty  Help  Hurt  Want  Me  You  Book  Ball  Baby  Car

9. SONGS  Sing all of the words  Sign key words

10. FAMILY SIGNS FEMALE SIGNS (near the chin)  Girl  Mother/Mom  Grandmother  Baby * Specific Name Signs MALE SIGNS (near the forehead)  Boy  Father/Dad  Grandfather

11. FINGERSPELLING  The Manual Alphabet A-Z  Useful for fingerspelling names/signs you don’t know or the other person doesn’t know  Needed for “initialized” signs (group, class, family) (King, Queen, Prince)  Helpful for handshapes when learning new signs (“flat O” hand (more), “Y” hand (yellow, play) etc.

12. FINGERSPELLING   Adds visual and tactile input as well as motor memory to aid with spelling and phonics   Children are able to recognize letters earlier when exposed to fingerspelling

14. NUMBERS 1-10 (palm facing in) 12345 (palm facing out) 678910

15. GREETINGS & MANNERS  Yes  Hello  Please  Sorry  No  Goodbye  Thank You  Stop  Go

16. QUESTIONS WHO?WHAT?WHERE? WHICH ONE?

17. Signing with Children with Down syndrome   Makes communication possible/easier   Capitalizes on learning strengths (visual learners)   Signing allows more time for processing   Signing supports memory

18. Signing with Children with CAS   Signs can aid in communication and comprehension of the child’s message   The Manual Alphabet can be used as a cue just as we often use the written alphabet to represent phonemes   *Always have the child use whatever speech they are able to when they sign

19. Children with ASD   Use of gestures, facial expression and body language helps with communication   Visual form of language   When upset, a child can sometimes express themselves better with signs than verbalizations

20. Not for Every Child Some Contraindications:   Parents / caregivers do not support using signs with the child or are not willing to learn signs   Child’s fine motor skills   Child’s cognitive skills - signs are often more abstract than pictures   Child has no interest in learning to sign

21. ONLINE RESOURCES  SPEECH SIGNS website: www.speechsigns.com www.speechsigns.com  Signing Time Dictionary http://www.signingtime.com http://www.signingtime.com  Signing Savvy (vid- dictionary): http://www.signingsavvy.com http://www.signingsavvy.com  ASLU Lifeprint: http://www.lifeprint.com/ http://www.lifeprint.com/  ASL Training Center: http://www.asl.tc/  ASL Training Center: http://www.asl.tc/ http://www.asl.tc/  ASL PRO (vid-dictionary): http://www.aslpro.com/ http://www.aslpro.com/  Handspeak vid-dictionary: www.handspeak.com www.handspeak.com  Start ASL www.startasl.com www.startasl.com

22. SIGNING TIME INCLUDES

23. Questions and Comments?