Sign communication with babies and toddlers
H an d b o o k
Sign communication with babies and toddlers Handbook TINY SIGNERS project Editors: Živa Ribičič, Mojca Polak Williams, Andreja Trtnik Herlec Authors: Marjeta Domicelj, Franz Dotter, PhD, Vicki Gilbert, Gabrijela Gregorič, Anica Justinek, Christine Kulterer, Svetlana Litvinaite, Tatjana Novak, PhD, Mojca Polak Williams, Živa Ribičič, Andrea Rohrauer, Barbara Schuster Proofreading: Andreja Trtnik Herlec, Katja Vrtačnik Garbas, PhD Translation: Katja Vrtačnik Garbas, PhD, Andreja Trtnik Herlec, the Project team members Languages: English, British Sign Language Graphics: Mithila Shafiq Photography: Janja Hribar, Svetlana Litvinaite, Klemen Jeke, Jan Kraigher, Mateja Lunar Jemec, Bojan Mord, Anja Musek, Tatjana Novak, Peter Potočnik Hönigsman, Živa Ribičič, Lisa Zoechling Logo: Mateja Lunar Jemec Cover photo: Lev Dolgatshjov, ©123RF Limited Graphic design and layout: Anja Musek Circulation: 50 copies Publishers: Zavod za gluhe in naglušne Ljubljana, Ljubljana and EuroVia, Leeds, 2012 CIP - Kataložni zapis o publikaciji Narodna in univerzitetna knjižnica, Ljubljana 376-056.263-053.2 81’221-053.3 616.28-008.14 SIGN communication with babies and toddlers : handbook / [authors Marjeta Domicelj .... [et al.] ; editors Živa Ribičič, Mojca Polak Williams, Andreja Trtnik Herlec ; translation Katja Vrtačnik Garbas, Andreja Trtnik Herlec ; graphics Mithila Shafiq ; photography Janja Hribar ... et al.]. - Ljubljana : Zavod za gluhe in naglušne ; Leeds : Eurovia, 2012 ISBN 978-961-90560-9-7 (Zavod za gluhe in naglušne) 1. Domicelj, Marjeta 2. Ribičič, Živa 262781952
Tiny Signers, project number: 510622-LPP-1-2010-1-SI-COMENIUS-CMP This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This handbook reflects the views only of the authors, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.
The manual is free of charge.
Contents
0
Introduction
1
1
The ‘Tiny signers’ project 1.1 Aims and objectives 1.2 The project partners 1.3 The project development
3 3 4 6
2
The ‘Tiny signers’ curricula 2.1 The training programme in Lithuania 2.2 The training programme in Austria 2.3 The training programme in Slovenia 2.4 The training programme in United Kingdom 2.5 Evaluation of the training
19 27 28 29 32 33
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The rationale of using sign communication with babies 3.1 Language acquisition 3.2 Developmental stages of language acquisition 3.3 ‘Baby Sign’/Sign communication with babies 3.4 Methods of ‘Baby Sign’ 3.5 ‘Baby Sign’ vs. sign language for a bilingual hard-of-hearing or deaf child 3.6 Speech therapists and ‘Baby Sign’ or sign language 3.7 Conclusion 3.8 Notes 3.9 References
39 39 42 44 47 52 53 54 54 54
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A short history of sign languages of the deaf 4.1 History of the Slovenian sign language 4.2 Some facts about the British Sign Language 4.3 The history of the deaf education in Lithuania 4.4 A short history of sign language and deaf education in Austria
57 60 61 63 66
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How to use sign communication with babies and toddlers
69
6
Specific adaptations required when signing with deaf and hard of hearing children 6.1 Communication and language development 6.2 General adaptations for a deaf adult 6.3 Rules to use a sign language interpreter 6.4 Adaptations for a deaf baby 6.5 References
73 73 74 75 75 78
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Examples of sign communication elements 7.1 Example of a lesson plan 7.2 The manual alphabet in the British Sign Language 7.3 Example of a song 7.4 The list of words with graphics
79 80 81 82 83
On behalf of the Comenius Tiny Signers project co-ordinator, Ljubljana School for the Deaf and the Conference Organizing Committee, I congratulate all those who have contributed to our successful international project and helped to bring to fruition this special handbook. Thank you. Živa Ribičič, the Project co-ordinator Ljubljana, Slovenia 2012
Introduction
This handbook is one of the main products of the Comenius Multilateral Tiny Signers project and is aimed at presenting the models of early language acquisition of both deaf and hearing children below the age of three using sign language in childcare/educational settings in different countries of the consortium. The methods have been successful in increasing the awareness of the sign languages and their usage in early child care settings. They have also been successful in developing improved models of collaboration between the different actors, including parents, national deaf associations, nurseries, educational authorities, child care professionals, teachers and policy makers. The key element of the success of the initiative has been that local and national solutions have been developed in order to ensure sustainability of the initiative in each of the participating country as well as wider. Our experiences have shown that the sign supported learning approach based on official sign languages of the countries is a tool which can enable the recognition of sign languages, can enable the babies and toddlers to express themselves freely before their spoken language abilities enable them to do so, and thus settle in kindergartens and other child care settings easier. Furthermore, it enables inclusion in the early childhood classroom between deaf children (including those with cochlear implants) and hearing children. Equally the development has shown many additional individual benefits of all of the involved, e.g. child care professionals, teachers, parents of hearing as well as deaf and hard of hearing children, as well as children themselves. The approach has led to the rethinking of learning practices, as well as resources, environments and staff competences in continuation to work towards the creation of the inclusive societies with special schools for the deaf and hard of hearing being resource centres for these developments. During our work we have been opening many doors, and broadening the horizons and creating cooperation in the areas which are less likely to experience change, for example: • We were developing a unique method to communicate with preverbal babies and toddlers based on the national sign languages, which benefits both the hearing and deaf communities, which is new to most EU countries. • Instead of the usual further measures for integration of the deaf and hard of hearing, we are focusing on creating inclusive environments as such, through the use of sign language in the early child care for all. • We were reaching outside the usual well set methods of interactions between the deaf and the hearing in societies and creating links and roles between deaf and hard of hearing and hearing people in which the deaf as the native speakers of sign language are in the role of teachers of hearing, offering them the gift to communicate with babies and toddlers at a very early stage. • The deaf teachers or other deaf specialists in sign language are active partners in the working groups. Because of that our project is unique for involving several national sign languages: the Lithuanian, the British, the Slovene and the Austrian sign languages, and last but not least • The project was focusing on the area of preschool education which is organised very differently across Europe and is less likely to be the subject of joint European projects. Our consortium is characterised by a variety of actors from four different European countries and eight (the official national spoken as well as sign languages) different linguistic environments, whose nature and the field of activities have provided the professional coverage of the issues addressed. Our consortium is therefore a complex group of organisations (and individuals) with different profiles in the
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Sign communication with babies and toddlers Handbook
field of pre-school education, special needs education, linguistics and project management skills. Each of the partner of the consortium has formed a unique method of introducing baby signing which can serve as a reference to potential other interested parents/child care professionals in the countries of the consortium as well as broader. This handbook is aimed at teachers, future child care professionals, childcare professionals working in the preschool settings with the children below the age of three (the hearing as well as the deaf), as well as childminders, experts in the area of preschool education, and last but not least parents of primarily preverbal babies and children who wish to improve the quality of early childhood provision through signing with children below three years and thus contribute to the development of children’s literacy skills as well as social and emotional wellbeing. The handbook is structured into three parts: 1. The presentation of the project and the overall project development, the examples of country specific approaches of how baby signing has been integrated into the educational settings as well as broader. In the continuation, there are the training programmes which were developed within the project. In order to offer the picture of the immediate impact of the professionals these are then followed by the summary of evaluation reports. This part is mainly aimed at presenting the bottom up approaches which have been developed in the partner countries, and as such offers ideas and motivation for the policy makers and child care professionals who wish to introduce the approach in the new environments. 2. The second part offers the introduction of the sign language, the history of the sign languages, the guidelines on how to use it and specific adaptations required when signing with the deaf and hard of hearing children. 3. The third part represents a country specific part and is composed of the examples of lesson plans, the example of signing a song work sheet, the British sign language alphabet and 100 graphics from the British sign. The second and the third parts are aimed at child care professionals who are interested in starting signing in their classrooms.
Mojca Polak Williams and Živa Ribičič
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Sign communication with babies and toddlers Handbook
1
The ‘Tinysigners’ project Mojca Polak Williams
The main reason for the project ‘Tiny Signers’ was to create possibilities for communication for deaf, hard of hearing and hearing children in the very early stages of their life and to overcome the gap which exists in this field in the majority of European countries. Namely, 90% of parents with a new born with a hearing loss, who decide for a surgery to implant the hearing aid do not learn the sign language because they expect the child to hear after the operation (Verdonik et al, 2008). The operation can, however, be performed only after the baby’s first birthday and until then the babies are often left without any communication in the period when the basis for later communication is established. It is also assessed that the development of listening and speech skills in a child with a cochlear implant (e.g. after the surgery) will be optimal if such a child lives in an environment rich in auditory and speech stimuli e.g. integration into mainstream kindergartens. To ensure success of such integration the professionals at these institutions need to be educated and trained. However, the recent studies (Verdonik et al, 2008) have shown that professionals are not sufficiently prepared to deal with the issues of integration and to cope with different needs the child with a cochlear implant may have. A successful way to answer the needs of these babies has been met through the developmentof the baby sign language and the teaching of it to babies and their parents and carers which shows benefits to hearing as well as hard of hearing and deaf babies. The inclusive initiative was developed in the UK Yorkshire region, and within the project we wanted to spread the initiatives further also to Slovenia, Lithuania and Austria.
1.1 Aims and objectives The overall objective of the project was to implement an innovative approach with hearing and deaf babies through the development and use of baby sign language and thus improve the quality of early communication and language learning in the participating countries of Slovenia, Austria and Lithuania and to further develop the community of signing babies in the UK. One of the main objectives of the project was therefore to train teachers, trainers and Child Care Professionals (CCPs) in preschool education in baby as well as toddler sign language and help them deal with the issues of integration of hearing impaired children. Furthermore, the project aimed at setting up structures which will integrate the courses into mainstream curriculum in preschool education, to provide an efficient framework for the sustainability of the project at the national as well as the European level. Therefore, the training courses for teachers, CCPs and other experts in early child development were implemented, as well as courses for parents of hearing and deaf babies (through pilot testing). In order to provide an efficient framework for the sustainability of the project at the national as well as the European level they are being integrated into the mainstream curriculum in preschool education. Initial steps have been taken towards the accreditation of the transferred learning packages. The baby/toddler sign language courses were developed using the national sign language, which required close cooperation between deaf communities, child care and special needs professionals, curriculum authorities, kindergartens and schools.
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The project facilitated the use of sign language by parents, carers and the next generation of sign language users. Besides, the project also aimed at increasing the awareness and communication with deaf and impaired people in the corresponding communities and thus creating an encouraging environment in which hearing as well as deaf babies and toddlers would thrive.
1.2 The project partners The partners in the project were the following:
LjubLjana schooL for the Deaf (ZGnL), the promoter School for the Deaf is the central Slovenian institution for the education of deaf, hard of hearing and speech impaired children and adolescents (from the age of one), founded in 1900. The founder is the Government of the Republic of Slovenia. The main tasks are to educate children from the time of the diagnosis until they have completed their studies at secondary school level. The primary goal of the school is the optimal development of the child’s abilities in all areas, with special emphasis on the development of language (the Slovenian language and the Slovenian Sign language), communication, hearing and speech. Language is essential for the comprehensive development of a child. Therefore, the primary goal is the development of a child’s language skills from the very early ages. The speech and language impaired children are educated with emphasis on speech and language development applying the holistic approach and team approach to education, training and rehabilitation and working with the parents. The staff are both hearing and deaf teachers.
unIVersItY of KLaGenfurt, the centre for sign Language and Deaf communication (ZGh) The University of Klagenfurt was founded as a reform university in the 1970s. It has now about 600 employees and 7,500 students. The Centre for Sign Language and Deaf Communication (abbreviation: ZGH) has authored materials for the Austrian Sign Language (courseware and grammar) and was engaged in several national and EU projects on deaf issues as a partner or as a coordinator. The ZGH has five hearing, five deaf and one hard of hearing co-workers. ZGH aims at improving the situation of deaf and hard of hearing people concerning education and job chances. It has experiences in sign language teaching and research (sign language courses, grammar of OEGS - the Austrian Sign Language, Curriculum for the education of deaf sign language teachers), deaf user needs, deaf education concerning written language (e.g. English for the deaf) and computer skills for the deaf. For more information see http://www.uni-klu.ac.at/zgh.
the LIthuanIan rehabILItatIon centre for Deaf anD harD of hearInG (rKrs) The Lithuanian rehabilitation centre for deaf and hard of hearing is an active implementing body of the Lithuanian Association of the Deaf. It unites over 4,000 members. The organization acts at the national level of Lithuania presenting needs and equal rights of deaf people in different fields of life (education, culture, social issues etc.). The organization today has over 30 employees (professional sign language
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Sign communication with babies and toddlers Handbook
interpreters, social workers, project managers, employment coaches and others) that promote local, national and international projects in the field of deaf people integration. The Lithuanian Association of the Deaf has over a 70-year history of activities. Together with social partners and public bodies it implements the rights of deaf people on a legal basis (legislation), public basis (social activities for communities), educational basis (promoting sign language legislation and usage at schools and other public places) etc.
euroVIa, educational research EuroVia provides services in the field of educational and training services. The organisation provides competence and needs analysis and capacity building for educational providers at national and European levels. Areas of training provision include training in the assessment of prior learning, how to implement measures for the integration of the socially excluded youth into the mainstream education provision, training on institution building and also on implementation of active learning approach. However, it also provides links between educational, training, and employers organisations and the European aspects of their work. Partners within the organisation have a wide range of experience in projects within the lifelong learning programme, including acting as project promoters, coordinators, and evaluators within individual projects, as well as providing evaluation services for National Agencies and the European Commission.
natIonaL InstItute for Vet sLoVenIa (cPI) CPI is the central development and advisory institution for VET in Slovenia. It was founded by the Government in 1995. Preschool education is according to the Slovenian classification within the VET, and thus under the authority of the CPI. The basic tasks include the creation of professional starting points and methodologies for development in VET. Within the institute they develop methodologies for module structured and competence based VET curricula for secondary vocational and professional education and training. Other basic activities include monitoring and evaluation of curricula, final exams and didactical approaches. One of the permanent activities is the training of teachers, mentors and school management, providing all support in the process of the new curricula implementation. It is also a national reference point for qualifications, quality assurance and the national qualification framework. It cooperates with other EU institutions and in different networks (ReferNet, TTnet, SEVET Net), working groups and international projects.
the schooL centre ruDoLf MaIster KaMnIK (ŠcrM) The School Centre Rudolf Maister Kamnik consists of the grammar school, high school of economics and secondary school for the education of educators in kindergartens. Adult education where people can take different community based classes and courses is also located at their premises. The building itself is designed to accommodate physically challenged -handicapped students. Therefore the main values that they are trying to point out are respect, tolerance and solidarity. The centre has got a long tradition. This year they are celebrating the 60th anniversary of grammar school and the 30th anniversary of the high school of economics. During these years they have taken part in many projects and they have undergone many changes in their programmes. The programmes are language, science or economy oriented, there is a project class called The European Class and the programme for educators in kindergartens, where baby signing initiative has been introduced.
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babIes can sIGn Babies Can Sign (BCS) is an independent teaching organisation based in West Yorkshire, England, offering services to children (up to the age of eleven) and their parents/carers, as well as to childcare professionals. The institution’s main aim is to enhance communication with young children through the use of sign language. As well as working with preverbal children, hearing and hard of hearing (aged six months to two years), they work in many other settings, including but not limited to nurseries, preschools, children’s centres, schools and libraries. To deliver the services BCS works with the North Yorkshire County Council. Babies Can Sign sessions are taught by qualified and experience signers, using the British Sign Language signs.
1.3 The project development One central ambition in the Tiny Signers project was to organize joint learning in the project between the evaluators, co-ordinators, the promoter, the partners (the national project leaders), the teachers, educational experts, either hearing or deaf in all the participating countries involved. In addition, it has to be stressed out that when creating networks and during the daily cooperation between hearing and hard of hearing people, the deaf people as experts, native speakers of sign language and teachers of hearing people all of the partner organisations reached out of their normal ways of thinking and working. To support this development we used the interactive learning approach which was done together with - not on – the participants. Several questionnaires and working tools were produced to support the process. In this way the research could get a perspective from the ‘inside’ which is useful both for the scientific documentation as well as for the development of a good practice. A part of the project meetings was organised as seminars where countries’ developments, different results and practices were presented and discussed. The data about the testing of signing with babies and toddlers in inclusive classrooms was collected during the last part of the project by the participants, through case studies and study visits. This also ensured a continuous dissemination of results among the partner countries. The starting point was the participants’ immediate experience. They were then throughout the project free to discuss and reflect on what they saw in the project. However, the evaluation of the project aimed to go deeper than that. The ambition was to develop immediate understanding at a deeper and more analytical level. The participants were invited to develop and analyse the collected material together with evaluators and participants at meetings throughout the process. They were the co-researchers throughout the project. At the beginning it was too early to decide on the coming topics or research areas. Using the interactive approach, this was decided as the different stages developed. They may differ from country to country or they may be the same.
1.3.1 Slovenia context Pre-primary education (1-5 years) is an integral part of the educational system. Pre-primary provision integrates centre-based child care and early general pre-school education. The programmes are carried
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out by public and private preschool institutions, preschool units attached to primary schools, and childminders. The Ministry of education, science, culture and sport is in charge of the training of the staff, programmes and aids to particular groups of children. The municipalities are the main founders, funders and direct providers of services. Attendance is optional. Children can be admitted from the age of eleven months until they enter compulsory education at the age of six. Due to the maternity leave of 365 days most Slovenian children are included in either kindergartens or childminders settings by the age of one. Qualification of the staff: Pre-school teachers at the pre-primary level qualify for the traineeship position after obtaining a qualification Bachelor degree for pre-school teachers. The traineeship period lasts for 6-10 months of training at a work placement and ends with a Teacher Certification Examination, which finally qualifies them for a permanent position. In addition, kindergartens also employ assistant teachers, who are the holders of high school childcare diplomas. The same traineeship requirements apply for them before they become fully qualified. Special needs in preschool education Provision of special needs education in Slovenia follows a multi-track approach towards inclusion, which means that a variety of services between mainstream education and special education settings are offered. The principle of ‘inclusion’ prevails also in preschool education. Most children have been integrated into mainstream education settings. Provision in mainstream kindergartens consists of special educational support through special arrangements and an adapted programme with equal educational standards as prescribed in the curriculum (adaptations are provided, so the SEN child can participate in the programme). In addition, special classes are offered in pre-school institutions. Special institutions offer special education programmes for pupils with moderate and severe disabilities. The most specific programme in special institutions is the so called tutoring programme, which includes various contents: social skills, interest and motivation, preventive disciplinary strategies, compensatory measures and positive behaviour management. The deaf and hard of hearing in preschool education In Slovenia the babies’ hearing screening is performed shortly after they are born. There is not an early intervention programme developed yet, but parents can attend school for parents where also signing communication and sign language are presented. The majority of parents of babies born with a moderate to profound hearing loss decide that their children will receive a cochlear implant. They have a surgery soon after the age of one and receive a cochlear implant in one or two ears. The costs for the surgery is covered by health insurance. From the year 1996 till 2010, 137 children had a surgery in Slovenia, among those 19 with multiple disabilities. 104 children were pre-lingually deaf. A lot of parents decide to include deaf children with a cochlear implant in special settings for the deaf for intensive rehabilitation (sign language is included) and children are enrolled in mainstream kindergartens after the age of four. Deaf culture and the use of sign language are deprived because of those reasons. In special education for the deaf the same national curriculum is followed as in all other kindergartens across the country. However, the teaching approach is adapted to deaf and hard of hearing children. Also the number of children in a classroom with deaf and hard of hearing children is smaller, up to six children as opposed to twelve children in other classrooms. There are only a few deaf children who do not have the surgery and usually they are from deaf families. Their first language is the Slovene sign language and they are educated bilingually with two preschool teachers with a good knowledge of signing.
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An interpreter visits a group of youngest children from the age of one to three and teaches them basic signs within the Tiny Signers project using the method presented in this handbook. A sign language interpreter is used in kindergarten on field trips or at other kindergarten activities. Children with hearing parents come to a kindergarten without the knowledge of signing. Besides, parents are suggested not to use signs and rather wait until the operation is performed. Children are without the access of language until they start to comprehend speech with the help of a cochlear implant.
the development There are three partners from Slovenia, which are all strong players in the Slovenian educational environment. First, there is the promoter, ZGNL, which is the central Slovenian institution for the education of deaf, hard of hearing and speech impaired children. Then the CPI, which is the institution of the National Institute for VET (according to the Slovenian law, it is responsible also for preschool education). Its tasks include the creation of professional basis and methodology platforms for the development of curriculum in secondary vocational and professional education. The third partner is the ŠCRM, which is one of ten schools in Slovenia which offer programmes to child care professionals. The activities of the partners have partly focused on the preparation of the reference materials (the core curriculum, the evaluation and project management) at the project level. However, the participation of three partners has resulted also in the extensive development of the activities in Slovenia, where the bottom up approach has been combined with the top down one and has resulted in the movement of the toddler and baby signing across the country. Before the beginning of the project there was just one organization involved in Baby Signing aimed at hearing babies and their parents. They used the made up signs and mainly concentrated on the presentation of the reference materials to the parents of the hearing children. There were no courses for deaf and hard of hearing babies and their parents. Furthermore, there were also no courses offered for the professionals working in mainstream kindergartens and/or school environment. Equally, there were no materials for babies and parents (either deaf/hard of hearing as well as hearing) available using the signs from the Slovenian sign language. The development in Slovenia, similarly as in Lithuania, therefore took steps in a few directions. An extensive area of work was the development of different models of training courses for babies, parents, as well as courses for child care professionals, using the Slovenian sign language. All three organisations were involved. The core curriculum was developed (under the responsibility of CPI), which was followed by the 105 implementation curriculum (please, see the Chapter 2), prepared by ZGNL and ŠCRM. The course was offered as an optional course within the open curriculum in the ŠCRM within the pre-service training. 34 students took the training which lasted through the whole school year 2011/12. Within and around the course the Slovenian partners organised several dissemination and valorisation events. Among others there was ‘Vzgojiteljada’, a festival organized for all schools running the programme for preschool teachers. It was organized by ŠCRM. ZGNL and CPI also participated. One workshop for students was prepared by the teachers and the theme was Sign communication for toddlers. Students learned signs, basic theory and presented one signing song at the end of the festival to all other participants. Also the deaf students from ZGNL participated and helped to teach the signs. The workshop was a great success and headmasters from other schools were interested in the new curriculum for toddlers. Within the Slovene association for the deaf and hard of hearing and deaf clubs in Slovenia a presentation was made at a humanitarian run organized by ZGNL on 11th of October 2011. ZGNL organized a humanitarian run called Chestnut run. All teachers, children and students joined and representatives from The Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing and clubs came, too. Also a lot of parents and other people joined in. It was a great opportunity to present the Tiny Signers project. Students from ŠCRM performed two songs in sign language and with a puppet Miha. The event was filmed by The Deaf Association and broadcasted at their Internet TV.
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Equally, in February 2011 and 2012 the project was presented to parents and future students of childcare at ŠCRM. The students have an experience of the curriculum and they could present signing for toddlers as a method and also the songs. For ŠCRM it is added value to have Signing for toddlers within their school curriculum. The largest dissemination activities were organised alongside the placements in kindergartens. Namely, a part of the training course is also the placement in the local kindergartens. Therefore, in March students went to a placement in local kindergartens (8) and two of them in the Slovenian bilingual kindergarten in Klagenfurt. As they already had 60 hours of training following the curriculum within the TS project they had a task to present the project to kindergartens, parents and children. The level of the presentations varied, with four not having time to deliver the presentation. However, a few managed to present the signing and also raised further interest. The presentations were most successful in the kindergarten which are already involved in signing through the training events of the CPI. The second scope of training activities is related to the in-service training for the childcare professionals launched within the network of the Slovenian kindergartens. The CPI (within the scheme for professional development of teachers, run by the Ministry of education, science, culture and sport) launched the eight hours programme of in-service teacher training for childcare professionals. Initially there was one training event planned for twenty childcare professionals, as also envisaged in the Tiny signers project proposal. However, due to a very good feedback and a vast interest, two further events were organised and carried through. The number of the professionals trained therefore rose to sixty-five. The participants come from different areas of Slovenia. Due to the further increased interest, CPI has already prepared for the Ministry of Education the Tiny signers II training course with three repetitions for the school year 2012/13, as well as additional three courses of the Tiny signers for the new participants.
Some members of Slovene project team at work (by Peter Potočnik Hoenigsman)
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Furthermore, there was a course of sign language organised aimed at the employees of the ŠCRM and CPI with the following topics: basic signs for babies, history of the deaf, communication in sign language, difference between sign language and communication with signs. The course was run by a deaf teacher and a translator of the Slovenian and the Slovenian sign language. A DVD with basic signs was produced. In addition, there was also a course for the staff of the ZGNL organised to implement the method of topic based signing across the college. They considered using this approach also when working with other target groups. The third scope of training events is the training for parents of deaf and hard of hearing as well as hearing babies/toddlers, which was organised by ZGNL. Special workshops for deaf and hard of hearing children, the goal of which was to identify special needs and adaptations needed for courses of baby signing, were also organised. Workshops for children who are in special settings were held in ZGNL. Workshops were held from November to May (together 10 hours). The adaptations for deaf and hard of hearing children are further explained under the chapter Specific adaptations required when signing with the deaf and hard of hearing children (Chapter 6). The course was organised in May 2012 and brought together a group of parents and babies. There were nine parents, one grandmother and seven children from the age of six months to twenty months. There were three workshops. Different topics were covered: basic signs, signs for relatives, animals, food and emotions. We also explained the theory of signing with babies and toddlers. Participants were really interested and motivated. The workshops were led by Živa Ribičič and two assistants, a deaf person and a hearing kindergarten teacher. There was also one child with a cochlear implant. All parents were very interested in workshops and they wanted to proceed with the process of signing. Therefore, they decided to meet again in June 2012 and talk about the progress and open questions. ZGNL put a lot of effort in producing relevant and attractive training materials to be used while working with babies and toddlers in teaching them baby sign language using the Slovenian sign language. This work resulted in the development of photos of 140 signs of the Slovenian sign language to be used at the courses with babies/parents, as well as childcare professionals. Furthermore, a colourful booklet with 100 first basic signs for children, parents and childcare professionals is on its way. The signs in the booklet are categorised into topics with explanations and rules to support the teaching. ZGNL has also started with a small library with reference materials of teaching the Slovenian sign language to kids. It is important to state that the ŠCRM has already reached the decision to run the course also next year, the development in kindergartens where signing for babies and toddlers was introduced this year, will equally take place next year with additional training events, monitoring activities, as this is already agreed with the Ministry of education, science, culture and sport for the next school year.
1.3.2 United Kingdom context Every year, approximately 8,000 children are born with different degrees of deafness in the UK. A much smaller number lose their hearing through other causes such as meningitis. 90% of deaf children in the UK are born to hearing families with little or no experience of deafness and sign language. National Deaf Children’s Society (NCDS) has shown that good communication in the early years can help prevent future mental health problems and raise the chances of students to achieve better grades at GCSE. United Kingdom (ENG/WLS/NIR): Some settings in the private and voluntary sectors provide for a wider age-range but provision for under-3s is not shown as, even though it is accredited, it is not funded. There
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is a limited level of funded provision for under-3’s, but this is not shown in the figure either, as there is no general entitlement. United Kingdom (SCT): it is up to local authorities to provide monetary assistance for the care of 0-3 year olds if they wish so but they are under no central obligation to do so. General Preschool education (3-4 years) is a non-compulsory part of the UK’s education system. There is no legal requirement for children to start formal education until the term in which they turn five. Preprimary provision integrates centre-based childcare and early general pre-school education. Preschool education exists in both public and private institutions, pre-school units attached to primary schools (free of charge),and private preschool classes at private day nurseries (cost to parents). All children who are 3-5 years old are entitled to 15 hours per week of free preschool education. United Kingdom (ENG/WLS/NIR): Some settings in the private and voluntary sectors provide for a wider age-range but provision for under-3s is not shown as, even though it is accredited, it is not funded. There is a limited level of funded provision for under-3s, but this not shown in the figure either, as there is no general entitlement. The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) was launched in the UK in 2007 and first implemented in 2008. All practitioners outside the home MUST follow this framework for ALL children from birth to five years. It follows a play based approach. Learning goals are set and assessed for each child within this framework. Each child has an Early Years Foundation Stage profile which follows them through childcare/education. Qualification of staff: Preschool teachers There are various routes into pre-school teaching in the UK. These are varied and complicated. Practitioners do not need to have a qualified teacher status to work in a pre-school. There are currently numerous academic and vocational qualifications that people can study towards – BTEC National Diplomas, e.g. in Children’s Learning and Development or NVQs (National Vocational Qualification) in Childcare. These are not compulsory but desirable and enable individuals to gain better positions. Individuals can gain a degree standard in nursery education within a Day Nursery, then carry on and gain entry to the Early Years Foundation Degree. This can lead on through various routes to the Early Years Professional Status (EYPS) qualification. The aim in all children’s centres by 2010 and in all private, voluntary and independent full day-care settings by 2015, is to have an EYPS qualified practitioner leading the curriculum for children and families. Preschool education for children with special educational needs (SEN) Provision of special needs education in the UK follows a multi-track approach towards inclusion, which means that a variety of services from mainstream education and occasionally segregated settings are offered. The principle of ‘inclusion’ prevails also in preschool education. The majority of children have been integrated into mainstream education settings. For some children with special educational needs, including those who are deaf, the local education authority issues a statement of special educational needs. This is a document which sets outs the child’s learning needs, and what support the local education authority will give the child’s school, to help them to reach their learning potential. Each child is given an IEP (Individual Education Plan) which sets out information about the targets the child is working towards and what support will be put in place to help them achieve these. Deaf pre-school children NDCS found that only 22.1% of deaf pre-school children attained a good level of attainment compared to 60% of hearing children. Therefore twice as many deaf children failed to achieve a good level of development compared to children with no SEN. Cochlear implants Out of the approximately 800 UK children who are born deaf each year (as well as the smaller number who lose their hearing through meningitis) less than 40% (approximately 300 children) had implants. This
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is very different from many other European countries. Hearing impaired service: Each local authority (LA) in England and Wales, the Education Service in Scotland or the Education and Library Board (ELB) in Northern Ireland, has a hearing impaired service (also known as sensory support service) to provide services to deaf children and their parents. The support can be in the child’s home, at nurseries and playgroups or in school. It also offers information, advice and support to nurseries, playgroups, schools and colleges that teach deaf children. Teachers of the deaf (qualified teachers who have taken further training and are qualified to teach deaf children) provide support to deaf children, their parents and family, and to other professionals who are involved with a child’s education. Some teachers of the deaf are based in schools – others are known as visiting or ‘peripatetic’ teachers of the deaf (who travel to the child’s home and playgroup or nursery or pre-school). They offer support, advice and information to families and those working with deaf children. Pre-school or early years teachers of the deaf have specialist training to work with very young children. For many families, the child’s teacher of the deaf may be the main person responsible for co-ordinating the early years support service for the family. The use of sign language in pre-primary education: There is no formal application of the use of sign language with children in pre-primary education in the UK. Some nursery and pre-schools (both private and state funded) do use sign language but it is very much on an ad hoc basis. The individual school will make the decision. This is usually based on either having children who are deaf or have other additional communication needs and they already use sign language or it is deemed that it would be useful. Then once again it is their decision as to which signs or version of sign language to use, and there is very little guidance on this. Some SENCOs and speech therapists advocate the use and some do not. Some nurseries/pre-schools choose the American Sign Language (this is usually because the first resources which come up on sites such as Amazon are in the ASL, but this is not always clear), many use MAKATON (a sign system developed after the BSL specifically for children with learning difficulties, combined with symbols to aid communication) and some use the BSL. Some areas have even developed their own versions, e.g. in Somerset, they also use Somerset Total Communication.
the development The main UK partner, Babies Can Sign (BCS), is an independent teaching organisation based in West Yorkshire, which offers services to children (up the age of eleven) and their parents/carers, as well as to childcare professionals with the main aim to enhance communication with young children through the use of the British Sign Language. The initiative is very well accepted in the region and is implemented in settings including, but not limited to, nurseries, pre-schools, children’s centres, schools and libraries. In order to deliver the services BCS has worked in close cooperation with North Yorkshire County Council. The main task of the UK partner was therefore to share its knowledge and skills with other partner countries, prepare some of the core materials to assist them, and to further expand the baby signing community in the UK. As the other developments (the training and learning materials) are part of the next chapter of the Handbook, only the activities related to further development of the service in the North Yorkshire region and wider in the UK are going to be described here. The BCS built its work in the project upon the existing contacts. They found it very helpful to have excellent relationships with many local networks and organisations. However, it was also not difficult to find new organisations who were interested in training of their childcare professionals, regardless of whether they were training, i.e. childcare students or volunteers running local toddler groups. They were very interested in the work BCS does, the expertise they can offer and were extremely keen to become involved, which was very refreshing for the BCS. In this respect, BCS made contacts with Leeds University, and held there a course with childcare professionals (both staff and thirty-five students studying to be linguistics teachers at Leeds University to introduce signing as a method of teaching a foreign language). It is hoped that further research will be
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undertaken by students with dissertations. A number of promotional events took place at libraries across Leeds. The events coincide with the Deaf Awareness week, which is a major event at Leeds Central Library. This was in conjunction with the Leeds Deaf Children’s Society. BCS also works with the National Deaf Children’s Society. This includes being involved in a fun day for deaf children in the region, doing demonstrations of the Tiny Signers techniques and disseminating further information about the project signing sessions. Furthermore, in May 2011 a course took place with childcare professionals (NVQ Level 3 in childcare) at Leeds City College, which is the largest college in the city (with more than 40,000 students in all of the courses). The result of this event was the decision to introduce an optional fifteen-hour module for Level 3 BTEC National Diploma in Children’s Care, Learning and Development students, beginning in January 2012. It is intended that it will eventually lead towards accreditation. BCS in cooperation with the head of the childcare courses and course tutors developed the curriculum for the course. Vicki Gilbert (Babies Can Sign) taught a ten-week course/module for twenty child care students. Covering topics such as deaf awareness, benefits of signing with babies and children (particularly in a childcare setting), sign acquisition, how to introduce the signs to children in different scenarios and links with the Early Years Foundation Stage. They expressed an interest in further training. Another important connection was made with the Pre-school Learning Alliance, which is the UK’s largest early years membership organisation and voluntary sector provider of quality and affordable childcare. It is an educational charity representing the interests of 14,000 member settings who deliver care and learning to over 800,000 UK families. Their goal is enhancing quality provision and delivery in childcare settings. BCS agreed to deliver two training sessions for thirty people in total working with local children in preschool settings and to spread the techniques used in the project to as many preschool children and settings as possible locally. In addition, also the Bradford Under 5’s Association (BUFA) was contacted and engaged in the training of their staff. The BUFA is commissioned by Bradford Council’s Early Childhood Services to support all Under 5’s groups – toddler and play groups with the mission to enable young children to gain a better start in life. They are the main support organisation, aiding training and development for preschool groups in Bradford. It was agreed that there will be a training event organised for those running local groups offering the training to 15 participants to enable them to use the Tiny Signers techniques. BCS further plans to contact the Accreditation Bodies such as CACHE (Council for Awards in Care, Health and Education), www.cache.org.uk, the leading specialist in vocational qualifications and their development. CACHE qualifications are used in over 1,000 colleges in the UK. The intention is to approach them with the possibility of the course material being accredited for future use with students. This would enable the legacy of the project work to continue and colleges and training providers to be able to ‘drawdown’ funding, so as many students as possible can benefit. BCS was very satisfied with the fruitful contacts and the extensive development. They assess this was partly due to the established reputation of BCS but also due to the professional materials which were produced as part of the project to help ‘sell’ the work to others, e.g. the glossy project leaflet, which enabled them to get beyond the initial contact.
1.3.3 Lithuania context Pre-primary education (1-7 year olds) is an integral part of education system. Pre-primary provision integrates centre-based child care and early general preschool education. The programmes are carried out by public and private preschool institutions. The Ministry of Education and Science is in charge of
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the training of the staff, programmes and aids to particular groups of children. The municipalities are the main funders and direct providers of services. Attendance is optional. Children can be admitted from the age of two and until they enter compulsory education at the age of seven. The maternity leave period is optional from one up to three years. Due to that most of the children are included in either kindergarten settings by the time they are two to three years old. Qualification of staff Preschool teachers at the pre-primary level qualify for the traineeship position after obtaining a qualification Bachelor degree for Preschool education or any other kind of pedagogical or psychological education. Teachers, graduated from any other than pre-primary education qualification are obliged to attend a so called catch-up study course at Vilnius Collage to obtain a Pre-primary educator degree. The special needs in preschool education Provision of special needs education in Lithuania follows a multi-track approach towards inclusion, which means that a variety of services between mainstream education and special education settings are offered. The principle of ‘inclusion’ prevails also in preschool education. But still the majority of children are enrolled in special schools for deaf and hard of hearing as there is a lack of assistants in mainstream education. Provision in mainstream kindergartens according to rules consists of special educational support through special arrangements, adapted programme with equal educational standards as prescribed in the curriculum (adaptations are provided so the SEN child can participate in the program). In addition, special classes should be offered in preschool institutions. Unfortunately, due to the lack of funding in schools many of these services are absent. Special institutions offer special education programmes for pupils with moderate and severe disabilities. The most specific programme in special institutions is the so called tutoring programme, which includes various contents: social skills, interest and motivation, preventive disciplinary strategies, compensatory measures and positive behaviour management. All programmes are created by teachers of preschools according to national standards but modified and mostly individualised. The deaf and hard of hearing in preschool education The majority of parents of babies born with a moderate to profound hearing loss decide that their children will receive a cochlear implant. Doctors at hospitals promote this approach. They are operated soon after the age of one and receive a cochlear implant on one or two ears. Costs for the surgery are covered by health insurance up to 54,000 LTL (15,600 Euros). The rest must be added by parents. From 1999 till 2010, 145 children has a surgery in Lithuania. A lot of parents decide not to include deaf children with cochlear implants in special settings for the deaf for intensive rehabilitation (sign language is included), but decide to integrate them as soon as possible which causes a huge damage to their children’s rehabilitation process. Children are enrolled in mainstream kindergartens at a very early age. Deaf culture and use of sign language is deprived because of those reasons.
the development The National Lithuanian Rehabilitation Centre for the Deaf and hard of hearing, RKRC, is a well established and reputable institution with a good network of organisations, in particular in the field of education and employment for deaf and hard of hearing people. They are the main partner for the developmental as well as implementation tasks of the project in Lithuania. However, the project development demanded also the enlargement of the existing networks and engagement with some new organisations. Before the beginning of the project there was just one organisation providing Baby Signing courses aimed at hearing
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babies and their parents, using the signs from the American Sign Language. There were no courses for deaf and hard of hearing babies and their parents. Furthermore, there were also no courses offered for professionals working in mainstream kindergartens and/or school environment. Equally, there were no materials for babies and parents (either deaf/hard of hearing as well as hearing) available using the signs from the Lithuanian sign language. The development in Lithuania therefore took steps in a few interesting directions. The RKRC put a lot of effort in producing relevant and attractive training materials to be used while working with babies and toddlers in teaching them baby sign language using the Lithuanian sign language. This pioneer work resulted in the development of a DVD with 500 signs of the Lithuanian sign language to be used at the courses with babies/parents, as well as childcare professionals. Furthermore, a colourful booklet was prepared and published with the title ‘My small tiny signs handbook’, with 76 first basic signs for children, parents and childcare professionals. The signs in the handbook are categorised into topics with explanations and rules to support the teaching. Another product was produced – a 25-card set with 100 signs for children, parents and child care professionals. Signs were illustrated by a British illustrator. The RKRC also started with a small library with reference materials about the baby sign language, mostly comprising from the research materials from the Anglo-Saxon environment, yet relevant for the development of baby signing worldwide, as well as the reference materials of teaching the Lithuanian sign language to kids. The organization obtained a lot of knowledge on this topic and is ready to develop the network and share good practice at the country level. The other extensive area of work was the development of different models of training courses for babies and parents using the Lithuanian sign language, as well as courses for child care professionals. In order to ensure education that the courses comply with the demands of the teacher training in Lithuania the RKRC in both cases cooperated closely with the existing private organisation as well as external experts from the preschool. These development resulted in the course for children (deaf and hard of hearing as well as hearing) and parents based on the Lithuanian sign language as well as a 34-hour course (16 hours of theory and 18 hours of practice) aimed at child care professionals working in preschool education. The preparation of the course was based on the core curriculum which was produced at the project level (see the core curriculum document) with the main aim to prepare childcare professionals to use the Lithuanian sign language in the early childcare classroom. The curriculum is composed of the contents of the baby signing approach in toddlers education, deaf culture, the Lithuanian sign language, sign language training method with the Lithuanian sign language vocabulary and the presentation of training materials and resources. The training started in March 2012 and was delivered by Asta Paškovske and a deaf teacher Gražina Vosylienė. All of the kindergartens in Vilnius were invited to participate and a group of nineteen childcare professionals was formed. It has to be noted that there was only a little interest in the beginning when the promotional activities for the course started, the reason for this being that the baby signing is a method which the kindergartens were not familiar with. However, after the registration for the first TC had been closed, more pre-primary education institutions got interested and even asked for additional trainings. Due to the increased interest, there is additional training planned for fifteen participants. Among the participants there were a lot of speech therapists working in kindergarten centres or special preschools, five were skilled users of Sign Language. Before, they had used signs naturally and they had been interested in using them systematically. The training programmes and the developments around them gave the RKRC a positive impulse and future perspective to develop the training activities further and share the method among professionals. Another training was organized for parents of hearing and deaf children. Altogether ten parents attended the training. The contacts with the Vilnius College, which is a college responsible for professional childcare professionals preparation at high school level, were established. Professionals are equally prepared for the hearing and deaf pre-primary education institutions. The Vilnius College is motivated to launch the Tiny Signers courses for childcare professionals on regular basis and to integrate it into the curriculum of the future childcare professionals and pre-primary education teachers in the school year 2012/13. In this way the
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method will be widely used and spread and will have a continuous impact on preschool education in Lithuania. Furthermore, a meeting with the Ministry of Social Affairs (they finance two national programmes: Sign language interpreting and SL usage) was organised. It finances all trainings in Sign Language for the medical staff, firemen etc. At first they had reservations about training the parents because there are not many deaf children left as children mainly have cochlear implants. However, after the discussion they are now considering about offering the courses to parents and babies as an option to learn another language, which is useful for all. The Baby Sign Language approach is taken into consideration and is included into the program of 2013-2019.
1.3.4 Austria context Pre-primary education/Early child care: Types of institutional ECEC differ primarily according to the age of the children. ‘Krippen’ (public crèches), kindergartens and parent-toddler groups are, in principle, available to children who are 0 to 6 years old. Non-centre based services are also provided by child minders and ‘Kindergruppen’ (playgroups). Approximately 70% of all ECEC facilities are operated by local authorities, the remainder being offered by parishes, non-profit associations, companies and private persons. Kindergarten is the most widespread service available, accounting for 86.7% of all children in institutional care settings. The remaining 13.3% are distributed across ‘krippen’ (crèches) (5%), child minders (3.5%), mixed age facilities (3.1%), and parent-toddler groups (1.7%). However, only less than 9% of children below the age of three access the available services. Qualification of staff: Kindergarten and crèche groups are staffed by kindergarten pedagogues (60.4% of staff) and some 30% of ‘Erzieherinnen’ (care assistants). Approximately 25% of the assistants are trained pedagogues. The remaining 10% of the staff have completed different training or may have none. Child minders and parent-toddler group staff, like staff in kindergartens, are normally trained, and must take into account age-specific and individual child needs. Training requirements: Kindergarten pedagogues (Kindergartenpädagioginnen) receive a 5-year training in ‘Bildungsanstalten für Kindergartenpädagogik’ at 24 ECEC Training Institutes or ‘Fachschulen’ (secondary education level) across Austria. To work in a kindergarten or a crèche candidates must have demonstrated success in the Diploma exam and secondary school leaving examination (matriculation). Kindergarten pedagogues generally work in kindergartens with children, 3-6 year olds. They may also work – often in the positions of direction – in crèches for children who are between 0-3 years old, but the majority of staff in crèches are ‘Erzieherinnen’ (educators, social pedagogues) who are trained in ‘Bildungsanstalten für Sozialpädagogik’. ‘Erzieherinnen’ work essentially in crèches, kindergartens / ‘Hort’ (leisure centres or classes for children), which children attend in the afternoon to do their homework and spent some leisure-time. ‘Erzieherinnen’ working in crèches took special modules to prepare them for work with infants and toddlers. Special needs kindergarten pedagogues have additional training, enabling them to work with children deemed to have developmental problems or disabilities. Kindergarten assistants may work at kindergartens or crèches without training, but many kindergartens employ ‘Erzieherinnen’. In principle, child minders must also be trained in Austria. Child minders linked to the Austrian Federation of Child Minders complete a relevant, short training course, but training requirements differ widely across provinces. Training ranges from 30 hours in Lower Austria to 468 hours with a professional examination in Styria. Although the training of both ‘Kindergarten pädagoginnen’ and ‘Erzieherinnen’ is of high quality in the ‘Fachschulen’, concern is expressed about the level of training – which, at the secondary upper level, is among the lowest in Europe. Current demands on the profession, e.g. the greater diversity of children, higher education expectations of parents, and the need to promote equality of opportunity for women in work – all suggest that kindergarten pedagogues need a tertiary-level, professional education,
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which, in turn, would lead also to higher quality standards in services. Parental leave: Parents may take up to three years of supported parental leave, if both parents take at least six months. Most fathers do not use this entitlement, reducing the leave in those families to 30 months, and since 1996 to 24 months. Mothers receive 16 weeks of maternity leave, required to be taken before and after the child’s birth. A cash benefit that replaces full wages is paid for this period. There is protection from dismissal during a long parental leave (up to two years), and for up to four weeks after returning to former positions. A generous Child Benefit is also paid to low-income families for 30 months – or to 36 months if both parents claim. Parents can also take a paid, job protected leave to care for a sick or a handicapped child under the age of 12. Special needs children Children with disabilities: Special needs kindergartens, operated by ‘special education kindergarten teachers’, provide programmes promoting children and providing therapy. Children may also be served in through ‘integration groups’, whereby children with special needs are included in mainstream kindergartens. In general integration groups contain15 children, 3-5 of whom may have been medically evaluated as having special needs. However, there is no legal entitlement to inclusive child care and there is insufficient data available to document the level of access, need, or support to children with disabilities in either child care or kindergarten. Consequently, levels of access for these children differ widely across the provinces. Proactive federal involvement is lacks in this and other important fields. Provisions of child care for deaf and hard of hearing children Provision for deaf and hard of hearing children in Austria is disregarded. There is no systematic education or training for people working in child care provided by the authorities responsible for Early Years furtherance or kindergarten, and there is also no curriculum for bilingual education to be implemented in institutions regularly. There are only single activities in some kindergartens and schools. Here you can find some examples: One Kindergarten in Vienna (Gussenbauergasse; 9th district) works with a bilingual concept. In the groups there are deaf or hearing impaired and/or hearing children of deaf parents together with hearing children. They and the childcare professionals, one of them is a deaf person, use German and Sign Language. Please see: http://www.bizeps.or.at/news.php?nr=11465 http://derstandard.at/1271377735255/Gehoerlose-Grammatik-mit-Fingerspitzengefuehl http://www.plig.at/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=18&Itemid=32 At the federal institute for the deaf in Vienna there is at least one bilingual integration group. Please see: http://www.big-kids.at/sites/kindergarten/kggruppen.htm At a special kindergarten in Styria FÖZ two native signers are employed. Please see: http://www.soziales. steiermark.at/cms/ziel/4822957/DE There are some providers for play-groups which use sign language: http://www.kinderhaende.at http://www.babyzeichensprache.com http://www.oegsbarrierefrei.at/default.asp?id=5
the development The development in Austria was greatly influenced by the fact that there is no general national information centre for parents with deaf children. Furthermore although there are six schools for deaf children across the country, the sign language is not generally used. Therefore when leaving education deaf children
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have low literacy skills. One of the main tasks of the Austrian partner, The University of Klagenfurt, the centre for sign language and deaf communication, ZGH, is to improve the education of deaf and hard of hearing people and to teach and research the Sign Language. Equally, in Austria sign language courses for deaf and hearing babies, their parents as well as for child care professional are a very new thing. The University of Klagenfurt, ZGH, therefore decided to work in close cooperation with ‘Kinderhaende’, the organisation which began its work in 2005 and offers training courses in sign language for deaf children and families. ‘Kinderhaende’ is based in Vienna, but there are plans to further develop centres in other locations across Austria. The view of ZGH is that it is important to gain the recognition in Vienna first. The main idea behind the creation of ‘Kinderhaende’ was the general lack of provision for deaf children. ‘Kinderhaende’ now also has an information centre for families with deaf children and also offers training for professionals. Courses are now offered to a wide range of age groups, up to the age of 14. Classes are held for both children and parents and plans are in place to offer the courses to teachers. They use the Austrian sign language. The teachers are both hearing and deaf persons with skills in sign language teaching, sign language interpreting and pedagogy. For the Tiny Signers project they took over some training tasks as well as the task to prepare the training programme for future childcare professionals. In autumn/winter 2011/12 they were subcontracted and offered courses for babies and parents. In June 2012 Kinderhaende taught the Module Sign Communication with Toddlers at the BAKIP in Vienna. Although it was initially agreed that the training should be carried out as a part of a regular pre-service training programme in the last semester in one of the classes for childcare professionals, the school teachers then decided to give the opportunity to learn basics about this topic to more students. Therefore, the training module was held at the end of the semester, during the school’s project days for which the interested students could choose to sign up for the Sign communication with toddlers module. At the end the students were split up into three groups, with 40 participants altogether. Each of the groups profited from a full training day, with the hours varying from 6 to 9. The students were between the age of 15 to 19 and were all enrolled in pre-service secondary education. Each of the training events was held by Andrea Rohrauer, Dipl. Päd., (the hearing) and Barbara Schuster (the deaf). Some of the time she was teaching alone and was simultaneously interpreted by Andrea Rohrauer and for some time the two trainers were teaching together as a bilingual team doing take-overs. This worked especially well for the units including games, songs, rhymes and practical information. The presence of a deaf person in the teaching team was highly rewarded, with a few students now being motivated to learn the whole Sign language, one even saying she would like to become a sign language interpreter (please read more under the Evaluation of the training events, Austria, www.tinysigners.eu). Furthermore, the Kinderhaende also work closely with some kindergartens in Vienna. They are trying to extend their area of work and have also made contacts with the regional training institution for kindergarten in Klagenfurt and they are quite interested in it, too. They are also interested in providing courses for the target groups in the future. For ‘Kinderhaende’ the project is an opportunity to improve their work through the exchange with experts from other countries and to get in contact with different institutions (e. g. for childcare professionals and external financiers). In addition, for funding the project, for co-operation in different working groups, etc. ZGH has a constant contact with the Austrian Federal Ministries. Some years ago a discussion about the integration of sign language in the education of childcare professionals started. This discussion was refreshed with the Austrian Federal Ministry for Education, Arts and Culture (SC Nekula) within the start of the Tiny Signers project in order to implement sign language in the Austrian curriculum system. The head of ZGH, Franz Dotter, is invited to participate in the working groups in 2012. The discussion and working groups in the Austrian Ministry could be more fruitful than in the past because the products developed within the project (materials, curriculum, guidelines etc.) can be used. They also build the basis for new methods in education. This altogether represents a link to help the deaf community to solve problems of the deaf community and/or discuss issues of equal participation of deaf people in the society.
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2
The ‘Tiny signers’ curricula
The main educational resources that were developed within the project are: the Catalogue of Knowledge for Sign communication with Toddlers as the core document based on the QA (Quality Assurance) framework for education and training, and the country specific training programmes. The Slovenian partner which is the national educational institute for curriculum development, including the preschool education, i. e. the CPI (Centre for Vocational Education and Training) took up this role and together with other Slovenian partners (ZGNL, ŠCRM) and EuroVia prepared the catalogue of knowledge based on the core competences. It can be used in all countries across Europe, either as a whole or in part. It is aimed at the teachers of the students in preschool-education training programmes. However, it can also be used as a foundation for the development of training courses for childcare professionals, depending on the needs in a particular country. In the project, each of the partner countries used it as a basis to prepare their own training programme/s which were then implemented. They are all presented in this chapter and can be used as a guide for other teachers.
CATALOGUE OF KNOWLEDGE Module title: Sign communication with toddlers
THE AIMS The student will: • • • • • • • • • • • • •
realize the importance and the possibilities of sign communication with toddlers, develop a positive attitude to sign communication with toddlers, develop sensitivity for the understanding of nonverbal communication with toddlers, learn to use basic sign communication, transmit acquired sign communication skills in practice, i. e. in learning situations when working with toddlers, correlate acquired knowledge from other professional modules with the knowledge from this module, deepen the understanding of the complexity of language development, learn about the possibilities to intercalate sign communication in the implementation of the curriculum on the levels of planning, implementation and evaluation of educational activities, realize the importance and the historic development of sign language for the deaf community and the importance of sign communication for other groups of people with special needs, follow the principle of equal opportunities and respect for diversity among children, follow the principle of process-development approach to educational work, follow the principle of active learning and providing opportunities for verbalisation and other ways of expression, deepen the knowledge of the factors of positive engagement with parents and cooperation between kindergarten and family.
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COMPETENCES The student: 1. is able to understand the importance of knowledge / skills of sign communication with toddlers; acquires the basic knowledge of sign communication with toddlers; 2. is able to teach sign communication to toddlers; 3. is able to reasonably intercalate sign communication in the implementation of the curriculum; 4. is able to involve the parents in the learning of sign communication.
THE OBJECTIVES The student understands the importance of knowledge / skills of sign communication with toddlers Knowledge
Application of Knowledge
Attitude
(Informative goals)
(Formative goals)
(Views, beliefs, values)
Knows the history of the development and characteristics of sign language in our country and in the world.
Describes the key ‘events’ in the history of sign language in the world and in our country. Lists the basic characteristics of sign language.
Positive attitude towards sign communication is based on the awareness of the human ability to communicate and interact with other people.
Knows and understands the possibilities and limitations of sign language for living, learning and work of the deaf community.
Explains the importance of sign language as a means of expression and communication in everyday situations with the deaf and hearing. Clarifies the role of sign language in the process of education of the deaf. Explains the possibilities and constraints of sign language for the employment of the deaf.
It includes respect for and appreciation of diversity and openness to learning different modes of communication.
Knows and understands the options and the use of sign communication with children with special needs (Down’s syndrome, autism, ...).
Explains the importance of sign communication as a means of expression and communication in everyday situations with people with special needs. Clarifies the role of sign communication in the process of education of children with special needs.
It includes respect, interest and consideration of different modes of sign communication, regarding developmental needs of different target groups.
Knows different kinds of sign communication with toddlers, and their advantages and limitations.
Explains different modes of sign communication with toddlers: • communication by using the signs of the sign language of the deaf community, • communication by newly invented signs, • the combined mode.
Positive attitude includes the adoption of the national sign language of the deaf community for sign communication with toddlers.
Knows the benefits of sign communication with toddlers.
Explains and justifies the benefits of sign communication with babies and toddlers: • intense communication between children and adults, • greater attention of the child to gestures and facial expressions in adults and to their own gestures, • it is easier to express and communicate the child’s needs and wants, • mutual enjoyable experience for children and adults in singing songs, telling stories and fairy tales, riddles, etc., by simultaneously showing the key words and concepts in gestures (sign language signs), • control of impulsive behavior and gestures in toddlers, • decreasing undesirable behavior, such as outbursts of anger, violence, biting peers, • encourage speech development.
It includes an interest in child development and an awareness of the role of adults in supporting the toddler in his effort for nonverbal and verbal expression of feelings, needs and wants.
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Sign communication with babies and toddlers Handbook
The student acquires the basic knowledge of sign communication with toddlers (can use sign communication) Knowledge
Application of Knowledge
Attitude
(Informative goals)
(Formative goals)
(Views, beliefs, values)
Knows 500 to 600 signs of the Slovenian Sign Language.
Shows the signs. Understands simple messages in sign language. Conveys simple messages in sign language.
Positive attitude includes the interest in learning something new, tenacity in learning and the joy of acquiring a new linguistic mode of expression. It includes respect for the Slovenian Sign Language.
Knows the importance of language development during the early years.
Explains the importance of positive language environment in the early years.
Positive attitude includes an awareness of the crucial importance of quality encouragement of language development during the early years.
Knows limitations to sign communication with toddlers, and the resources for further learning of sign language.
Understands the difference between sign communication with toddlers and the use of sign language, and is able to explain where his or her skills can be upgraded.
Positive attitude and respect for the Slovenian Sign Language.
Knows the importance of simultaneous (concurrent) use of sign communication and speech when communicating with toddlers according to the method of signing keywords.
Explains the importance and describes an example of simultaneous use of sign communication and speech with toddlers according to the method of signing keywords.
Positive attitude involves an awareness of the integrity of a toddler’s perception and expression.
The student can teach sign communication to toddlers. Knowledge (Informative goals)
Application of Knowledge
Attitude
(Formative goals)
(Views, beliefs, values)
Knows and understands the process of teaching sign communication to toddlers.
Explains the phases of learning sign language: • observation, • recognition and understanding, • first attempts and imitation, • first signs, • vocabulary building, • ‘Eureka’ in signs.
A positive attitude is based on an understanding of the development-process approach. It includes an interest in individual characteristics of children and the joy of observing and monitoring children’s learning and progress.
Knows the ‘principles’ (rules) for teaching sign language.
Enumerates and justifies the basic principles of sign communication with toddlers: • it should be fun, • eye contact between the adult and the child, • use signs and speech simultaneously, • always pronounce the word that is shown as a sign, • give the toddler the opportunity to see an object or activity we are talking about , • use signs that fit the child’s stage of development, • use vivid facial expressions, especially for expressing emotions, • always use correct signs, • repetition, • responsiveness, • patience (tolerance, respect for diversity among toddlers in learning).
Based on the desire to establish emotional contact with individual children. It includes playfulness and sense of humour. It includes the awareness of the importance of nonverbal expression and willingness to voluntarily express oneself nonverbally.
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Sign communication with babies and toddlers Handbook
The student can use meaningful sign communication in the implementation of the curriculum in the group. Knowledge
Application of Knowledge
Attitude
(Informative goals)
(Formative goals)
(Views, beliefs, values)
Knows the importance of integrating sign communication in the process of planning, implementation and evaluation of educational work.
Explains the importance of weighing the options and ways of integrating sign communication in planning, implementation and evaluation of an educational activity. Plans sign communication according to the abilities and previous knowledge of the children and according to the aims and content of the planned activities. Carefully observes the responses of children. Reflects his/her own work and adapts it to suit the current circumstances. Analyzes and evaluates the progress and results of an educational activity. Takes into account the findings of the analysis and evaluation in further planning.
A positive attitude is based on the awareness of the developing toddlers’ minds and their desire and ability to learn about the world by exploring and making sense of it. It is based on understanding the role of adults in their support to toddlers in this effort. It includes aptitude towards monitoring the toddler at learning and making progress. It includes awareness of the importance of planning for the quality of educational activities. It includes awareness of adapting work to the different perceptual styles of children in the group.
Correlation with the areas: language, vocabulary, literature, written language.
Closely monitors the child’s non-verbal and verbal communication and introduces sign communication in communication with the child: • uses signs for the words that the child already knows, • uses signs for the words guessed from the child’s nonverbal attempts of expression, • uses signs for new words, • includes sign communication in telling rhymes, fairy tales and stories, • along with writing and reading the words the student also shows the signs so that the children learn about the possibility of expressing the same content via multiple channels: speech, gesture (sign) and writing.
It includes the awareness of the possibility of sign communication to overcome barriers to communication in multilingual groups. It includes the awareness of the possibility for a better quality communication with children with special needs.
Correlation with music.
Sign communication enriches singing the songs that children already know. Teaches the children new songs along with the use of sign communication. Simple, well-known children’s songs are enriched with sign communication. Creates new children’s songs supported by signs.
It includes the awareness of the importance of personal creativity and expression.
Correlation with the daily routine.
Describes the possibilities for including sign communication in daily activities: • greets and communicates with the child upon arrival and departure from kindergarten, • selects the signs and includes them in discussions during the preparation of meals, during meals and during cleanup after meals, • selects the signs which are included in the preparation for the nap, for the calming down before the nap and for the waking up and getting up afterwards, • selects the signs and includes them in the discussions during the time for care (changing, bathing, dressing, toilet training).
The positive attitude includes the interest and awareness of the role of adults in supporting the social interaction of toddlers and promoting adaptation to different circumstances.
↓
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Sign communication with babies and toddlers Handbook
↓ Knowledge
Application of Knowledge
(Informative goals)
Attitude
(Formative goals)
(Views, beliefs, values)
Correlation with play.
Displays how the elements of sign communication can be introduced into play by the pre-school teacher as a teammate in symbolic play, motor, table, or design games.
It includes the belief about the important role of sign communication for the development of social skills.
Correlation with the areas of activities within individual themes and projects.
Explains the use of sign communication options in dealing with various themes and implementing projects. Describes a concrete example of a theme or project and its possibilities for the inclusion of sign communication, such as: conversation, singing songs, reading fairy tales, storytelling, drama, etc.. (e. g.: My family, Jobs, Water, Waste Management, Pets, Fruits, In the meadow, Vehicles, Ball games, The house, Seasons, etc.).
It includes the belief about numerous possibilities of meaningful integration of sign communication in themes and projects.
The student is able to involve the parents in the learning of sign communication. Knowledge
Application of Knowledge
(Informative goals)
Attitude
(Formative goals)
Knows the role of parents in sign communication with toddlers.
Can present to the parents the advantages of sign communication for the toddlers. Can present to the parents the method of learning sign communication for the toddlers. Can present to the parents their role in the process of introducing sign communication to toddlers: positive attitude towards sign communication, careful observation of the child at home and monitoring his progress in sign communication, supporting the child in its attempts to use signs.
Knows and respects the parents’ right to be informed about the child.
Regularly exchanges information with the parents about their child’s progress in learning sign communication: • informs them about the child’s response to sign communication in the preschool and about the child’s progress in learning signs, • receives information about their child’s use of sign communication at home, • exchanges information on the parents’ own experience in sign communication with their children.
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(Views, beliefs, values) It includes the awareness of the importance of a shared responsibility by the parents and the kindergarten for the children’s welfare, learning and progress. It includes the belief that sign communication facilitates the child’s transition from family to kindergarten. It includes the awareness of the importance of sign communication as a link in bilingual families.
Sign communication with babies and toddlers Handbook
ADDITIONAL FEATURES OF THE CATALOGUE OF KNOWLEDGE MODULE HOURS: 105 hours (duration: 45 minutes) Credits: 5 ECTS
Mandatory Evaluation Methods Abbr. SCwT
Open curriculum module Sign Communication with Toddlers
Oral
Written
Other
Yes
Practical demonstration
PROVIDERS’ QUALIFICATIONS Abbr. SCwT
Open curriculum module Sign Communication with Toddlers
Provider Teacher
Qualifications Bachellor Degree or 2nd cycle of Bologna programs (Social Sciences or Humanities) and additional qualification (complementary skills) for sign communication
SPATIAL REQUIREMENTS AND EQUIPMENT Playroom: a general classroom or playroom with mats (rugs) for sitting on the floor Equipment and Teaching Aids: • a doll/handpuppet (about 60 cm, 40 cm) (Signing Sam) with bigger hands (in the form of mittens/ gloves for adults), • plush dolls/ characters from stories, rhymes...( about 30 cm), • hats, usable items, toys, sound-producing implements, etc. • a device for making soap bubbles, • thematic picture books (word, gesture, image / photo for each concept), • colouring books in the form of leaflets (serial sheets A4 format, landscape orientataion) with • individual signs in rectangular frames (10 signs per A4), • picture books with added photographs of the signs for key nouns, adjectives, numerals or verbs, • a portable magnetic board for putting on the floor (folding, one side whiteboard, other side felt), • magnet capital block letters, • round bathroom rugs/mats (yellow for example) for sitting and declaring places for each child, • a portable CD player, • a camcorder, • a PC, • an LCD projector, • CDs with recordings of children’s, folk and popular songs, • an informative brochure for the parents, • handouts for the parents (a list of new signs, rhymes, lyrics of the songs, stories etc.).
SPECIAL CONDITIONS Abbr.
Open curriculum module
Activities
Provider
Students in the group
Number of hours
SCwT
Sign Communication with Toddlers
Training for basic sign communication
Teacher
Up to 32
35 hours of lectures
SCwT
Sign Communication with Toddlers
Training for teaching sign communication to toddlers
Teacher
16
70 hours of practical exercises
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Sign communication with babies and toddlers Handbook
ASSESSMENT CRITERIA The following assesssment criteria are to be taken into consideration: • appropriateness of use, consistency of use, accountability, responsiveness and initiative during all stages of the practical demonstration, • the preparation of the candidate, playroom and the target group, • the use of props, • the practical demonstrations of sign communication with the group, • the written preparation and documentation, • analysis of the practical demonstration and discussion (oral exam).
CRITERIA ELEMENTS • • • •
Design and plan preparation 20% Practical performance 60% Documentation 5% Oral exam 15%
Students from Slovenia with puppets signing ‘chocolate’ (by Janja Hribar)
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Sign communication with babies and toddlers Handbook
BIBLIOGRAPHY AND OTHER RECOMMENDED LITERATURE • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
Kurikulum za vrtce v prilagojenem programu za predšolske otroke, komisija za prenovo vzgoje in izobraževanja otrok s posebnimi potrebami, Ljubljana, Strokovni svet RS za splošno izobraževanje, 92. seja z dne 22.6.2006 Acredolo, Linda, Goodwyn, Susan: Znakovni jezik za dojenčke : originalni program znakovnega jezika za dojenčke : vodič za starše, Kranj : Znaki, 2010 (Zagreb : Avernus Adria). Anthony M., Lindert R.: Signing Smart with Babies and Toddlers, 2005 Daniels Marilyn: Dancing with Words (Signing for Hearing Children’s Literacy), 2001 Debevc, Matjaž, Peljhan, Živa , Spasovski, Janko , Dugonik, Bogdan : http://www.test.uni-mb.si/Zgodgluhih/default/s0011.htm : Zgodovina gluhih [1760-1880] : učni pripomoček za učitelje, študente in učence pri poučevanju Garcia, Joseph: Sign with your baby, 2001 Ivasović, Vesna : Ali slišimo gluhe? : na koliko decibelih? Mestno društvo gluhih, 2005 (Ljubljana : Jerebic). Komac, Vito, Gašperič, Matej, Jaklič, Aleš: Učbenik slovenskega znakovnega jezika [Elektronski vir] / Ljubljana : Zoom Promotion : Fakulteta za računalništvo in informatiko, 2001 Multimedijski didaktični pripomoček za učenje in poučevanje znakovnega jezika [Videoposnetek] / avtorji oz. zbiratelji besedišča skupina za razvoj znakovnega jezika ; kamera Gorazd Orešnik, Ljubljana : Zveza društev gluhih in naglušnih Slovenije, 2009. Multimedijski praktični slovar slovenskega znakovnega jezika [Elektronski vir] / besedišče Andreja Žele ; koordinatorka projekta Jasna Bauman, Ljubljana : Zveza društev gluhih in naglušnih Slovenije, Združenje tolmačev za slovenski znakovni jezik, 2003. Murray, Carol Garboden: Simple Signing, 2007 Peterson, Trish: Hands on Literacy, 2007 Podboršek, Ljubica, Krajnc, Katja: Naučimo se slovenskega znakovnega jezika : učbenik za slovenski znakovni jezik 2, Zveza društev gluhih in naglušnih, 2010 Podboršek, Ljubica, Krajnc, Katja: Slikovni slovar slovenskega znakovnega jezika 1 : dodatek k učbeniku Naučimo se slovenskega znakovnega jezika, Zavod za gluhe in naglušne Ljubljana, 2010. Podboršek, Ljubica, Krajnc, Katja: Naučimo se slovenskega znakovnega jezika : priročnik za učitelje , Zveza društev gluhih in naglušnih, 2010 Silberg, Jackie: Miselni razvoj dojenčka in malčka, Igre za spodbujanje umskih sposobnosti, Učila, 2003
SETS OF WORK DUTIES IN THE WORKING PLACE (KINDERGARTEN) Use of sign communication with toddlers during: • all activities of the daily routine and • individual themes of the curriculum learning activities in the first age group (early years).
THE AUTHORS OF THE CATALOGUE OF KNOWLEDGE Coordinator of the working group: Anica Justinek, CPI Members: • • • •
Marjeta Domicelj, MSc, external expert Tatjana Novak, PhD, ŠCRM Kamnik Živa Ribičič, ZGNL Andreja Trtnik Herlec, MSc, ZGNL
Edited by: Mojca Polak Williams Translation: Andreja Trtnik Herlec Technical design: Gabrijela Gregorič (completed in July 2011)
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Sign communication with babies and toddlers Handbook
2.1 The training programme in Lithuania Baby Sign basics for child care professionals and parents Aimed at: Childcare professionals Carried out on: February 29th, March 7th, March 14th (36 hours) Carried out by: Republican Rehabilitation Centre for the Deaf Unit
Content
Aims and objectives
Methodology
(number of hours) Unit 1 (1 hour)
Baby Sign history and development
To present the Baby Sign method and provide the knowledge on it to trainees.
Presentation Group work
Unit 2 (1 hour)
Baby sign approach in preprimary education for toddlers (the hearing as well as the deaf)
To explain how useful the Baby Sign method can be in the pre-primary education of toddlers, both the hearing and the deaf. The positive impact of the approach.
Presentation
Unit 3 (1 hour)
The deaf Culture
To present to trainees some basic elements of the deaf culture: sign language, performance, community, deaf awareness.
Presentation Life testimony by a deaf person
Unit 4 (1 hour)
The National Sign Language
To present the National Sign Language grammar and structure.
Lecture
Unit 5 (4 hours)
The Lithuanian Sign Language vocabulary
To provide trainees with basic skills of communication in the National Sign language, basic vocabulary of toddlers: Home, Playground, Family.
Practical training Group sessions
Unit 6 (4 hours)
Sign language training methods
To present different available training methods using Baby Signing. To present the practical usage of these methods in everyday work.
Presentation Group work Video presentation
Unit 7 (12 hours)
The Lithuanian Sign Language vocabulary
To provide trainees with basic skills of communication in the National Sign language, basic vocabulary of toddlers: Food, Feelings, Dressing, Home environment, Animals.
Practical training Group sessions
Unit 8 (2 hours)
Sign Language in toddlers education process
To present the advantages of the Sign Language usage in everyday pre-primary education.
Presentation Video presentation Life testimony
Unit 9 (2 hours)
Training materials: resources and development
To train trainees on how to make individual training materials for everyday toddler education.
Practical work Discovering examples Practical experience
Unit 10 (8 hours)
The Lithuanian Sign Language vocabulary
To provide trainees with basic skills of communication in the National Sign language, basic vocabulary of toddlers: Street, Songs, Communication.
Practical training Group work
Total 36 hours
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Sign communication with babies and toddlers Handbook
2.2 The training programme in Austria Tiny Signers – Basics on how to use single signs of the Austrian Sign Language (ÖGS) in Austrian kindergartens and nurseries for pre-lingual communication and the prevention of speech delay Aimed at: Kindergarten pedagogues in training Carried out in: June, 2012 Carried out at: BAKIP 8, Lange Gasse 47, 1080 Wien, Austria (a school of 5 years training to become a kindergarten pedagogue/nursery pedagogue Carried out by: kinderhände, Dipl.-Päd. Andrea Rohrauer + Barbara Schuster Unit
Content
Aims and objectives
Methodology
Unit 1 (2 hours)
Introduction to kinderhände and the EU-Project Tiny Signers Language acquisition of babies and toddlers Differences of speech development and language acquisition Advantages of using signs with babies and toddlers 10 easy ways of how to use signs in your daily work
Getting to know the training organisation and scientific relation. Understanding the linguistic process a baby/toddler is going through. Acquiring the needed knowledge to use signs with the children you work with. Learning the possibilities of using signs with all children. Getting confident in using the signs.
Lecture PowerPoint Presentations Discussion and brainstorming Working in groups with flashcards
Unit 2 (2 hours)
Introduction in the Austrian Sign Language (ÖGS) The differences between the LBG and ÖGS Names signing
Improving visual concentration and eye-handcoordination. Learning the structure of a sign and how to do it. Learning what is a language and what is a tool. Learning cultural aspects of the language and the cultural group which is using it.
Lecture PowerPoint Presentations Quiz Discussion Work in pairs Visual games Work in groups
Unit 3 (3 hours)
100 signs Games using the signs Songs using the signs
Learning the first 100 signs for daily communication with babies/toddlers. Learning tools for daily work. Getting creative and flexible in using signs in different games and songs.
Games Songs Work in pairs Work in groups Short group presentations DVD short clips
Unit 4 (2 hours)
Introduction to the grammar of the Austrian Sign Language Introduction to the deaf culture
Learning the difference between single signs and a total language. Learning three basic grammatical topics, theoretical and practical. Learning the differences in grammar of questions, sentences, commands. Learning how to use facial expressions with the signs. Getting an overview of the deaf culture and its main characteristics. Learning tricks to communicate with a deaf person.
Lecture Work in groups Work in pairs Quiz Discussion
(number of hours)
Total 9 hours
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Sign communication with babies and toddlers Handbook
2.3 The training programme in Slovenia Aimed at: Students of pre-school programme, 2nd year Carried out at: Šolski center Rudolfa Maistra, Kamnik (a school of 4 years training to become a kindergarten pedagogue/nursery pedagogue) Carried out by: Živa Ribičič, Gabrijela Gregorič Unit
Content
Aims and objectives
Methodology
(number of hours) 1 hour
Sign languages
Describes the key ‘events’ in the history Presentation of sign language in the world and in Question and Answer (Q and A) our country. Student investigation, written presentation and feedback
1 hour
Basic characteristics of sign language
Lists the basic characteristics of sign language.
1 hour
The importance of sign language Explains the importance of sign for deaf and hearing people language as a means of expression and communication in everyday situations with the deaf and the hearing.
Student investigation
1 hour
The role of sign language in education
Clarifies the role of sign language in the process of education of the deaf. Explains the possibilities and constraints of sign language for the employment of the deaf.
Presentation Discussion
1 hour
Sign language and people with special needs
Explains the importance of sign communication as a means of expression and communication in everyday situations with people with special needs. Clarifies the role of sign communication in the process of education of children with special needs.
Presentation Student investigation Discussion
3 hours
The benefits of sign communication with toddlers
Explains different modes of sign communication with toddlers: • communication by using the signs of the sign language of the deaf community, • communication by newly invented signs, • the combined mode. Explains and justifies the benefits of sign communication with babies and toddlers.
Presentation Student investigation Discussion Small group work
24 hours
Signs of the Slovenian sign language
Knows one hand finger alphabet, knows 500 to 600 signs of the Slovenian sign language. Shows the signs.
Different teaching methods to learn the signs, e.g. through songs, in pairs or groups, e.g. sign charades, videos Signed songs and stories
10 hours
Simple messages in sign language
Understands and conveys simple messages in sign language.
Demonstration and giving examples Discussion Use whilst on placement Role play Signed songs and stories
10 hours
Sign language and sign communication for toddlers
Understands the difference between sign communication with toddlers and the use of sign language, and is able to explain where his or her skills can be upgraded.
Presentation Question and Answer (Q and A) Student investigation Small group work Discussion Feedback
Work in small groups Feedback
↓
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Sign communication with babies and toddlers Handbook
↓ Unit
Content
Aims and objectives
Methodology
(number of hours) 8 hours
»Key words method«
Explains the importance and describes an example of simultaneous use of sign communication and speech with toddlers according to the method of signing key words.
Small group work Discussion Feedback
6 hours
The phases of learning sign communication
Explains the phases of learning sign language: • observation, • recognition and understanding, • first attempts and imitation, • first signs, • vocabulary building, • ‘ Eureka’ in signs.
Presentation Discussion Small group work
4 hours
Integrating sign communication in planning educational activities
Explains the importance of weighing the options and ways of integrating sign communication in planning, implementation and evaluation of an educational activity.
Discussion Small group work Feedback
6 hours
Communication with a child
Closely monitors the child’s nonverbal and verbal communication and introduces sign communication in communication with the child, includes sign communication in communication with a child.
Discussion Small group work Feedback
2 hours
Teaching sign communication to toddlers
Knows and understands the process of teaching sign communication to toddlers.
Demonstration and giving examples Discussion
2 hours
The basic principles of sign communication with toddlers
Enumerates and justifies the basic principles of sign communication with toddlers.
Demonstration and giving examples Discussion Small group work Feedback
2 hours
Correlation with kindergarten curriculum
Explains the importance of weighing the options and ways of integrating sign communication in planning, implementation and evaluation of an educational activity.
Demonstration and giving examples Discussion Use whilst on placement Role play Signed songs and stories
8 hours
Correlation with music
Sign communication enriches singing the songs that children already know.
Demonstration and giving examples Discussion Use whilst on placement Role play Signed songs and stories
2 hours
Correlation with the daily routine
Describes the possibilities for including sign communication in daily activities.
Discussion Role play Signed songs and stories
2 hours
Correlation with play
Displays how the elements of sign communication can be introduced into play by the pre-school teacher as a teammate in a symbolic play, motor, table, or design games.
Discussion Use whilst on placement Role play Signed songs and stories
2 hours
Correlation with the areas of activities within individual themes and projects
Explains the use of sign communication options in dealing with various themes and projects implementing.
Discussion Use whilst on placement Role play Signed songs and stories
2 hours
Sign communication with toddlers and parents
Can present to the parents the advantages of sign communication for the toddlers.
Discussion Use whilst on placement Role play Signed songs and stories ↓
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Sign communication with babies and toddlers Handbook
↓ Unit
Content
Aims and objectives
Methodology
(number of hours) 2 hours
The role of parents in sign communication with toddlers
Can present to the parents their role in the process of introducing sign communication to toddlers.
Discussion Use whilst on placement Role play Signed songs and stories
2 hours
The exchange of information with parents
Regularly exchanges information with the parents about their child’s progress in learning sign communication.
Discussion Use whilst on placement Role play Signed songs and stories
Total 102 hours
Students from Slovenia signing and singing at a charity event (by Tatjana Novak)
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Sign communication with babies and toddlers Handbook
2.4 The training programme in United Kingdom Signing with Babies and Toddlers in preschool settings Aimed at: Level 3 Students BTEC national Diploma in Children’s Care, Learning and Development Carried out at: Leeds City College, Leeds, Yorkshire Carried out by: Vicki Gilbert Unit
Content
Aims and objectives
Methodology
(number of hours) Unit 1 (1.5 hour)
The deaf awareness
To gain basic awareness of the number of deaf people (especially children) in the UK, methods of communication, organisations which can assist deaf people (especially children, e.g. National Deaf Children’s Society) and to gain basic awareness of the national sign language.
Presentation Question and Answer (Q and A) Student investigation, written presentation and feedback
Unit 2 (0.5 hour)
The history of Sign Language with babies and children
To be aware of the history of signing with both preverbal hearing babies and deaf children.
Presentation Question and Answer (Q and A) Student investigation
Unit 3 (1.5 hour)
Benefits of signing with babies and children
To gain a thorough understanding of the reasons why it is beneficial to use sign language as a method of communication.
Presentation Question and Answer (Q and A) Student investigation Small group work Discussion Feedback
Unit 4 (1 hour)
Benefits of signing in a childcare setting
To be able to justify why it would be beneficial for children and staff in a childcare setting to use sign language.
Small group work Discussion Feedback
Unit 5 (4.5 hours)
Basic Sign Acquisition
To learn at least 100 basic signs required for use in a childcare setting (also the alphabet and additional appropriate ones).
Different teaching methods to learn the signs, e.g. through songs, in pairs or groups, e.g. sign charades, videos Signed songs and stories
Unit 6 (1.5 hour)
Techniques and strategies for introducing the signs to the children
To develop a set of ‘tools’ to use when using sign language with the children in their care.
Demonstration and giving examples Discussion Use whilst on placement Role play Signed songs and stories
Unit 7 (2 hours)
Aid children to learn sign language
To enable the children to know what signs to use and in which context when trying to communicate.
Demonstration and giving examples Discussion Signed songs and stories Use whilst on placement
Unit 8 (1 hour)
Using signs in different scenarios in the childcare setting
To be able to select and use appropriate signs in a variety of scenarios in the childcare setting.
Role play Small group work looking at different scenarios, e.g. outdoor play, circle time Signed songs and stories Use whilst on placement
Unit 9 (1 hour)
Links with the Early Years Foundation Stage
To understand how sign language can meet the requirements of the framework including cross curricular links.
Presentation Question and Answer (Q and A) Small group work on the examples of how signing meets different aspects of the six areas of learning and development
Total 15 hours
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Sign communication with babies and toddlers Handbook
2.5 Evaluation of the training Marjeta Domicelj In the partner countries, the training for sign communication with toddlers was implemented in various ways as regards the number of hours, the content emphases and the participants. The module or course lasted from a few sessions (in Lithuania and United Kindgom) or days (in Austria) to a yearlong implementation of the module within the child-care program of the secondary (15-18 years of age) professional school (in Slovenia). Most of the training was given to the students in the secondary professional school for child care, and there was some in-service training for child-care professional staff and for the teachers in secondary professional schools for child care. In all of the countries the courses for the parents and toddlers were also held. Monitoring focused on the implementation of the module Sign communication with toddlers for students in secondary schools for child care. Monitoring was carried out indirectly, through the questionnaires for the teachers and students. We wanted to know what knowledge, skills and attitudes related to sign communication they acquired during the training and how the lessons took place. In addition, we wanted to know whether the module is achieving the general aims of the project ‘Tiny Signers.’ At this point, we present the findings based on the questionnaires completed by the students. The total number of returned questionnaires was 92, namely 29 from Slovenia, 16 from Lithuania, 13 from England and 34 from Austria. For the students, we prepared a questionnaire with ten questions, by which we wanted to determine what were their views of knowledge acquisition (questions: 1, 3, 4) and skills (qq.: 2, 5), what was the impact of training on the formation of their attitudes to the training content (qq.: 1, 3, 6, 9, 10), and what was their wellbeing like during the sessions (qq.: 7, 8). See the Questionnaire at the end of this chapter.
The puppet Miha has big hands and attracts children when signing (by Živa Ribičič)
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STUDENTS’ ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS Why do you think that sign communication with toddlers is an important skill for working with young children? The students’ answers to the first question were grouped into five categories. Most students defined the importance of sign communication with toddlers in terms of children – it will make it easier for the toddlers to express their needs and desires. Only in this category we can see the responses of students from all four participating countries. Some students from England and Austria emphasized that sign communication will help shy children and non-native speakers of English or German. There followed the responses in which the students explained the importance of sign communication for children’s development, especially language and social-emotional development. The following two categories were very close in the number of responses. The first combines both the children’s and the adults’ perspectives: communication between adults and toddlers will be easier. Some students from Slovenia emphasized the advantage of sign communication where a deaf child is included in a group of hearing children. The last category includes the answers that particularly highlight the perspectives of adults. What is your progress like in the acquisition of signs?/ How quickly do you learn signs? Students’ answers to this question were classified by content into the following categories: step by step, very quickly, very well, and other. The vast majority of students responded that they learn signs very quickly or very well. Other students were moderately satisfied with their learning of signs: ‘At every session we get to know quite a few new signs or we revise them« or ‘In the beginning it was difficult, but now we learn pretty quickly.’ Only three students were not satisfied with their results. They wrote that they were slow or only learned a few signs. What other skills or knowledge, apart from learning signs (gestures), did you attain during this module? Students’ answers varied a lot, but we were able to form five different categories into which we grouped the answers. In addition, there were major differences in how the responses accumulated in individual categories. The first category of ‘Knowledge about the deaf and hard of hearing, knowledge about the deaf community and sign language’ is the strongest in overall responses, but the differences between the countries are significant. In Slovenia, 20 out of 29 students responded that they have obtained this knowledge, in Lithuania 5 out of 16 students, in Austria 7 out of 34, but none in England. In contrast, in the second category, i.e. ‘How important is sign communication with toddlers and new knowledge about the education of children’, the total of 15 responses consisted of ten from England, three from Lithuania, two from Austria and none from Slovenia. Interesting differences among the partner countries also reflected in the following two categories, which appeared only in the students from Austria and Slovenia. In the category of »The importance of expressive facial expressions and body language in general’ (a total of 14 responses), there were 12 students from Austria and 2 from Slovenia. In the category ‘How to teach sign communication to children’, which consists of 12 responses, 7 responses were from Slovenia and 5 from Austria. The category ‘Other’ includes individual responses, some particularly interesting: ‘We did a lot of group work and learned more about teamwork’ (3 such answers), and »Fresh ideas«. The differences among the responses of the students can be explained mainly by the different organizational forms of training in each country. Thus, in Slovenia the training took place within a compulsory specialist module in the program of secondary technical-vocational school for child care, three hours a week throughout the school year. This means there was more time for in-depth learning of broad topics related to sign communication. The high frequency of responses by the students from Austria who stressed the importance of expressive facial expressions and body language in general, is not surprising, since only in Austria the training was implemented by a deaf and a hearing trainer/teacher. The students in Slovenia also had several opportunities during the module for meeting and communicating with the deaf. Which other professional module/course contents or knowledge do correlate with those obtained during the module Sign communication with toddlers? There is a marked difference between the students in Slovenia in comparison with the students from three other countries. Most students in these three countries see the correlation of sign communication with
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the theoretical modules/courses in the field of education (pedagogy) and psychology: 10 from England, 14 from Austria and 7 from Lithuania. Only three students from Slovenia answered that the module Sign communication with toddlers correlates with the module Curriculum in the pre-school group, which provides theoretical foundations and practical guidelines, i. e. the specific expertise for the planning and implementation of educational work in kindergartens. Slovenian students see the correlations especially with music, communication skills, children’s games and creative projects. During which activities in the kindergarten could you use sign communication with the toddlers? The students’ answers to this question were clustered in three categories and ranked by the number of responses. The first category was ‘At all activities’ followed by ‘During sharing time in the morning, i.e. the morning circle’. By far the most students responded that they would be able to use sign communication in all activities in the kindergarten, i.e. in daily routines (eating, resting, hygiene) and in planned activities of all kinds (music, storytelling, drama, sports, games). In the second place there followed the category »At various activities’, which reveals the potential use of sign communication in a variety of planned activities such as singing songs, telling stories, learning about animals and others. In the third category, the answers underline the importance of sign communication in the morning circle, when the children deal with more personal questions about their wellbeing, experiences etc. How does learning Sign Language affect your personal life? More than four fifths of the students with substantially different responses stated that the learning of sign communication also affects their personal lives. These responses were arranged in three categories. Most of them belonged in the category of ‘Well, useful, practical use’, such as: ‘Very well. Sometimes I use signs when I talk to someone«, »I will benefit in case I work with a deaf child in a kindergarten’, ‘I can use sign communication quite often because I know some people who are deaf’, ‘Well, because I can also talk a little with the deaf’, etc. Looking at the number of the students’ answers from each country in this category, we can see that most were from England and least from Austria. There follows the category of ‘Getting to know and better understand people who can’t hear’. A positive impact on the students’ attitudes towards the deaf was proven by the following examples of responses: ‘I realize how important it is mimicry, and how people live who do not hear’, ‘I can understand the deaf much better now, as signing puts us in their situation’, ‘A lot, because now I know more about things of which I had not even thought of ‘, ‘I can better imagine how others perceive the world around us. ‘ A special category are the responses of the students from Austria, who wrote about learning about the importance of sign language, and the motivation to continue learning sign language: ‘I realized that communication in general, either speech or sign language, is one of the most important things in life’, ‘I want to become a sign language interpreter’. We believe that these responses reflect the impact of the participation of the deaf trainer. How did you feel during the module Sign communication with toddlers? Rating
Number of responses
Total
AT
SLO
LT
UK
1
0
0
0
0
2
0
1
0
0
1 (1,1%)
3
1
1
0
1
3 (3,2%)
4
7
1
4
1
13 (14,1%)
5
14
5
3
8
30 (32,6%)
0 (0,0%)
6
7
8
5
24
44 (47,8%)
No reply
0
0
1
0
1 ( 1,1%)
Average score
4,1
5,1
5,0
5,6
5,24
Table 1 The students rated their wellbeing during the module on the scale from 1 to 6, 1 meaning very poor, and 6 very good.
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Data in the table show that they felt very good on the course for sign communication with toddlers. Looking at individual countries, we see the highest ratings by most students from Austria and by few students from Slovenia; the same is true for average ratings. We conclude that the relatively lower score in Slovenia may be influenced by the fact that the module was a compulsory (mandatory) part of the secondary school program, which is followed by the assessment of knowledge in the form of grades, whereas in Austria the students participated voluntarily, according to their interest and desire. What is your favourite activity during the module Sign communication with toddlers? By the frequency of responses there stand out two categories: ‘Singing songs and learning new signs – supporting songs with signs’ with 44 (47.8%) responses, and ‘Getting to know signs in a playful way’, which is a favourite activity given by 29 (31.5%) students. Comparison between the countries showed that learning signs along with the songs was the favourite activity for most of the students in Slovenia, and learning signs in a playful manner for most of the students in Austria. Other responses were so varied that we placed them in the category ‘Other’. Some examples in this category were: ‘When we pick new words we are interested in and the trainer shows us the sign«, ‘I liked the videos and interviews, but I didn’t enjoy signing so much’, ‘Hard to say’, ‘I liked everything’, ‘The top 10 things. ‘ Do you ever discuss with your family and friends about your experiences from the module Sign communication with toddlers? Answer
SLO
LT
UK
AT
Total
YES
28
16
13
32
89 (96,7%)
NO
1
0
0
2
3 (3,3%)
Total
29
16
13
34
92 (100%)
Table 2 Only three students gave negative answers. In different countries the answers are similar. Sign communication leaves a strong impression on the students, even when they leave school or finish the course. Is there anything else you would like to share with us about the module Sign communication with toddlers? Sixty students were also asked to share some thoughts. They mostly expressed enthusiasm about the module, either due to the significance of the module for a better understanding and communication between hearing and deaf people, or due to its usefulness or, simply, because they like it. Some answers and suggestions: ‘I am glad that there is a language that connects the deaf and hearing, allowing them to live normal lives’, ‘It seems to me that this subject is needed in particular for the future, when the children will be grouped in ordinary kindergartens, both those with and without disabilities needs and those normal’, ‘ I’d prefer to learn how to sign in complete sentences, because it is more practical’, ‘Adults’ learning sign communication in a funny way would be possible’, ‘Sign communication is very important for the children because it speeds up thinking and talking’, and ‘When I have a baby, I will sign with her/ him«.
ACHIEVING THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES OF THE PROJECT ‘TINY SIGNERS’ THROUGH THE MODULE SIGN COMMUNICATION WITH TODDLERS To increase the social prestige and attractiveness of sign language The students’ answers show that their participation in the module allows for direct acquisition of skills for sign communication with babies, and influences the formation of different attitudes to the deaf community, increases their sensitivity to nonverbal communication and to situation in the environment, and gets to learn Sign Language as the value that enables the symbiosis between the deaf and the hearing. To create an environment in which there is much less frustration and barriers for hearing and deaf babies
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Sign communication with babies and toddlers Handbook
Based on the students’ responses it can be anticipated that the acquired knowledge of sign communication with toddlers and a positive attitude towards this method of communication, will help to create a friendly and nurturing environment for hearing and deaf babies. To improve awareness and communication with the deaf The students’ answers clearly show that the module enhances their awareness of the characteristics of the deaf community, and of the importance and possibilities of communication with the deaf. To leave a positive and long-lasting impact within the EU We believe that the implementation of the first three long-term aims will also contribute towards achieving the fourth aim.
Students from the training programme in Vienna (by Lisa Zoechling)
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Students Questionnaire for the module Sign communication with toddlers
Dear students, The module/course Sign communication with toddlers is part of a two-year international project Tiny Signers (20112013) and you are the first students who implement the course together with your course leaders and trainers. The project partners and course designers wish to monitor and evaluate the implementation of the module. Therefore they are asking you to fill out this questionnaire to help them know your experiences and thoughts about this module/course.
Please answer the following questions:
1. Why do you think that sign communication with toddlers is an important skill for working with young children? …............................................................................................................................................................................ 2. What is your progress like in the acquisition of signs?/ How quickly do you learn signs? …............................................................................................................................................................................ 3. What other skills or knowledge, apart from learning signs (gestures), did you obtain during this module? …............................................................................................................................................................................ 4. Which other professional module/course contents or knowledge do correlate with those obtained during the module Sign communication with toddlers? …............................................................................................................................................................................ 5. During which activities in the kindergarten could you use sign communication with the toddlers? …............................................................................................................................................................................ 6. How does learning Sign Language affect your personal life? …............................................................................................................................................................................ 7. How did you feel during the module Sign communication with toddlers? Circle the rating on the scale from 1 to 6, 1 meaning very bad, 6 very good. Element
Rating
How I felt during the module
1
2
3
4
5
6
8. What is your favourite activity during the Sign communication with toddlers module? …............................................................................................................................................................................ 9. Do you ever discuss with your family and friends about your experiences from the Sign communication with toddlers module? YES
NO
10. Is there anything else you would like to share with us about the module Sign communication with toddlers? …............................................................................................................................................................................
THANK YOU for your answers.
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3
The rationale of using sign communication with babies Franz Dotter
3.1 Language acquisition The basis for language development is partially genetic and partially created during infancy. The period from birth to the fourth or sixth year of age is considered to be the ‘sensitive phas’ when children learn a language easily1. A newborn child is no ‘tabula rasa’. Even during the pregnancy, certain basic requirements for learning processes are being fulfilled; this means that ‘learning’ (committing to memory) starts already within the uterus. There is, for instance, the following evidence for the beginning of the perceptual and cognitive development within the uterus: • The reflex of sucking at a finger in month 5/6 of the pregnancy: this is only possible because of existing tactile and motor skills. • Sound perception in month 5/6 of the pregnancy: the heart rate accelerates at a sound volume of more than 105 dB. • Sound perception in month 8 of the pregnancy: the heart rate slows down when two syllables are exchanged (BABI > BIBA) after a previous presentation of ‘BABI’.
Perceptive-cognitive skills after birth: The studies monitoring the sucking and the duration of the focusing of the gaze in combination with head movements led researchers to assume the following skills and learning processes (I will not deal here with the problems concerning examinations at an age when no linguistic production is available to be checked): • Until the end of year 1: Recognition of three-dimensionality • Gravity (objects fall down if you let go of them) • Objects influence each other when they touch. Important basics of language acquisition are for instance: • Object permanence (objects exist even when they are no longer visible) • Connections between (linguistic) communication and daily occurrences as created by the child in the context of its general development (perception, motor skills, etc.) • Interaction with objects and persons in the environment (cf. Schrey-Dern 2006: 10, Zollinger 2010: 11) as a holistic understanding with all senses • non-verbal pragmatic-communicative skills • Play and social behavior. Basically, one may assume that children are able to communicate and perceive language from very early on (not just – according to some literature – from month 9 on). Otherwise their language development from month 10/12 on could not be explained. It must be noted, however, that during early interactions with children, their expressive spoken language skills sometimes are not sufficient to communicate their intentions, wishes, etc. (they do this partially in a compensatory fashion, in a nonverbal way – as far as
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Sign communication with babies and toddlers Handbook
that is possible -, e.g. by taking adults by the hand and leading them wherever they want to go). Some important steps of language acquisition happen during the first year; the basics of vocabulary and grammar are acquired during the first two to three years (cf.Penner, Weissenborn&Friederici 2000; Weissenborn 2000, 2003; as well as the contributions in Weissenborn&Höhle 2001). Influencing factors are the genetic determination of the language acquisition process and the cerebral development, e.g. the lateralization of the language centres (Locke 1997; Penner, Weissenborn&Friederici 2002). According to the fact that linguistic communication plays the central role in the socialization and the acquisition of knowledge of the growing child, a normal language development is indispensable for an intact socialization process, the cognitive development and for their performance in school (Interview Weissenborn). The same holds for natural sciences and mathematics, linguistic knowledge and reading skills (cf.Baumert et al. 2001). For a positive development, a rich linguistic environment and motivation foran exchange using language are necessary both in the family context and in community institutions. Parents often show such supportive and motivating behaviour spontaneously (cf.’Motherese’/’Mutterisch’/’baby talk’). For children suffering from severe deprivation or isolation that experience the first contact with language years after they were born there is a danger that their language skills (especially concerning grammar) remain below average (cf. Curtiss 1977). Therefore it is important for the parents, educators, teachers and therapists to: • have a comprehensive knowledge of the internal (biological) and external (dependent on experiences) requirements of language acquisition • know about the techniques for the early recognition of possible risks and evidence that language development may be affected or for an existing deviation from normal language development • intervention at the earliest possible stage (preventive, promotional/encouraging, and therapeutic measures). Up to 20% of the children who are educated monolingually in German show linguistic deficits (for the children with another linguistic background, the numbers are partially even higher). The studies at the school entry argue that more than 30% of the children would need a promotion of language skills (cf. Pochert et al. 2002). The origin of these linguistic deficits often lies in the language development during the first three years. Other long-term studies are necessary (cf. Weissenborn 2001, 2003), including a comparative evaluation of diagnostic and promotional measures. Linguistic developmental disorders can be diagnosed reliably with the aid of tests from an age of 4-5 years on. From the age of about 10 months, the ability of the children to discriminate the sounds other than their mother tongue declines, but the ability to discriminate rhythmical characteristics of their mother tongue increases during the first year. The declining ability to discriminate the sounds not belonging to their mother tongue and the development of segmentation preferences according to the rhythm of the mother tongue limit the second language acquisition to a certain degree only after the fourth or fifth year (Meisel 2003). Up to the age of 3-4 years, the acquisition follows the principles of the first language acquisition very closely. During later acquisition, certain system limitations (‘deficits’) may appear – in contrast to the first language acquisition of the mother tongue or simultaneous bilingual language acquisition – first of all, in the phonetic area (‘mother tongue accent’), and then in the grammatical area (Flege et al. 1995). The children who grow up with several languages can differentiate between them from the beginning, and they also show the same developmental stages as monolingual children (Meisel 2003). However, this does not mean that the children have the same knowledge of both languages from the beginning. The studies of Holowka et al. (2002) show that it is the knowledge of both languages together that
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Sign communication with babies and toddlers Handbook
corresponds in quantity and quality to the skills of a monolingual child of the same age. This means that a child who is learning a second language operates at the same point of time with fewer words than a monolingual child. This indicates that at this early stage the capacity for language learning processes is biologically limited. Until now, however, there has been no evidence for the conclusion – as parents often fear – that an early second language acquisition before the age of 3 has negative consequences for the acquisition of the first language. ...But it is essential to clarify by controlled studies whether the children who began their second language acquisition before the age of three actually have the same language skills in their mother tongue when they enter school as the children who do not learn a second language (Interview Weissenborn). The second language should only be provided by native speakers of this language because the phoneticrhythmic characteristics of the language that is being acquired contain information the learners need for building up their knowledge of the language.
3.1.1 Gestures and signs in the development of language Within the language development of children, gestures represent an important developmental stage (Vogt 2007: 13); with their aid, they develop strategies to get in contact with their principal care-givers: Gestures can be regarded as movement of body parts with the aim of communicating. They reinforce or substitute spoken messages (Vogt 2007: 13). Gestures are already used during the first few months in the form of rhythmical and coordinated hand movements; sometimes it is difficult to decide whether they are being used in a communicative way as adults understand the term. For the children with severe hearing impairment who are educated bilingually, the importance of an early use of gestures is undisputed; a comprehensive offer of sign language gives them the chance to learn it as their mother tongue or preferred language (Leuninger 2007: 159). However, this is beyond the scope of Baby Sign. They gain the attention of an adult with whom they want to interact or when they want a certain object by using gestures, facial expressions and gaze. Some examples are indicative gaze, postures and grabbing gestures; these may be understood as the preliminary stage to first words (i.e. actual language signs). Children who use gestures are able to name objects at an earlier point of time than other children and they often have a larger vocabulary (Vogt &Scheibert 2006: 181).
3.1.2 Summary It is plausible to assume that the original language acquisition mechanisms are no longer or only partially available after the fourth or fifth year. This means that there is a relatively narrow time slot for an especially economic development of language. Increased educational activities concerning language are therefore recommended for the children before the age of 3 (also because of high plasticity of the brain during that period). The same holds for sign language.
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Sign communication with babies and toddlers Handbook
3.2 Developmental stages of language acquisition2 ‘First babble phase’ The babies produce ‘the expressions of emotions, gurgling and bubble sounds (controlled through tactile stimuli within the mouth)’. From month 4 on, we also find ‘slurping and hissing sounds, vowel sounds and first syllables’.
‘Second babble phase’ Melodic patterns are created, and the babies consciously imitate sounds (echolalia controlled by the hearing), produce chains of syllables such as ‘BABABA’ and a multitude of sounds, and they imitate the rhythm of language.
Gradual assignment of verbal expressions and gestures to situations Approximately from month 9 on, the child realizes that it can influence its environment through its behaviour. From this moment on, gestural communication increases.
Month 9 to 12: ‘Referential gestures’ From month 9 or 10 on, the children use gestures to communicate with their environment.
Month 10 to 14: First words Usually from month 12 on, the children produce their first words, which are often based on the reduplication of simple syllables like in ‘MAMA’, ‘PAPA’.
Month 18 to 24: Reaching the ‘50-word milestone’ The child masters 20-50 words and reaches the first stage of forming questions (‘what’ (is that) with the respective intonation). This leads to a significant increase in vocabulary (primarily nouns, verbs and adjectives) and combinations of two or three words which do not (quite) correspond to grammar. At the age of 24 months, the child masters even more sounds with complex production requirements. If the child has not achieved approximately 50 words by the age of 24 months, it is diagnosed to be a ‘late talker’ and shows a certain risk for a delayed language development.
Month 30 to 36: First use of ‘me’ and a large increase in vocabulary The vocabulary keeps increasing and new words are created. The number of sentences containing several words increases. Grammatical competence develops: the second stage of forming questions appears (who? how? why?), simple sentences are grammatical, the first combinations of sentences and subordinate clauses are produced. Difficult combinations of sounds are mastered. From month 36-42 on, age-appropriate stuttering may appear through the acquisition of sentence structures.
Month 48 The child has mastered most of the sounds of its mother tongue (with some possible limitations as
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Sign communication with babies and toddlers Handbook
regards S/SH sounds and difficult combinations of consonants like KL-, GL-, DR-, BR-). The vocabulary keeps increasing and longer sentences are created. Difficult constructions may not correspond to the norm yet. Subordinate clauses are used. All of these phenomena may appear in different children with a maximum variation of one year; however, they should disappear again at the age of 4-5 years. For hearing-impaired children, the following limitations which influence their language development in a negative way often occur: • Sign language, visual communication, systematic visual support of spoken language are not offered or offered too late. • The implicit message of many governments and institutions –as interpreted from their practice is: ‘If you are deaf, i.e. a bit retarded, then it does not matter if you begin to learn a sign language at the age of 6 or 10 years’. • If sign language is offered, the exposition time is often too short. • The ‘sensitive’ phases from 0-6 years are not taken seriously. • We fail to exploit the plasticity of young brains for language learning and general cognitive development (e.g. phases like: ‘What is this?’at about 2 years of age or ‘Why?’ at about 4 years).
4-5 years The child can actively use approximately 2,000 words and understand up to 20,000, and has acquired simple grammar.
6 years The child has mastered all standard sounds, the vocabulary is sufficient for multifaceted communication, abstract concepts are used according to the child‘s age. The child uses approximately 5000 individual words and grammar. The child can retell and report experiences, tell stories, and describe thought processes.
A three months old baby making her first bubble sounds (by Anja Musek)
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Sign communication with babies and toddlers Handbook
3.3 ‚Baby Sign‘/Sign communication with babies Baby signs were developed to offer hearing babies from month 6 on a chance to communicate in a more differentiated way, i.e. communicate their emotions, wishes and needs before they are able to do so in spoken language, and for as long as the efficiency of spoken language production (with special regard to vocabulary) is lower than that of sign production (König 2010: 16). The essential argument made by the promoters of this method is that the use of baby signs leads to an improved communication; that is, the children are more content because they can communicate clearly, and the parents get more information about their children’s concerns because there are fewer misunderstandings: Sign language helps to tear down the barriers of silence and opens new worlds of communication between a parent and a child. (http://www.allsands.com/Kids/Education/babysignlangua_rql_gn.htm) Further arguments in favour are that it promotes the children’s cognitive capabilities (concentration, perception and information processing, intellectual capacity up to a higher IQ) and leads to improved social skills, emotional stability, improved self-confidence through communicative achievements, linguistic creativity, i.e. through ‘inventing’ new signsby themselves, and a faster spoken language development. Through the development of their fine motor skills as well as the multimodal linking of acoustic and visual coding, they improve their memory and their imagination: Baby Sign Language ... gives your baby the ability to express his or her important needs and thoughts. A list of its benefits is also given here: • • • • • • • • • • • •
promotes the development of language skills reinforces language skills already developed reduces frustration from not being able to express one’s needs accelerates the development of spatial reasoning develops the understanding of language for the communication of emotions creates the feelings of satisfaction and accomplishment may increase IQ increases creative thinking teaches (the elements of) a second language that is formally and nationally recognized (e. g. ASL) reduces unexplainable emotional outbursts improves early literacy skills teaches the baby how to start (and participate in) a conversation:
Additional benefits of using baby signs are listed: • infants quickly learn to match particular shapes or items with particular gestures • increased creative use of language enhanced social skills. Some of the benefits are especially interpreted as long-term benefits (http://www.babies-and-signlanguage.com/baby-sign-benefits.html). A ‘head start in communication’ of 1- to 2-year-olds and an elimination of many reasons for frustration, both in children and parents, is advertised (cf.: http://www.babies-and-sign-language.com/baby-signbenefits.html and http://www.allsands.com/Kids/Education/babysignlangua_rql_gn.htm, http://www. babies-and-sign-language.com/baby-sign-benefits.html, Bunny Fabulous 2011, Felzer 2000). Clearly, these advantages can be used outside the family only if the caregivers are familiar with this method. Therefore König suggests the use of ‘Baby Sign’ in crèches/nursery units in various contexts (König 2010: 129). 44
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In English speaking countries, ‘Baby Sign’ is already well-positioned in the area of commercial early learning initiatives for non-impaired children, whereas in German speaking countries it has been implemented for a relatively short period of time.
3.3.1 Questions • May early signing promote the development of spoken or sign language? • Can visual signs lead to the improved memorization of cognitive concepts? • What is the impact of signs on different linguistic levels (morphology, syntax, vocabulary, pragmatic-communicative level)? • Can ‘Baby Sign’ reduce language development disorders or delays or even completely prevent them? • Does ‘Baby Sign’ really offer all the advantages promised by its promoters?
3.3.2 Terminology Different terms are used for this method and the visual codingit uses, e.g. ‘Baby Sign’, ‘Baby Sign Language’, ‘Sign Language for Babies’, ‘Infant Sign Language’, ‘Spelling’3 (German: ‘Baby-Zeichensprache’, ‘Zwergensprache’ or ‘Babyzeichen’ cf. König 2010: 16, ‘Babygebärden’, ‘Gesten’, ‘Zeigegesten’. In order to avoid misunderstandings, I only use the English term ‘Baby Sign’ in this text.
3.3.3 A brief history of ‚Baby Sign‘ Even before the Baby Sign movement, manual communication methods and signs or sign language were used to support speech and language therapy, in order to initiate spoken language in children with an impairment (Doherty 2008: 300, Kiegelmann 2009: 264, http://down-syndrom-netzwerk.de/bibliothek/ wilken1.html). However, the use of signs with non-impaired hearing children is new. Different providers of ‘Baby Sign’ have based their methods on the works of Joseph Garcia, Linda Acredolo and Susan Goodwyn (Baby Signs 2008; ‘Baby Signs®’ by Acredolo&Goodwyn and ‘Sign with your baby®’ by Garcia are now brands, cf. https://www.babysigns.com/index.cfm?id=79 and http://sign2me.com/ index.php) that were developed in the USA approximately thirty years ago. In the year 1982, Acredolo observed her 12-month-old daughter Katewhile playing with her, that she used visual coding for the objects she could not name verbally yet (cf. https://www.babysigns.com/ index.cfm?id=72). For example: in the garden, Kate pointed at a rosebush and produced ‘smell’ through a facial expression to express her request to smell the flowers (before that, Acredolo had given her roses to smell in order to familiarize her with the term ‘flower’). Kate then proceeded to use this sign coding also for situations where she e.g. wanted to refer to a flower in a picture in a book. When Acredolo and Goodwyn asked some parents whether they had noticed a similar use of such (also spontaneous) visual coding with their own children, this was confirmed (for example, a representation of ‘fish’ by the respective mouth action). Acredolo and Goodwyn then developed the hypothesis that children between months 9-24 begin to use visual coding spontaneously. This strategy is then often adopted by their parents. They hypothesized that the use of such means of communication should support spoken language development. Joseph Garcia started his research into American Sign Language in the 1970s. He noticed that the children of deaf parents begin to use signs to communicate already at the age of nine months, while the children
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of hearing parents who use spoken language began to use spoken words at a later point of time. So he examined the results of Acredolo’s ‘enhanced gesture training’. He found that the children who had access to signs from month 6 or 7 on, started to produce them themselves from month 8 or 9 on. Vivian König adapted the concept forthe German-speaking sphere (‘Zwergensprache’, König 2004-2012); besides, there are e.g. ‘Schau doch meine Hände an’ (Bundesverband Evangelische Behindertenhilfe) or ‘Babysignal’ (Wiebke Gericke); cf. also Kiegelmann 2009: 264.
Target groups of ‘Baby Sign’ With hearing children, ‘Baby Sign’ normally accompanies spoken language. Its promoters also point out that their method can improve the contact with hard-of-hearing and deaf children (cf. below), as well as with the children with different impairments (developmental or emotional disorders, learning disabilities, Down’s Syndrome, Autism, Aphasia, cerebral palsy, difficulties with learning or producing spoken language, etc.). For a respective justification of promoting the bilingual context for hard-of-hearing and deaf children cf.Clerc’s children (http://clercschildren.com/). In the USA, it is believed that – assuming that many persons in the social environment, e.g. caregivers and other children use ‘Baby Sign’ as well – the whole environment of the child profits from this communication method (for example, when the child has to go to a hospital, etc.).
Signing is fun! (by Mateja Lunar Jemec)
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3.4 Methods of ‚Baby Sign‘4
3.4.1 Usage of signs taken from the surrounding sign languages In principle, using signs taken from the surrounding sign languages is to be recommended because this implies access to an existing language. In the USA, children are offered signs from the American Sign Language (ASL)5; Vivian König uses signs from the German Sign Language, respectively. Almost all of the proponents encourage parents who are not or only a little competent in the respective sign language to simplify signs which they think to be too complex or even to create their own in order to deal with ‘communicative emergencies’, e.g. when the respective sign of the surrounding sign language is unknown (cf. also below). However, once a sign has been chosen, it should remain stable (i.e. it should not be constantly modified). The parents and caregivers are instructed how to use signs during daily activities with their children, how to create new learning opportunities in certain situations, and also how to motivate other carers to use signs. Making and maintaining eye contact is essential for visual communication; furthermore, signs have to be used systematically and frequently, similar to any other language option.
3.4.2 About the timing of the use of signs The children of parents who use a sign language as their preferred language have been confronted with sign language from their birth. Other children may be introduced to sign language from month 6 on, but it is to be expected that they will not begin to produce signs before they are 8 or 9 months old. König thinks that the best time for the use of baby signs is between month 6 and 9. Naturally, they may be used before that – similar to spoken language – but it will take longer for them to use them productively (cf. König 2010: 55). At the latest, one can communicate with the infant by signs as soon as it can receptively create a stable link between a sign (coding) and its meaning. This point in time can be established indirectly via certain indicators (cf. also König 2010: 55): • an interest of the child in persons and objects in its environment and in information about them (may be perceived e.g. through its behaviour and facial expression; the respective pointing at things will only develop from month 9 on) • object permanence (the child knows that things which are no longer visible do not cease to exist; this may be perceived e.g. by searching for them) • activities which may be linked to sign use (waving, head-nodding, head-shaking, begging, etc.) • imitation of activities (motor skills). As soon as the child develops the cognitive skills, object permanence, causality and symbol function during the first two years, it possesses the prerequisites for language according to Piaget (Motsch 2004: 27).
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3.4.3 Relation of the baby sign lexicon to the children’s daily life The signs for ‘Baby Sign’ were created based on observing the interaction with children: they code important concepts in the children‘s early perception of their environment and their interaction with their principal caregivers (i.e. objects, actions, qualities in their daily life; cf. König 2010: 16). An example of the use of baby signs: When we are playing in the garden, Emilia lets me know when she is thirsty, and she shows me whether she wants some water or some milk. I can rely on that and do not have to offer her the bottle constantly and worry whether she gets enough to drink. All at once she stops playing, gets what she needs at the moment, and then we resume playing… (König 2010: 22).
3.4.4 Simplification of adult signs for the use with infants Basically, it is to be expected – similar to spoken language – that children will simplify the signs offered to them according to their motor (‘visual articulatory’) skills. As we know from spoken language research, spoken words do not have to be simplified for the children (only the pragmatic-morphosyntactic representation is simplified through the so-called ‘motherese’); the same holds for signs and sign languages (cf. also Kiegelmann 2009: 264). Nevertheless, single ‘baby signs’ are frequently offered in a simplified and isolated version (not – similar to the spoken language that is offered parallel to the signs – in a sentence or full production), which might allow for quick and direct learning but also requires a later modification of the sign and – if a sign language is to be learned as well – its presentation in a natural context of the same language (cf. the discussion of the difference in function concerning ‘Baby Sign’ for hearing and hearing-impaired children). However, the communication process itself is not affected by the simplification of signs.
3.4.5 Feedback from the parents By and large, the feedback is very positive. There has been almost no negative feedback, cf. also: http:// www.allsands.com/Kids/Education/babysignlangua_rql_gn.htm, http://www.derwesten.de/leben/ partnerschaften/Baby-Signing-soll-den-Weg-zur-Sprache-ebnen-id3426843.html. Example: A 17-month-old boy has mastered 30 signs that are now beginning to disappear in favour of spoken language (http://www.allsands.com/Kids/Education/babysignlangua_rql_gn.htm).
3.4.6 Interim summary ‘Baby sign’ shows certain relations to early language learning and early communication: there seems to be a time window, when the spoken language production skills of infants are inferior to their sign language production skills, that is, when they can use signed words earlier than spoken words or, at the very least, more signed than spoken words. The duration of this period and how important the differences between signed and spoken perception and production skills are, is not completely clear yet.
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3.4.7 Counterarguments From a linguistic point of view, the counterarguments are partially non-scientific, i.e. when it is stated that it is inappropriate to teach infants a completely new language, or that there might be a negative impact on their natural language acquisition through such artificial interference with this process. Others simply repudiate some of the arguments for ‘Baby Sign’, e.g. that ‘Baby Sign’ promotes cognitive skills (for a summary, cf. Kiegelmann). The Deutsche Bundesverband für Logopädie (German Federal Association for Speech Therapy) – which is traditionally not very much in favour of sign language - argues that promotion can turn into a promotion mania: Children themselves communicate with the aid of gestures and facial expression… it is more than questionable to direct the natural language acquisition process with the aid of these rationally controlled systems so that - like a trained ape - a child uses signals which the adults can unambiguously understand because they themselves have defined their meaning (Dietlinde Schrey-Dern, http://www.derwesten.de/panorama/partnerschaften/baby-signing-soll-den-weg-zur-sprache-ebnenid3426843.html). For some concerns, it should be considered that hearing children of deaf parents have always learned a sign language and have not suffered from a smaller spoken language vocabulary than the average hearing child. This shows that not only deaf but also hearing children develop an ability to adopt gestures and signs from their environment in early years and use them themselves. If it is suggested to parents to use the method of Baby Sign, many of them are concerned about a possible delay in their children’s spoken language development. Another concern is that visual communication methods are only useful for impaired people, especially for hard-of-hearing and deaf people, who cannot perceive spoken language and/or produce it (https://www.babysigns.com/index.cfm?id=72). Add to these political and moral concerns a question like the following: ‘Does the hearing population have the right to ‛hijack‛ sign language?’ (Doherty 2008, 300). All of these doubts can be dispelled with the current research results and it can be argued that sign language users even profit from the use of signs by hearing people because the number of people who are familiar with it increases. Marylin Daniels added: ‘... ASL is a legitimate language … stored in a separate memory store in the baby or child’s brain.’ (cf. Snoddon 2000). Kiegelmann mentions another argument partially against ‘Baby Sign’:’Baby Sign’ may be regarded in the context of- pedagogically not always positively rated - trend towards learning activities for children as early as possible.
3.4.8 Research results about the use of sign (language) for non-impaired children LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT AND PARENT-CHILD RELATIONSHIP In a long-term study, 102 test subjects were divided into three groups: the first group was the training group in which the children were offered ‘Baby Sign’. The second group was a control group, in which the parents offered the children more spoken language. The third group was also a control group in which the participants did not receive any special instructions on how to communicate with their children. The result was that the children of the training group showed advantages in several linguistic areas. There was no evidence of any delay in language development because of signs used to reinforce spoken messages. Other results showed that the children adopted and used signs if encouraged by their parents and that the use of signs also stimulated their abstract thinking (Goodwyn, Acredolo & Brown 2000). It also seems that the children profit from an early use of signs even years later. The communicative
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development of children who grew up with ‘Baby Sign’ was generally faster than average: The signing babies were ahead of the pack at almost every measure at every age. They were learning to comprehend language faster. They were learning to talk faster. They were putting words together faster and doing better on the infant IQ tests at two years (Linda Acredolo quoted at http://www.allsands.com/ Kids/Education/babysignlangua_rql_gn.htm). Also in a study by Daniels, the children who learned the ASL signs had a vocabulary that was up to 20% larger than that of non-signing children. The point of departure for their study was that hearing children of deaf parents often know more than the average vocabulary. The manual method of communication also promotes the use of spoken language. Through this ‘centering’ on language, e.g. grammatical structures can be grasped more easily. As to communication in daily life, the studies delivered unambiguous results, namely: Children from the age of month 6 to year 3 were offered the ASL signs in everyday communication situations. The result showed that this means of communication may be used very well with children, even if the parents were skeptical at first. Especially the children’s ability to express emotions like rage and anger with signs instead of with fits of anger was remarkable (Ohio State University 2011). ‘Emotional intelligence’ is the ability to perceive, understand and deal with one’s own emotions as well as with the emotions of other people (Rayel 2005). Early linguistic possibilities of expression help us regulate our emotions and behavior (Vallotton 2008: 29, Lovett 2008). Vallotton studied a kindergarten group where the educators and parents offered the children signs to reinforce the spoken messages in various everyday situations. A comparison with parents who did not use signs showed that the parents who used ‘Baby Sign’ were less stressed in their education, had a more loving interaction with their children and better a condition for dealing with conflict situations. Signs proved to provide a good means of self-regulation for children, for demanding rituals of selfregulation and for expressing their emotions, wishes and needs. Parents or educators could recognize and fulfill the children’s needs better and make them feel that they were being understood (Vallotton 2011: 5). Vallotton assumes that signs – like spoken language signs – offer the children the possibility to think by way of concepts. Because the former are often regarded as more ‘concrete’ (iconic) and therefore easier to understand than ‘abstract’ (non-iconic, symbolic) spoken language words, they may be easier to use. Examples: Melissa (11 months) was sitting in my lap near the gate of the snack room, waiting while her caregiver set up her snack. Ruby (another infant) was standing in front of Melissa, holding onto the gate and watching her own caregiver. Melissa was looking at the back of Ruby’s head, which was about an arm’s length away. Melissa reached out her hand to touch Ruby’s hair. I said, ‘You are looking at Ruby’s hair and want to touch it. We need to be gentle.’ I stroked my arm gently to sign ‘gentle.’ She touched Ruby’s hair with one index finger, very lightly. I said, ‘Yes, thank you for being gentle’ (Vallotton 2008: 31). After a snack, I carried Helene (12 months) into the nap room. As I sat down in the rocking chair with Helene in my lap, I started to sing ‘Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star.’ Helene gestured ‘monkey.’ So I sang ‘Monkeys Jumping on the Bed,’ using the gestures with one hand, repeatedly until her eyelids began to droop. I continued rocking her and let her fall into a deeper sleep before attempting to set her down on the mat. Each time I knelt to lay her down, Helene would awaken and gesture ‘monkey.’ I sang the ‘Monkeys’ song each time until her eyelids again drooped. After the third time I was finally able to place her down asleep on her mat (Vallotton 2008: 32). Kiegelmann researched the levels of stress within ‘Baby Sign’ families and families that do not use this means of communication with a questionnaire. She did not notice any significant differences with respect to the levels of stress, but with respect to the socio-economic status of the families: ‘Baby Sign’ is mainly used by families with a higher social status.
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Kiegelmann does not want to confirm the assumption that ‘Baby Sign’ is the exclusive reason for signing infants to show an improved spoken language development and higher intelligence and for suffering less from fits of anger: the development of children who attended ‘Baby Sign’ courses was a little bit higher than average. Kiegelmann also attributes that to the fact that parents who use ‘Baby Sign’ interact more with their children. Her summary: At any rate, it does not seem to harm, i.e. delay the language development. And if mother and child have fun playing with their fingers, … Anyhow, that’s at least something to be said for that. (Kiegelmann 2009: 270) Marshall, too, writes that until now there have been too few scientific results to prove the positive influence of ‘Baby Sign’ (Marshall 2007: 13).
SCHOOL Examining the influence of ‘Baby Sign’ in schools showed that its use had positive effects on both educators and children: the educators respond better to younger children, conversations spring up faster, and the contact with the children is more cordial (Vallotton 2011: 5). The educators feel that they know the children better and that they achieve higher attention through signs. Felzer (2000) presents study results showing that the use of visual means of communication has a positive influence on reading competence: Fingerspelling has been used since the 19th century to improve reading skills. Every letter is represented by a certain hand form. The second method (somewhat misleadingly termed as ‘spelling’ by Felzer) codes words or phrases with signs. Fingerspelling and signs help children with normal intelligence to learn to read before they enter school. Vernon and Coley developed a program that assists children with reading difficulties/dyslexia through fingerspelling and signs. The program was not published, but achieved good results during the test phase: hearing and deaf children were taught together, using visual methods. For both groups, a positive influence on reading, talking and writing could be observed: Because signs are so vivid, dramatic and fascinating they may serve as a powerful motivating force in helping youngsters want to learn to read (Felzer 2000). In addition to its role as additional support for children with reading and writing difficulties, manual communication is also useful for the people with a visual impairment: Fingerspelling can aid these people in learning new words and reading them in Braille.
Signing with children has a positive effect on children and educators (by Bojan Mord)
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3.5 ‚Baby Sign‘ vs. sign language for a bilingual hard-ofhearing or deaf child With regard to the use of ‘Baby Sign’, Doherty (2008: 300) asks: ‘What about deaf babies, are their communication needs met adequately?’ Let us combine this question with the following statement which is mostly uncontroversial within speech-therapy: If a 24-month-old child does not reach the threshold of 50 words, it cannot start learning the grammatical system on time, which means that the whole language development is delayed (Hermannsdorfer 2011: 11). Look at the situations of acquiring a language in children with different hearing status. The children who can hear normally can perceive daily life continuously ‘accompanied’ by spoken language. For them, the provision of single sign words reinforcing a spoken message which they can produce earlier than spoken words is appropriate for building an active linguistic means of communication somewhat earlier than the spoken language one. For them, this happens in the context of their parents’ comprehensive spoken language (or other caregivers’); it is anchored in their daily life, therefore they have already developed a partial ‘understanding’ of certain parts of a spoken message. For them, this is only about creating an active and relatively differentiated means of expression at a somewhat earlier point of time. In contrast, the hearing-impaired children can receive spoken language only partially or not at all, or later if they are successfully provided with hearing-aids. For them, the ‘automatic’ accompaniment of daily life with spoken language holds at best for those parts that can be perceived or only for some fragments.
Sign language is essential for deaf children (by Klemen Jeke)
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For them the possibility to develop an age-appropriate ‘understanding’ through a comprehensively offered language and its relations to their daily life exists only in a limited way or not at all. Therefore it is recommended to offer a comprehensive visual language to all hearing-impaired children who can presumably perceive spoken language only in an incomplete way due to their limited perception. This will enable them to experience the same processes of ‘developing an understanding’ like non-hearing-impaired children, based on this visual language. Spoken and visual languages can and should be offered simultaneously, because in many cases one may not be sure how much of spoken language a child can perceive and which learning results they can achieve. Therefore the principle of double insurance holds: in case that spoken language can be perceived at least partially (this includes lip-reading as a limited but existing access to spoken language), it will be available to them. In case that a child cannot extract elements and structures from spoken language or too few of them to learn it to an age-appropriate extent, the visual language, either a sign language or signs reinforcing spoken messages, will be available. This will enable them to learn language in a compensatory way via the visual channel. If the ideal situation, one or two complete languages from the beginning, cannot be realized, there is the possibility of representing sign language – in which many hearing parents are not fluent – through single and partially combined signs. However, during the second half of the first year at the latest, a child-appropriate visual language which is as complete as possible has to be used (additionally), so that the child can develop its cognitive strategies oriented towards language learning (i.e. the ‘anchoring’ of identified linguistic elements to pre- or nonlingual perceptions/information). So if the method of ‘Baby Sign’ is used for hearing-impaired children, it must not remain an offer of isolated or ‘key words’ as with hearing children (they may be used as an introduction, though). Instead, it must – in accordance with the extent of language development support necessary for an individual child – change to an actual bilingual method during the second year at the latest, through a more or less complete visual language, under the assumption that spoken language is used as well. In other words, the use of ‘Baby Sign’ with hearing-impaired children must not be misinterpreted as a complete or appropriate support of language development if the child shows a delay in spoken language development. In such cases, it is necessary to carefully examine which kind of language development support via the visual channel may cause this delay to disappear. To summarize the (desirable) inclusive provisions for hearing and hearing-impaired children: after a shared initial phase, the hearing-impaired children under these conditions (delay in spoken language development) need additional systematic language development support in a visual language. This may be achieved through an actual bilingual offer in an inclusive course for all children, or through a special bilingual group for hearing-impaired children. It is desirable that the organizers of’Baby Sign’/’Tiny Signers’ courses should also be qualified to evaluate the language situation of the hearing-impaired children and should be able to offer a sign language as well.
3.6 Speech therapists and ‚Baby Sign‘ or sign language In speech therapy literature, ‘language’ is often the term for spoken language only; the same is true for web-sites on speech therapy. In some professional groups, speech therapists partially claim for their only right to perform ‘language therapy’ and threaten any violation by lawsuit. Beyond this position that discriminates against sign language oriented or bilingually oriented people, there are already some speech therapists who strive to get speech therapy to accept a comprehensive understanding of language and communication (cf. Tesak 2007) or who acquaint themselves with ‘Baby Sign’ and sign language (cf. http://www.babyzeichensprache.com/referenzen.php). For example, Ursula Escher-Vigiller states that ‘Baby Sign’ is a useful tool for the fostering of spoken language acquisition.
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3.7 Conclusion The existing research results offer at least some evidence for a positive influence of ‘Baby Sign’on the cognitive and language development of hearing children - perhaps together with other context factors of the ontogenesis. Probably the main reason for this is that through an anticipated possibility to realize their own linguistic or ‘close to speech’ communication, the children using ‘Baby Sign’ learn a little bit earlier to use a dialogic form of communication, as compared to active spoken language production. No delays in their spoken language development could be shown. Additionally, an earlier possibility of a more detailed communication with small children is a clear advantage for the families as a whole. For hearing-impaired children, ‘Baby Sign’ offers even more advantages; for those with a more severe hearing loss, it represents the necessary introduction to the use of a visual language, in order to avoid the risk of not reaching the 50-word threshold by the age of 24 months. However, a clear warning must be issued against offering ‘Baby Sign’ to hard-of-hearing and deaf children as a fully valid substitute for a complete visual language.
3.8 Notes 1 - Cf.: http://www.knetfeder.de/kkp/sprache2.html, http://www.bildungsserver.de/zeigen.html?seite=2299, http://www.sprachheilberater.de/Sprachentwicklung.htm#TabelleZurSprachentwicklung 2 - Cf. http://www.knetfeder.de/kkp/sprache2.html bzw. , http://www.bildungsserver.de/zeigen.html?seite=2299, http://www.sprachheilberater.de/Sprachentwicklung.htm#TabelleZurSprachentwicklung 3 - This term means the use of signs for communication in contrast to ‘fingerspelling’, i.e. the representation of single letters by hand signs. 4 - Cf. also the recommendations ‘Empfehlungen für die Entwicklung eines Curriculums für die Ausbildung von Kinderbetreuer/innen bzw. Kindergärtner/innen’ of the project ‘Tiny Signers’ (http://www.tinysigners.eu/?lang=en). 5 - ASL is one of the most important languages in the USA; therefore learning signs has a much higher status with regard to learning another language also for later use: ‘Some parents encourage a child to continue practising American Sign Language (ASL) even after they begin speaking. ASL is the 3rd most used language in the United States. By practising and developing ASL as a second language, your child can benefit from having this language skill later in life.’ http://www.babies-and-sign-language.com/baby-sign-benefits.html
3.9 References • • • • • • • • • • •
About Baby Signing. http://www.asha.org/publications/leader/2010/101102/about-baby-signing.htm Acredolo, Linda P. &Goodwyn, Susan W. (2000): The long-term impact of symbolic gesturing during infancy in IQ at age 8. Paper presented at the International Conference on Infant Studies in Brighton. https://www.babysigns.com/index.cfm?id=113 Acredolo, Linda P. &Goodwyn, Susan W. &Horobin, Karen D. & Emmons, Yvonne D. (1999): The signs and sounds of early language development. In: Balter, Lawrence &Tamis-LeMonda, Catherine S. (Eds.): Child psychology. New York: Psychology Press, 116-139 http://www.babies-and-sign-language.com Baby sign language. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baby_sign_language Baby Signs, Inc. (2008). https://www.babysigns.com http://www.babysigners.co.uk/i2.php?p=what-is-baby-signing www.babysignlanguageexpert.com www.babystrology.com Bates, E. &Vicari, S. &Trauner, D. (1999): Neural mediation of language development: perspectives from lesion studies of infants and
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children. In: Tager-Flusberg, H. (Ed.) Neurodevelopmental Disorders. Cambridge, MA: The MIT Press, 533-581 Baumert, J. et al. (Eds.) (2001): Pisa 2000. Basiskompetenzen von Schülerinnen und Schülern im internationalen Vergleich. Opladen: Leske&Budrich Benefits for Babies Using Baby Sign Language. http://www.babies-and-sign-language.com/baby-sign-benefits.html Bibliography of Baby Signs research. https://www.babysigns.com/index.cfm?id=64 Bonvillian, John D. &Folven, Raymond J. (1990): The onset of signing in young children. In: Edmondson, W. &Karlsson, F. (Eds.): SLR ‘87. Papers from the Fourth International Symposium on Sign Language Research. Hamburg: Signum, 183-189 BunnyFabulous (2011): Baby Sign - Communicating with your Baby Through Sign Language can be Simple and Rewarding - for Both of You. www.squidoo.com/baby_signing_time Capute, Arnold J. & Palmer, Frederick B. & Shapiro, Bruce K. &Wachtel, Renee C. &Schmidt, Steven& Ross, Alan (1986): Clinical Linguistics and Auditory Milestone Scale: Prediction of cognition in infancy. Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology 28, 762–71 Clibbens, J. & Powell, G.G. & Atkinson, E. (2002): Strategies for achieving joint attention when signing to children with Down’s syndrome. International Journal of Language and Communication Disorders 37, 309–323 Curtiss, S. (1977): Genie: a psycholinguistic study of a modern-day ‘wild child’. New York: Academic Press Doherty-Sneddon, G. (2008):The great baby signing debate, The Psychologist21, 300-303 Dr. Joseph Garcia. Stratton/Kehl Publications, Inc.. http://www.medi-sign.org/about.html Felzer, Laura (2000): Research on how Signing helps hearing children learn to read. http://littlesigners.com/article11.html Garcia, Joseph (2010):Baby Sign Language Research. Sign2Me. Northlight Communications http://sign2me.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=17&Itemid=33 Garcia, Joseph (2006): Sign with Your Baby. 9th ed. Mukilteo: Sign2me Goldin-Meadow, Susan &MarolynMorford (1985): Gestures in early child language: Studies of deaf and hearing children. MerrillPalmer Quarterly 31, 145-76 Goodwyn, Susan W. &Acredolo, Linda P. & Brown, Catherine A. (2000): Impact of symbolic gesturing on early language development. Journal of Nonverbal Behavior 24, 81-103 https://www.babysigns.com/index.cfm?id=114 Hermannsdorfer, Katharina (2011): Ein Bilderbuchprojekt zum Thema Gefühle - Eine Interventionsstudie zum Wortschatzlernen im Unterricht. Hausarbeit Universität München http://epub.ub.uni-muenchen.de/12501/1/Ein_Bilderbuchprojekt_zum_Thema_Gefuehle_ZULA.pdf Holowka, Siobhan &Brosseau-Laprè, Françoise&Petitto, L. A.(2002): Semantic and conceptual knowledge underlying bilingual babies’ first signs and words. Language learning 52, 205-262 Johnston, J., Durieux-Smith, A. & Bloom, K. (2005): Teaching gestural signs to infants to advance child development. First Language 25, 235–251 Kiegelmann, M. (2009). Baby Signing - Eine Einschätzung aus entwicklungspsychologischer Sicht. Das Zeichen 82, 262-272 Klann J. & Kastrau F. & Kemény, St. & Huber, W. (2001): Neuroanatomische Grundlagen der Sprachverarbeitung. Eine Studie zur Schriftund Gebärdensprachverarbeitung bei hörenden und gehörlosen Probanden. (1. Jahrestagung der Gesellschaft für Aphasieforschung und -behandlung, GAB, 11/2001 in Bielefeld). http://www.ukaachen.de/go/show?ID=5442506&DV=0&COMP=page&ALTNAVID=21110798&ALTNAVDV=0 König, Vivian (2010): Das große Buch der Babyzeichen. 6. Aufl. Guxhagen: Kestner König, Vivian (2004-2012): Babysprache - Was ist das? http://www.babyzeichensprache.com/babyzeichen.php Leuninger, Helen (2007): Gebärdensprache und Bilingualismus. SpracheStimmeGehör31, 156-162 Locke, J.L. (1997): A theory of neurolinguistic development. Brain and Language 58, 265-326 Lovett, J. D. (2008): Infants and American Sign Language: Tiny Hand-Signs breaking strong language barriers. http://mysmarthands.com/Site/Baby_Sign_Language_Research_Paper.html Marshall, Chloe (2007): Continuing the baby sign debate. bulletin July 2007, 13 http://www.staff.city.ac.uk/g.morgan/CM_Baby_Sign. pdf Meier, Richard P. & Newport, Elissa L. (1990):Out of the Hands of Babies: On a possible sign advantage in language acquisition. Language 66, 1-23 Meisel, J. (2003): The bilingual child. In: Bhatia, T. & Ritchie. W. (eds.) The handbook of bilingualism. Oxford:Blackwells, 91-113 Motsch, Hans-Joachim (2004): Kontextoptimierung. München: Reinhardt www.mybabycantalk.com Ohio State University (2011): Teaching Infants to Use Sign Language. http://www.newswise.com/articles/teaching-infants-to-use-sign-language Orlansky, Michael D. &Bonvillian, John D. (1985): Sign Language Acquisition: Language development in children of deaf parents and implications for other populations. Merrill-Palmer Quarterly 31, 127–43 Penner, Z. & Weissenborn, J., & Friederici, A. (2002): Sprachentwicklung. In: Karnath, H. O. &Thier, P. (Eds.) Neurospychologie. Berlin/ Heidelberg: Springer, 677-684. Petitto, Laura A. (1988): ‘Language’ in the pre-linguistic child. In: Kessel, F. (ed.), Development of language and language researchers: Essays in honor of Roger Brown. Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum, 187-221 Pochert et al. (2002): Bärenstark. Berliner Sprachstanderhebung. Senatsverwaltung für Schule, Jugend und Sport, Berlin. http://www.daz-lernwerkstatt.de/fileadmin/llw/texte/diagnose/Baerenstark_Testmaterial.pdf Rayel, Michael (2005): Emotional Intelligence - the basics. http://ezinearticles.com/?Emotional-Intelligence---The-Basics&id=24824 Schick, Brenda &Marschark, Marc & Spencer, Patricia Elisabeth (eds.) (2006):Advances in the Sign Language Development of Deaf
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Children. Oxford: Oxford University Press Schrey-Dern, Dietlinde (2006): Sprachentwicklungsstörungen. Stuttgart: Thieme www.signingbaby.com www.signingtime.com Snoddon, Kristin (2000): Sign, Baby, Sign! WFD News 13 http://www.coledavid.com/articles_html/daniels_article.html Sprachentwicklung. http://www.knetfeder.de/kkp/sprache2.html Sprachentwicklung systematisch begleiten. http://www.bildungsserver.de/zeigen.html?seite=2299 Summary of the Benefits of Signing. Signing Time! Two Little Hands Productions, 2006. http://www.signingtime.net/pdf/st/ STResearch_Summary.pdf Tabelle zur Sprachentwicklung. http://www.sprachheilberater.de/Sprachentwicklung.htm#TabelleZurSprachentwicklung Teaching Infants to Use Sign Language.Ohio State University. http://www.handspeak.com/tour/kids/index.php?kids=teachinfants Tesak, J. (Ed.) (2007): An den Grenzen der Logopädie. (Idstein:) Schulz-Kirchner http://www.schulz-kirchner.de/fileslp/tesak_grenzen. pdf The great baby signing debate. The British Psychological Society. 3 April 2008. http://www.thepsychologist.org.uk/archive/archive_ home.cfm/volumeID_21-editionID_159-ArticleID_1330 Tiny Signers project. http://www.tinysigners.eu/?lang=en Vallotton, Claire (2008): Infants take self-regulation into their own hands. In: Zero to Three. September 2008, 29-34 http://www. theactgroup.com.au/documents/SelfRegulation.pdf Vallotton, Claire (2011): Signing with Babies and Children. http://c445781.r81.cf0.rackcdn.com/wp_SigningwithBabies&Children.pdf Vogt, Susanne (2007): Zur Rolle von Gesten im Spracherwerb. In: Tesak 2007, 11-18 Vogt, S. & Scheibert, S. (2006): Förderung von Gesten als Mitauslöser der lautsprachlichen Entwicklung. Logos Interdisziplinär 14, 179-185 Volterra, V. &Iverson, J.M. &Castrataro, M. (2006):The development of gesture in hearing and deaf children. In:Schick & Marschark & Spencer 2006, 46-70 Weissenborn, Jürgen (2000): Der Erwerb von Morphologie und Syntax. In: Grimm, Hannelore (Ed.): Sprachentwicklung. Göttingen: Hogrefe (=Enzyklopädie der Psychologie, Themenbereich C: Theorie und Forschung, Serie III: Sprache), 141-169 Weissenborn, Jürgen (2001): Frühkindliche Sprachentwicklung und spezifische Sprachentwicklungsstörungen. Eine neue Forschergruppe der Deutschen Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG). LOGOS Interdisziplinär 9, 129-132 Weissenborn, Jürgen (2003):Untersuchungen zum frühkindlichen Spracherwerb: Ergebnisse und Konsequenzen für das Verständnis von Sprachentwicklungsstörungen. In C. Iven (Ed.) Früh genug, zu früh, zu spät? Modelle und Methoden zur Diagnostik und Therapie sprachlicher Entwicklungsstörungen von 0-4 Jahren. Köln: Prolog (= Sprachtherapieaktuell 4), 29-47 Weissenborn, J. &Höhle, B. (Eds.) (2001) Approaches to Bootstrapping: Phonological, Lexical, Syntactic, and Neurophysiological Aspects of Early Language Acquisition. 2 Vols., Amsterdam: Benjamins Weissenborn-Interview. http://www.starke-eltern.de/htm/archiv/artikel/10_2004/experteninterview_weissenborn.htm Zollinger, Barbara (2010): Die Entdeckung der Sprache. 8. Aufl. Bern/Stuttgart/Wien: Haupt Zwergensprache - Mit Babys auf dem Weg zur Sprache http://www.babyzeichensprache.com/index.php
Workshops for babies at Ljubljana shool for deaf (by Jan Kraigher)
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4
A short history of sign languages of the deaf The use of visual communication in evolution
Franz Dotter
When we look at the theories about the origin of languages, we find even some hypotheses that spoken languages may have emerged from signed ones or gesture systems, i.e. that visual communication systems may have been the ancestors of acoustic ones (cf. Armstrong & Wilcox 2007). A more plausible standpoint from my perspective - looking at the evolution of communication systems in different species - is that early communication systems of evolutionary higher developed species to an overwhelming majority show a combination of acoustic and visual means. This seems to be the case also for primates and our human ancestors. Some proof can be found in Kendon‘s work on the still existing tight connection between gesture, facial/corporal expression and spoken language (cf. Kendon 2010).
A hypothesis concerning the early existence of ‘sign languages’ Taking into consideration that deafness by genetic predisposition or by acquisition through disease was a phenomenon during the whole history of mankind, it seems plausible that deaf individuals adapted to their situation by optimising the visual part of the existing combined communication systems. Similar to the stereotypical reactions of the hearing majority to different forms of impairments - in early times certainly based on mythical interpretations of impairment (e.g. the role of blind people as soothsayers), their social environment may have either adapted to their communication behaviour or expulsed them from society. In any case we can assume that some ‘sign language’ has existed throughout the history of mankind, showing different forms of tradition, depending on the size of deaf minorities in their environment and their acceptance.
Visual systems used by hearing people as a proof for the exploitation of the visual channel for communication and language Looking back to history or to other cultures, we can find visual systems some of which can be designated as ‘languages’ that were or are used as ‘auxiliary systems’ by hearing subjects for social or environmental reasons: • Mediaeval monks obliged to obey the rule of silence developed some sign systems to overcome the impossible situation of having no communication1. The advantage was that these monks had a tool which allowed them to communicate with deaf people. North American Indians used a signed ‘lingua Franca’ (= a common language) in order to overcome the communication barriers due to many different spoken languages. This language served for a quite detailed communication, e.g. in hunting, narration, ceremonies, etc.2. • Some cultures (e.g. Indigenous peoples of Australia) prohibit speaking in special situations (e.g. the death of a partner or a near relative). On such occassions signing is possible3. • Small systems of signs are used for communication in diving3a, brokerage4, among soldiers4a or the police5 in order to either avoid any sound or to replace sound by a more adequate visual means. To sum up, wherever a visual communication system or language was functional for hearing people, they doubtlessly decided to use it. It is only the ‘privilege’ of hearing ‘experts’ on deaf people with their limited understanding of this fact that they - consciously or not - prohibited or impeded the access of deaf people to a visual language. Such limited understanding emerged either from ignorance due to
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the scientific state-of-the-art in earlier centuries or from an ideological orientation towards a mystified or nationalistic ‘spoken language only’ standpoint. A part of the second reason is the stance that only perfectly speaking individuals can be assessed as human beings.
First written records on deafness and/or sign language6 There exist several paragraphs in written documents starting from the ancient world. They can be interpreted as proofs for the awareness of the societies concerning deaf people. More detailed information about deafness and signing accompanied the development of education for deaf people by visual means (at first with the children of the nobles in Spain; cf. Werner 1932). The following step was the first school-related education system for the deaf developed by de L‛Epeé from 1760 on (cf. Reise in die Geschichte 2001). The success of this method spread over Europe and many teachers of the deaf visited Paris in order to learn it. For instance, the Austrian emperor Joseph II sent teachers to Paris and founded a deaf school in Vienna that was followed by many others distributed over the whole monarchy (cf. Dotter & Okorn 2003).
Statue showing the first school for the deaf established by de L‛Epeé in Paris (by Živa Ribičič)
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When we set into relation world views and deaf education, we can identify two major forces of early initiatives: firstly, the motivation to save the souls of the deaf by making the basics of religion accessible to them, and secondly, the enlightenment movement which aimed at the development of every individual (cf. Berger 2002). Later, nationalism led to the majority decision of the teachers of the deaf against the use of sign languages in Milan in 1880, which was officially (and regretfully) only taken back by the Vancouver 2010 Resolution.
The history of sign languages themselves Concerning the history of sign languages, there are hints that de L‛Epeé and his successors used the signs they found in deaf communities and included them into their school sign (a description of this approach can be found in Czech 1836). It seems very clear that the autochthonous signs of the deaf would not be sufficient for teaching. Therefore we may assume that a lot of „teaching-oriented signs’ were invented, probably mostly by the teachers (cf. Fischer 2002). This resulted in two phenomena. The first is the relatedness of many European and the American Sign Language to the French Sign Language (the teachers visiting Paris also adopted French school signs). The second is that many schools seem to have been the source of a „dialect’ of their pupils and their offspring. As regards grammar, we can suppose that it was not possible to erase the modality based properties of the autochthonous deaf language(s), but in the sense of language contact, some influence of spoken languages on the sign languages taught is also plausible. As sign languages were not regarded as languages, they remained neglected, and since 1880, even forbidden and discriminated against. Therefore it is not surprising that many sign languages still have not been dealt with in an adequate manner. Tervoort (1953) was the first to describe the Netherlands Sign Language in a systematic way. Much more known is Stokoe who installed the first general description system which was then enriched/improved by some other authors (especially Liddell & Johnson; cf. Dotter 2001).
The acknowledgement of sign languages As mentioned above, the status of sign languages as languages was long ignored. Following the linguistic awareness, the political acknowledgement of sign languages started in the 1980s and is still an on-going process (cf. Krausneker 2008, Wheatley &Pabsch 2010, Wikipedia, Recognition). In recent history, there was an important international shift of paradigms from ‘helping’ people with special needs towards accepting their rights (cf. Dotter 2011). This was codified by the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities; its follow-ups should lead to equal rights for sign languages.
Notes 1 - Cf. http://www.geocities.com/WestHollywood/Park/7712/Articles/MonksSL.html, http://www.benediktiner.de/ regula/RB_deutsch01.htm#Kap_06 2 - Cf.Clark 1982; http://dmoz.org/Science/Social_Sciences/Language_and_Linguistics/Natural_Languages/ Sign_Languages/Native_American_Sign_Systems, http://www.colorado-mall.com/HTML/CULTURAL/CULTURES/ NATIVE_AMERICAN/indianSignLanguage.html, http://www.inquiry.net/outdoor/indian/sign_language/ 3- Cf. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warlpiri_Sign_Language 3a - Cf. http://www.desiweb.ch/tauchen/ 4 - Cf. http://www.futuresbroker.com/hand1.htm 4a - Cf. http://www.lefande.com/hands.html 5 - Cf. http://members.easyspace.com/rueckner/weapons/ 6 - For an overview cf. Schein & Stewart 1995: 1-28
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References • • • • • •
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Armstrong, David F. & Wilcox, Sherman E.: The gestural origin of language. New York: Oxford University Press 2007 Berger, Petra: Die österreichische Gebärdensprache (ÖGS) in der Zeit der Aufklärung. Diss. Graz 2002 Clark, William P.: The Indian sign language. Lincoln & London: University of Nebraska Press 1982 [reprint from 1885] Cžech, Franz Herrmann: Versinnlichte Denk- und Sprachlehre, mit Anwendung auf die Religions- und Sittenlehre und auf das Leben. 2 Vols. Wien: Mechitaristen-Congregations-Buchh. 1836 deJorio, Andrea: Gesture in Naples and Gesture in Classical Antiquity. Indiana University Press 2000 [Spanish original 1832, translated by Adam Kendon] Dotter, Franz: Gebärdensprachforschung. In: Haspelmath, Martin & König, Ekkehard & Oesterreicher, Wulf & Raible, Wolfgang (Eds.): Language typology and language universals / Sprachtypologie und sprachliche Universalien. Band 1, Halbband 1. Berlin/New York: de Gruyter 2001, 141-154 Dotter, Franz: Sign Languages and Their Communities Now and in the Future. 2011 http://www.uni-klu.ac.at/zgh/downloads/2011_Dotter_SLCommunities_Budapest.pdf Dotter, Franz &Okorn, Ingeborg: Austria’s hidden conflict: Hearing culture vs. deaf culture. In: Monaghan, Leila &Schmaling, Constanze& Nakamura, Karen & Turner, Graham H. (Eds.), Many ways to be deaf. Washington DC: Gallaudet University Press 2003, 49-66 Fischer, Renate: The dictionary of the abbé de l’Epée and his ‘methodical signs’, in: Schulmeister, R./Reinitzer, H. (Eds.): Progress in sign language research. In Honor of Siegmund Prillwitz / Fortschritte in der Gebärdensprachforschung. Festschrift für Siegmund Prillwitz. Hamburg: Signum 2002, 47-61 Kendon, Adam: Gesture: visible action as utterance. 4th print, Cambridge: Cambridge UniversityPress 2010 Krausneker, Verena: The protection and promotion of sign languages and the rights of their users in the Council of Europe member states: needs analysis. Council of Europe 2008. www.coe.int/t/e/social_cohesion/soc-sp/Report Sign languages Reise in die Geschichte: Von den Anfängen der Gehörlosenpädagogik bis zum Mailänder Kongress 1880. Transcript of broadcast by ‘SehenstattHören’, March, 18th 2001.http://www.taubenschlag.de/html/ssh/1040.htm Schein, Jerome D. & Stewart, David A.: Language in motion. Washington D.C.: Gallaudet Press 1995 Tervoort, Bernard T. M.: Structureleanalyse van visueeltaalgebruikbinneneengroep dove kinderen. Amsterdam: NoordHollandscheUitgeversMaatschappij 1953 English summary: http://www.ru.nl/sign-lang/publications/vm/english_summary_of/ The Vancouver 2010 Resolution: A New Era of Deaf Participation and Collaboration http://deafbc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/ICED-Document.pdf Werner, Hans: Geschichte des Taubstummenproblems bis ins 17. Jahrhundert. Jena: Fischer 1932 Wheatley, Mark &Pabsch, Annika: Sign Language Legislation in the European Union. Brussels: EUD 2010 Wikipedia: Legal recognition of sign languages http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legal_recognition_of_sign_languages Acocella, Joan:The Neapolitan Finger. In: Sign Language Studies 2 (2002), 197-211 http://www.innovative-access.com/hand_signals.htm Urubo-Kaapor, Keresan Pueblo: Sign language archeology (Supalla)
4.1 History of the Slovenian sign language Živa Ribičič The first school for the deaf in Slovenia was established in 1840 in Gorica and although they decided to teach by using the oral method, teachers used signing. They followed the method of a priest named Franz Herman, a Czech from Vienna. His book was published in 1844. His books were sent to priests around the monarchy and at that time Slovenia was a part of the monarchy, too. The school promoted sign language and vocational education and was led by a priest Valentin Stanič. The Slovene sign language was secretly used in the Ljubljana school which was established in the year 1900. Twenty years before that, in 1880, an international conference of deaf education had been held. It had a big impact on education of the deaf all over the world. A declaration was made that oral education was better than sign education. The Slovene school decided to have oral education and for many years sign language was forbidden and students were punished when using it. Anyway, the deaf community always used sign language in deaf clubs and also secretly at school. After the year 1980 some educators in the Ljubljana school ascertained that it was beneficial for deaf students to have sign language in the learning process. Most experts at school were still against it saying that sign language affects the process
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of learning to speak. Some experts in Slovenia still agree with this claim. In the year 1931 the first deaf organization was established and in 1979 the first sign language seminars were held. The first deaf TV broadcast started in 1980 and was moved to the national TV in 1984. The first tapes with the sign language were filmed in 1984 and also two handbooks for the sign language learning were published in 1984. In 1985 The Association of the deaf prepared an act about sign language interpreters. Besides, a video newspaper was unique for that time. In 1986 a battle for the recognition of sign language began. In 1996 interpreters were included into the pre-election TV programme. After 23 years of battle the Slovene sign language was recognised in 2002, bringing deaf people the long expected rights. They have the right to use sign language in all state institutions and they also get a certain amount of free interpreting for their own needs. A multimedia dictionary was published in 2003. In 2007 the association started with seminars of the international sign language and in 2008 the Internet TV for the deaf was established. In 2010 two handbooks for teaching sign language were published. They followed the tradition of sign language courses which have been held in the Ljubljana school for the deaf for many years. After 1995 there have been more systematic approaches towards bilingual education. At the moment the Slovene sign language is used only at the Ljubljana school for the deaf (the only school centre with a secondary school), whereas the school in Maribor uses the oral approach. The Portorož school does not have any deaf child at the moment. After the year 2003 deaf poetry arose in the Ljubljana school and also in deaf clubs. At the moment this part of sign language is flourishing with many different poems and deaf poets. In the last decade there have been a lot of researches in the field of sign language and the adaptation of e-materials for the deaf. In addition, the research group of deaf representatives from different regions works at the Association of the deaf and a dictionary of the sign language is available on the Internet. The Association of interpreters has 44 interpreters with a certificate (a national vocational qualification) at the moment. The Association of the deaf has 13 deaf clubs which includes 5295 deaf and hard of hearing people. 1567members are deaf (almost 100% of the whole deaf population) and there are also 65 deaf-blind persons. On the national TV there is regular interpreting for children broadcast and recently also the evening national TV news is interpreted every day.
4.2 Some facts about the British Sign Language British Sign Language is now usually referred to in its abbreviated form of BSL, just as the sign languages of other countries are referred to in a shortened version, for example, ASL - American Sign Language, AUSlan - Australian Sign Language, DGS - Deutsche Gebärdensprache (German Sign Language) and so on. As recently as 20 years ago, the term BSL was not yet in regular usage, and the sign language of Britain’s Deaf Community was regarded as an inferior system of pantomime and gesture that was not a true language. Parents were advised not to allow their children to use signs or even gesture, as this would spoil their chances of developing speech and lipreading skills (this is still the case in some areas) in spite of the fact that this system was failing the majority of deaf children as described in this extract from SIGN IN SIGHT 1992: ‘A study carried out in 1979 found that most deaf school leavers had not progressed beyond a reading age of 8.75 years. In real terms, this means that they would be unable to read the tabloid newspapers, and
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that instruction manuals, government or official forms, safety regulations, and so on, would all remain beyond comprehension. In addition, speech quality was found to be largely unintelligible, and skill at lipreading was found to be no better than inexperienced hearing children, dispelling the myth that deaf people are good lipreaders.’ Large numbers of adult Deaf people remember vividly and with anger their frustration at not being able to understand what was going on, or to express themselves through sign language. Even when families decided for themselves to offer their children something more, and to learn sign language, classes were virtually non-existent and there were precious few resources on the subject (the British Deaf Association’s Dictionary of British Sign Language was not published until 1992). Many people are surprised when they discover that sign language was forbidden in deaf education and not used in the teaching of deaf children until about 20 or so years ago, and then not in all deaf schools. Its use was discouraged even informally, although deaf children could not be deterred from signing with each other in the playground and when teacher was not looking, since visual language is so important to them. The language is developed and passed on out of necessity, and the 10% or so of deaf children of Deaf parents, who develop BSL as a first language, bring their valued native competence into the lives of others. Deaf adult role models have also been rare in deaf children’s lives, to the extent that some deaf children believed that they would no longer be deaf when they grew up, because all the adults they knew were hearing. It was not considered appropriate to employ Deaf people in deaf schools until schools started to adopt policies using sign language, and there are still very few Deaf teachers. Approximately 90% of deaf children are born into hearing families who have usually never encountered deafness or sign language before. Even today, deaf children may not have adult Deaf contact unless this is specifically sought after and arranged - something that is not always encouraged by the medical profession or educationalists who are the first line of contact for families. Attitudes towards sign language started to change due to research in America in the 1950’ and 60’s, then in Britain during the 1970’ and 80’s. Sign languages started to be recognised as full, complex visual languages with structure and grammar very different from spoken languages. It is now recognised that sign languages exist throughout the world, wherever groups of deaf people and children come together. Each has its own unique vocabulary and rules, although being visual spatial languages, they have a lot in common with each other - more in common with each other than with spoken languages. The structures of sign language are necessarily different from those used in spoken language, as explained in this extract from the Introduction to SIGN LANGUAGE COMPANION. ‘Spoken languages have evolved over thousands and thousands of years. They are particularly suited to the auditory medium, expressed by mouth and taken in by the ear. Less is known about sign languages than spoken languages and their study is still fairly new, but it is clear that sign languages have also evolved over time to suit the visual medium, expressed by physical movements and taken in by the eye. /../ In sign language, the physical movement of signs is slow compared to the speed of spoken words. Words can be spoken at roughly double the rate at which signs can be produced, yet it is possible to interpret from one language to the other in the same space of time without loss of meaning, nuance or intent. How can this be? How can half the number of signs convey the same propositions or ideas as those that might be spoken? The answer is really quite ingenious. Sign language relies less on ‘words’ and more on the inventive use of space and movement - an alternative and creative visuality, devised by the human brain to fulfil our need for language when the usual channels are not available. It involves the three-dimensional use of space, the location of signs within that space, the speed, direction and type of movement, the handshapes that are used, all combined with non-manual information carried by the head, face and body. All these factors can be taken in by the eye at the same time. The order of the message can also be very different, and might involve a completely different starting point, construct of events, and finishing point, not unlike the old story of asking directions and being told, ‘If I were going
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there, I wouldn’t start from here.’ Things can happen simultaneously in a visual language, concentrating detail relevant to the message into the signs in a very economic way, so that the rate of ideas and chunks of meaning remain within the brain’s normal limits. /../ A simple illustration of these processes would be an instruction such as ‘turn right at the traffic lights’. In BSL, traffic lights (one sign) would be signed first, followed by turn right (one sign). This not only reflects the real order of events, a crucial and distinguishing feature of visual language, but uses classifying handshapes to indicate lights and vehicle, which are located in space with appropriate directional movement to suit the context. In this way, information is condensed into just two signs, enabling the expression of an instruction that would require six spoken words. /../ The reason why it is so important to understand this type of process is that it explains some of the misconceptions about sign language, and why Deaf BSL users find signed forms of English such a strain. Deaf people say that when signs are used to accompany speech, they can understand each item as it appears, but find difficulty taking in the message content as a whole when all the information is expressed in the linear sequence of spoken language. The patterning that enables meaning to be given in chunks is inappropriate to sign language, and has to be ‘worked out’ by the receiver. In addition, because sign production is slower than speech, unless many items are simply missed out, then the whole thing is slowed down. This has the effect of lengthening the units of meaning that put the message across, making understanding more difficult. Sign-supported English may suit some deaf people in some situations, but does not meet all the linguistic needs of those deaf from infancy for whom English is not a first language. Furthermore, it reflects an insistence on ‘normalisation’ (they have to learn English) rather than valuing a unique difference - and making the difference ‘normal’.
Reference •
Smith, C., Sign Language Companion, 1996, published at DeafSign.Com on 19/12/2000
4.3 The history of the deaf education in Lithuania Svetlana Litvinaite The first information about the deaf which reached us is related to the training of the deaf. The idea to establish the school for the deaf at the beginning of the 19th century belonged to a Vilnius bishop Jonas Kosakovskis. It was him who acquainted the Vilniusmonks missionaries with the activities of the Vienna Institute of the Deaf and started establishing a school with them. The school master was one of the monks Zygmundas Anzelmas. He had a one year practice at the Vienna Institute of the Deaf and passed his examinations as a teacher of the deaf and the hearing impaired in August 1805. In the same year he started the training of the deaf in Vilnius. He devised a finger ABC which was published at the publishing house of missionaries in 1806. From 1819 the Vilnius University Council started to be concerned with the training of the deaf. This work was delegated to the University student Karolis Malakauskas. The Institute of the Deaf was established in 1823. But in the year 1843 the functioning of the school ceased, no more detailed information about it and the last training of the deaf survived. In 1922 Prelate Povilas Januševičius, the chairman of the Infant Jesus Fraternity, started to speak publicly about the necessity of teaching the blind, the deaf and other handicapped children. This fraternity, whose activity was discontinued in 1940 when the Soviet Russia occupied Lithuania, educated and took care of orphans with various sorts of disability. It established several forms of secondary schools and a
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professional school for the deaf in Kaunas. From 1934 eight deaf children started to be taught in the class of handicapped children that was established at Primary School No. 24, named after Kaunas Fort No. 8. From the same year another school for the deaf, which was guided by monks, functioned in Kaunas for 3 years. On the initiative of Pranas Daunys, a deaf activist P. Makutėnas, a group of physicians, pedagogues and other public figures the organization named Lithuanian Society of the Deaf and Dumb Patronage was established. Rev. Povilas Juknevičius was elected its first chairman. The bylaws of the society were registered with the register of the societies of the Ministry of Interior Affairs on March 24th, 1938. The task of the company was to establish the school-institute for the deaf. The Institute of the Deaf started functioning at 34 Muravos street in Kaunas on September 1st, 1938. Another institute was opened in Vilnius on February 24th, 1939. In 1940 over 90 deaf boys and girls studied at both institutes. In the same year both institutes were joined together and transferred to the Lithuanian Society of the Deaf and Dumb Patronage. With the occupation of Lithuania by the Soviet Russia in 1940 the activities of public organizations of the deaf were discontinued. In 1944, on the demand of the activists of the deaf, an order was adopted allowing the deaf and dumb societies to be organized anew. P. Mikutėnas, the leader of the deaf, was appointed as the chairman of the society organizing committee. He was concerned from the start with the training of the deaf: the educational establishments, training aids and textbooks. Especially great merits in this period belong to Jonas Glembockis. He fulfilled the duties of the chairman of the deaf and dumb society on the public basis. He initiated the creation of the professional school for the deaf. Much place in the curriculum was devoted to the general education – striving to at least partly finish with the illiteracy of the deaf. He also prepared and published the elementary school textbook for the deaf ‘I Learn to Talk’, ‘Grammar Exercises’, the finger ABC in the Lithuanian language, etc. Nowadays there is one Secondary school for the deaf in Vilnius where education in sign language is provided. It lasts for twelve years. There are other four schools for the deaf in Kaunas, Šiauliai, Panevėžys, Klaipėda, where deaf children can get basic education of ten years. Education is also provided in sign language. All teachers are obliged to learn and use sign language due to the fact that the Lithuanian sign language is the official language of the deaf, stated by the law. There are also numbers of kindergartens for the deaf. Besides, many children are nowadays taught in integration within mainstream classes with the support of speech therapists and teachers of the deaf and the hearing impaired.
Sign Language History There is not much information on the development of the Lithuanian sign language over the past centuries. The real development of the sign language started in 1995, when sign language was officially recognized as the native language of the deaf proclaimed by the law. In order to solve the issues of the education of the deaf, their training and medical rehabilitation, the Interdepartmental Surdological Centre was established in 1991. Until 1995 it joined the efforts of the doctors and pedagogues to help deaf people at integration through sign language. In 1995 the Lithuanian Association of the Deaf changed its priorities and turned towards sign language. The Surdological Centre (SC) was delegated the task to research and foster the use of sign language in the society. Since that year the SC has been obliged to prepare sign language dictionaries, methodological materials for sign language teaching, to provide sign language courses for professionals, sign language interpreters, teachers and the public. In addition, also the reform of the development and education of the deaf is being carried into effect.
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Following the resolution of the Government a State programme for the use of the sign language was prepared in 1997-1998. In order to implement it the joint efforts of the Ministry of Social Security and Labour, the Ministry of Education and Science and the Lithuanian Society of the Deaf were mobilized. This programme provided guidelines for activities for almost six years. The main executor of the programme was the SC. The next programme was launched in 2002 and lasted for six years as well. The latest programme period started in 2008 and will last for five years. This programme gives priorities and tasks for the researches in the field of sing language and the preparation of training materials for schools and adults. In addition, in order to spread the knowledge on sign language it provides trainings for wider society. A huge piece of work in the field of sign language research represents the publishing of the Sign Language Grammar by Mantrimas Danielius. This grammar founded the basics of the sign language teaching, learning and development. Nowadays, it’s widely used. Further researches of the sign language are continued by the Sign Language Research Centre, which works within the Lithuanian Centre of Education of the Deaf and Hard of hearing. Today, this centre publishes many educational materials for schools, thematic dictionaries and a video dictionary of over 8000 signs.
The current use of SL in early education As sign language is officially recognized as the native language of the deaf, it is obligatory used in all schools and trainings centres of the deaf, starting from early education in kindergarten and finishing with university. Education of the deaf is based on bilingual teaching using signs and spoken language. Children with a significant hear loss are taught in sign language from the very first days. Naturally, only if parents show their tolerance and agree with this method. There is a variety of training materials to teach children signs in cartoons and in video versions. The use of sign language in early years of education is very important because it gives the basis for future education: vocabulary, speech development, literacy etc. Pre-school education is not compulsory; it admits children from one to seven years of age or to the age when they enter primary schooling. Pre-school education is performed by public and private pre-school institutions – kindergartens. Parents have the right to choose the pre-school education programme for their children at a public or private preschool institution. The aim of pre-school institutions is to support the parents in bringing up the child, to improve the quality of family life and to create good conditions for the development of the child’s physical and intellectual abilities. Public pre-school institutions are founded and partly financed by local communities. They are also financed from parents’ contributions (from 0 to 80%, depending on their income), from the national budget (for specific purposes like transport of pre-school children) and from donations and other sources. The national curriculum for pre-school institutions is based upon the appreciation of individual differences in development and learning, as well as on the appreciation of the child’s integrative and balanced development. The objectives, contents and activities are designed separately for the first and the second age-group of children. The following subject fields are included in pre-school institution activities: physical exercise, language, art, society, nature, study, mathematics. Interdisciplinary activities like ethics, health care, safety and traffic education are incorporated into all those fields. In Lithuania since 2012 the babies’ hearing is screened shortly after they are born. After that children receive hearing aids and can go to a consultant at a school for the deaf. There is a special early intervention
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programme developed by the teachers working in kindergartens and schools for the deaf, where parents and children receive basic information on education of deaf children. They also get acquainted with sign language possibilities. In special education for the deaf the same curriculum is followed, only the approach is adapted to deaf and hard of hearing children. There are up to six children in groups for deaf and hard of hearing children. In the last few years a big number of deaf children is operated with a cochlear implant at the age of one year or a year and a half. After that they start an extensive rehabilitation programme which is based on listening and achieving speech and language. A lot of children are integrated into mainstream settings after they are four years old. Deaf children who are not operated are usually from deaf families. Their first language is the Lithuanian sign language and they are educated bilingually with teachers with good knowledge of signing. A sign language interpreter is used in kindergartens on field trips or at other kindergarten activities. For the rest of curriculum the teachers use sign language themselves. The parents of the children with cochlear implants strictly resist the use of sign language with their children denying the help of signs in speech development. The method presented at pre-primary education level by teachers and trainers during the Tiny Signers courses might change the situation.
4.4 A short history of sign language and deaf education in Austria Franz Dotter The first Austrian school for the deaf (Taubstummeninstitut) was established in Vienna in 1779 after a visit by Emperor Joseph II to de l’Epée’s school in Paris. This was the third government-sponsored school in Europe, following Paris (1769) and Leipzig (1778). Daughter institutions of the Viennese Institute were founded all over the Austro-Hungarian empire1. Confronted with competing methods: the sign-languageoriented ‘French method’ and the spoken-language-oriented ‘German method’, the Viennese institution developed a compromise (‘the mixed method’), using written language, signs and a manual alphabet as a basis for learning spoken language. In 1867, the mixed method was discontinued in Austria in favour of the German method (cf. Bundes-Taubstummeninstitut Wien 1979, Schott 1995). After 1865, deaf associations were established. Under the monarchy, many deaf people came to Vienna, the most important centre of Austrian deaf culture. The number of the deaf in Vienna at that time has been estimated to be 1,000, with about ten local clubs. After World War I, in the context of revolutionary movements in Middle and Eastern Europe, the deaf also founded a Taubstummenrat which organized a large assembly in 1919. This assembly demanded a combined method of education, including sign and written language, reminiscent of the former Viennese method. Interpreting the scarce information we have, the scenario seems to be that deaf education conformed to the general Austrian pedagogical orientation of the period: it was authoritarian, regardless of whether it followed the Viennese mixed or German oral methods. The use of authoritarian methods in (not only deaf) education lasted until the 1960’s when authoritarianism gradually weakened. Authoritarianism led to split results. Those pupils who could deal with the authoritarian oral method got partially good spokenlanguage knowledge. The others, suffering from the effects of the method, stopped at an incredibly basic level of language development.
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Under the auspices of the Nazi ‘Rassenhygiene’ (race hygiene or eugenics), the genetically deaf fell under the ‘GesetzzurVerhuetungerbkrankenNachwuchses’ (Law for Preventing a New Generation of Hereditary Ill) from July 14, 1933. Under this law, an estimated 15,000 people with hereditary deafness were sterilized in Germany. It is not clear, however, how many deaf people were among the estimated 75,000 victims of the euthanasia programme for the disabled. Jewish members were expelled from deaf clubs after the ‘Anschluss’ in 1938. Jewish deaf institutions were closed by law in 1942. In spite of the sterilization programme and the neglect of deaf schools in both financial and personnel terms, there was a Hitlerjugend (Hitler Youth) deaf organization with its own periodical (‘Die Quelle’ - The Fountain) for the ‘accidentally’ deaf (i.e. deafness by disease, not by genetics). After World War II, an umbrella deaf association (‘Österreichischer Gehörlosenbund’ (cf. Österreichischer Gehörlosenbund 1988) was refounded, bringing together all Austrian deaf clubs. In 1963, Heinrich Prohazka, one of the founders of the Austrian Deaf Association, still deplored the low efficiency of the Austrian deaf organization compared with those in other countries. He identified two reasons: the lack of self-identification by the deaf and the lack of support from authorities (Prohazka 1988). Emancipation and a development towards self-determined life started only in the late 1980s; the change to an official bilingual self-representation (cf. Jarmer 1997, Krausneker 2006) began with the possibilities of digital video and internet. Apart from the fight for the acknowledgement of the Austrian Sign Language (ÖGS), the analysis of the still partially low-quality education of deaf people was the central task of deaf and hearing workers in the field (cf. Migsch 1987, Krausneker&Schalber 2007). The Austrian Sign Language (ÖGS) shows some regional variants (cf. the online lexicon http://ledasila.uniklu.ac.at/TPM/public/public_main.asp?sid=), standardisation (for educational purposes without trying to elliminate the varieties) was established on a very small base during the late 1990s and is still an ongoing process.
Painting of teachers of first school in Paris demonstrating a teaching method to important visitors (by Živa Ribičič)
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Sign language research in Austria is rather new: the first scientific project began in July 1990. The Department for Interpreting at the University of Graz also started it in 1990, as a reaction to information about sign language interpreting on television broadcasts in nearby Slovenia. The first issue of a descriptive grammar of the Austrian Sign Language was published in 2002 (cf. Dotter 1999 and the home page of the Centre for Sign Language and Deaf Communication http://www.uni-klu.ac.at/zgh). The Austrian Sign Language (ÖGS) is constitutionally acknowledged as a language since 2005, but there are now laws which secure the rights of sign language users or their parents for any educational provision (cf. Krausneker, in print). This means that sign language users have to go and find individual ways for the realisation of their rights at the basis of the Austrian law which formulates equal rights for the disabled (Behindertengleichstellungsgesetz).
Notes 1- These institutions include Prague 1786, Vácz (Hungary) 1802, Milan (Italy) 1805, Linz 1812, Brixen (Italy) and Lwiw (Ukraine) 1830, Salzburg 1831, Graz and Brno (Czech Republic) 1832, Bratislava (Slovakia) 1833; Gorica/ Gorizia (Slovenia/Italy) 1840; Trento (Italy) 1842; St. Pölten 1846 and Celovec/Klagenfurt 1847.
References • • • • • • • • • • • •
Bundes-Taubstummeninstitut Wien: Taubstummeninstitut Wien 1779-1979. 200 Jahre Gehoerlosenbildung. Wien 1979. Dotter, Franz: Gebärdensprachforschung in Klagenfurt. In: Das Zeichen, 13 (1999), 356-367. Jarmer, Helene: Bilingualismus und Bikulturalismus: ihre Bedeutung für Gehörlose. Unpublished BA Thesis. Wien 1997. Krausneker, Verena: Taubstumm bis gebärdensprachig. Die österreichische Gebärdensprachgemeinschaft aus soziolinguistischer Perspektive. Klagenfurt: Drava 2006. Krausneker, Verena (in print) Österreichische Gebärdensprache ist anerkannt, in: De Cillia, Rudolf, Vetter, Eva (Eds.): Klagenfurter Erklärung revisited Krausneker, Verena & Schalber, Katharina: Sprache Macht Wissen. Vienna 2007. www.univie.ac.at/oegsprojekt/downloads.htm. Migsch, Gertraud: Die Verstummung des Widerspruchs. Ein qualitativer Beitrag zur beruflichen Sozialisation von Gehoerlosenlehrern. Unpublished Ph.D. Thesis, Salzburg 1987. Österreichischer Gehörlosenbund: 75 Jahre Österreichischer Gehörlosenbund 1913-1988. Wien 1988. Pinter, Magret: Klagenfurter Unterrichtsprojekt: Bilinguale Förderung hoergeschädigter Kinder in der Gehörlosenschule. In: Das Zeichen 6 (1992), 145-150. Prohazka, Heinrich: 1963 - Ein halbes Jahrhundert Gehörlosen-Organisation in Österreich. In Österreichischer Gehörlosenbund 1988, 71-88. Schott, Walter: Das k.k. Taubstummen-Institut in Wien 1779-1918. Wien: Böhlau 1995.
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5
How to use sign communication with babies and toddlers Vicki Gilbert and Mojca Polak Williams
An important aspect of sign communication with babies and toddlers is helping parents and child care professional to support child’s development. We use the so-called key word signing approach, where the most frequent words from the child’s every day routine are signed. The words have been identified through the observation of experts at work in the kindergartens and relate to the topics of meal time, dressing up, hygiene, play time, the important others (family and other) and feelings. Further words have been identified through the review of books and songs which are most commonly used in the first three years of child’s development. The list of signs including the graphics of the signs (100) is part of the Chapter 7. These are the recommended signs to start with when introducing baby signs into childcare playrooms. They are taught in sign communication courses across the countries of the project consortium. As already explained, there are two main approaches to learning sign communication. The worldwide spread system introduced by two American researchers, Dr Linda Acredolo and Dr Susan Goodwyne, namely Baby signing, advocates for the so-called made up signs. However, we promote the approach using standardized signs that was first introduced by an American researcher, Joseph Garcia. There are several advantages of this approach, among others it involves many iconic signs from the particular socio-cultural environment which are therefore easier to learn and bridge the gap between the hearing and deaf environment. They can be used in childcare and other educational settings because they are standardized. When forgotten they can be looked up again, they can be used by anyone, in childcare and other educational settings, and furthermore they can provide an introduction to a second language. Therefore the signs on drawings in Chapter 7 all belong to national sign languages used by the deaf and hard of hearing people in a certain country. There are a few tips which have to be respected while signing with babies and toddlers both in preschool settings and at home. The ‘baby signs’ were first introduced by Joseph Garcia and are based on the years of experience in teaching signing to parents and baby groups, and during signing in the kindergartens.
10 tips for signing 1. The signing should be FUN: Signing is enjoyable for everyone concerned. It can also be helpful in many other situations which aren’t fun, e.g. when the baby is ill. 2. There should always be an eye contact. Try and keep the baby in your sight-line. But even when they can’t see you fully, keep signing. 3. Always SAY the word. The words are not to be replaced by the signs, therefore say the word at the same time as doing the sign, even emphasize the key word. 4. Show the object or activity, so that the sign is in context. Wherever possible ensure the baby/ ies can see what you are signing and talking about, e.g. show them the milk bottle as you take it out of the fridge. 5. Use relevant signs, always keep them relevant to the situation. Whether you are reading a book, or talking about grandma; when she is not there, show a photograph. Always in context. 6. Use facial expressions, especially if it is an expressive sign, e.g. signs for emotions. This helps to put it in context for the baby and encourages him/her to be more expressive as s/he grows up. 7. Always sign correctly. Babies and children approximate signs, i.e. do their own version. Do not ‘copy’ these but stick to doing the ‘correct’ sign consistently. 8. REPETITION is the key. Sign as often as you can, even a few signs and the baby will eventually sign back.
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9. Be responsive. Acknowledge that the baby has understood or shown a sign by using your voice, signing ‘Good’ and repeating the sign back to him/her. 10. Be patient. Your baby will eventually sign back to you if you sign often enough. On average they sign back between 10 and 13 months, some earlier, some later.
the stages of signing Another important area for all of the practitioners of signing is the knowledge of the stages of signing and what to expect when using sign communication. In all of the practices of signing the ‘Six Stages of Signing’ should be respected. They should be used as a guide. The children will naturally bounce back and forth between the stages and may have an order all of their own. 1. Amusement When you begin to sign with babies/toddlers, s/he or they may look at you in an amused sort of way. S/ he is not really sure what you are doing or why you are suddenly using your hands so much while talking to him/her. S/he might even laugh out loud at you. These are good things to happen. This shows that the babies are paying attention and think about what you are doing. 1. Recognition/understanding Next the babies start to understand the meaning of the signs you are showing. For example, s/he is fussing for milk. You show him/her the ‘EAT’ sign and s/he calms down because s/he knows that the meal time is coming.
Baby signing ‘milk’ to her mother (by Živa Ribičič)
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2. Attempts & imitation Suddenly the babies start playing with their hands more. They may try to copy your signs but not really know what they are doing. They may make these attempts totally out of the context. They are practicing using their hands. 3. First Sign The baby/toddler started to use his/her first sign! Sometimes s/he may even start with more than one. At first the signs may be sporadic; the baby may sign one day and not the next. Next, the frequency of using the first sign/s (sometimes slowly) increases. You are starting to see the sign/s pretty consistently now. Initially, the baby may use that first sign for everything s/he wants to say to you. MORE may be used for: MORE, MILK, RICE CAKES or anything s/he may be looking for. Watch for sign approximation in this stage. Baby/toddler signs may be awkward at this stage and you may miss them if you are not watching carefully. This is the beginning of the baby’s expressive communication. 4. Signing vocabulary increases Now the baby/toddler is starting to use more the signs that you showed to him/her. S/he will also start to look to you to show him a sign for something. Pointed gazes will be happening more often. This stage may last a while. While baby is starting to sign, s/he may stick with only a few signs for some time. This is an important time to show your baby lots of new signs. They are like ‘little sponges’ at this stage and you need to give them lots to ‘soak up’.
Children and parents learning first signs (by Jan Kraigher)
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5.
‘The signing Eureka!’
The baby/toddler suddenly really appears to ‘get’ this whole signing thing. S/he has an impressive size vocabulary and wants to learn new signs all the time. By this time s/he is also picking up new signs after seeing them only once. Baby is now using signs that you may have shown her/him weeks ago and didn’t know s/he remembered! Also, s/he will start to use his/her signs to initiate conversation! It is important to remain consistent with your signing. The baby/toddler will be taking a lot of the initiative but they will still need signing stimulation from you. This will be an amazing time for everyone in child’s life!
This baby’s first sign ‘more’ was initially used for everything she wanted to say (by Anja Musek)
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6
Specific adaptations required when signing with deaf and hard of hearing children Živa Ribičič
6.1 Communication and language development Deaf and hard of hearing people are not just people lacking one sense. For knowing their needs we need to understand deafness. Helen Keller, the most known deaf - blind person, said: ‘Blindness separates us from things but deafness separates us from people’. Language is at the heart of human development. Namely, it connects us to information and to each other. Children with a hearing loss may have gaps in basic language skills in everyday conversation and they can have even more gaps later in academic language. Direct communication is vital in building strong language skills as a basis for the reading competency as well as building the social skills needed to be successful in the community. It is really important to understand the deaf people struggle to acquire a language. Children who hear acquire basic language without any particular effort – just with listening to the conversation of other people. The deaf are deprived of audio information. What follows is none or poor knowledge of language, slow acquisition of speech and social isolation. Many times deaf babies are not exposed to sign language and less than 10% of deaf children are born to deaf adults. Early intervention programmes vary from country to country. An example of good practice is United Kingdom and we expect that their system will be transferred to other countries, too. At this point we are speaking only about the countries involved in the Tiny Signers project. In this chapter we are going to talk about specific adaptations for deaf people joining courses for baby signing and about what adaptations are needed when deaf people join courses for signing with babies and toddlers. The following situations may occur: 1. 2. 3. 4.
A deaf baby in a course of baby signing A deaf parent /adult in a course of baby signing A deaf teacher/assistant in a course of baby signing A deaf person attending the module: Signing communication with toddlers.
In this chapter we are going to concentrate on the first two following the main topic of our project. The last two situations are just going to be mentioned. Namely, they may be a subject of another research.
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6.2 General adaptations for a deaf adult Ask how a deaf person would prefer to communicate: lip-reading, body movements, gesturing, signing, with an interpreter, writing, other modes or a combination of methods. If it is a course for baby signing, a deaf adult would sometimes suggest an interpreter to follow the course. If a deaf person does not use sign language you would need to have an assistant helping him or her. Despite having an interpreter of the assistant, a course teacher should follow some rules for communication with the deaf: • • • • • •
Look at a deaf parent when speaking with him/her Maintain eye contact while speaking If you do not understand a deaf person you need to tell him/her Use facial expressions to contribute to your message Use visual cues to make your communication more effective Use simple gestures Sit in a position where you are in good lighting (without lights or glare shining into the other person’s eyes), preferably with a plainer background behind you.
A girl signing ‘mum’ in Slovenian sign language (by Klemen Jeke)
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Looking at those rules we can see that baby sign courses are all about signing and many of those rules would be followed anyway. Teachers can also enrich their course by asking the deaf to help a group with some signs. It is better to discuss that with a deaf parent before the course.
6.3 Rules to use a sign language interpreter Deaf and hard of hearing people have the same right to information access as any other person. Using a sign language interpreter helps to guarantee that right. If you have a few moments before the meeting begins, discuss the interpreter’s physical placement and brief them about any special audio or visual presentations. The interpreter will need to sit where the hearing person can be heard and the deaf person can see them and be seen. Usually, interpreters will try to position themselves near the speaker. During visual presentations the deaf would need some amount of light to see the interpreter. A complete darkening of the room to watch a video can make the interpreter’s work very difficult. The following tips will help teachers to respectful communication: • • • • • •
Talk to the deaf person, not at them Respect their access to information Show cultural awareness Keep direct interpreter address to a minimum Do not use the Interpreter as a human model Respect interpreter breaks
6.4 Adaptations for a deaf baby A deaf baby with hearing parents could be first exposed to signs at a baby signing course. Although those courses were primarily designed for hearing babies, they can be adopted also for deaf and hard of hearing children. In our project we experienced some cases of that, especially because the project partners are very much connected with the deaf communities. In many countries there is a strong tradition of oral education of deaf children and in the last decade a lot of deaf children had s surgery to get a cochlear implant at the age of one year. Doctors unfortunately do not suggest sign language to those children. Baby signing courses can be an easy way of introducing hearing parents to signs and the first step towards deaf culture and sign language for a family with a deaf baby. Courses are also a great opportunity for children with cochlear implants. Namely, they are exposed to children songs, games and stories with signs. It is essential that a teacher stresses the importance of signing to a deaf baby. If signing is just a game and a tool for hearing children to start to communicate earlier, for a deaf child signing is much more. We are going to use the same techniques in the course as usual, being aware of the general rules for the deaf that we have already introduced and some other tips. At some points we suggest to use a vibrating table to enable a deaf baby to feel vibrations while using music during the course and the use of hearing technology (i.e. hearing aids, cochlear implants, and/or FM system),
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It is the teacher’s responsibility to explain parents the importance of full access of sign language for a deaf baby. We can set a good example by signing a whole song in sign language or by bringing an interpreter to facilitate the language as a whole system. In our course we have a good opportunity to help parents who are usually frustrated and confused. Signing communication could be the first step towards sign language. And any language that a baby can acquire at an early stage is essential for her/ his development. When reading literature about language development at deaf children it can be seen that it greatly corelates with the stages of signing presented in this handbook (See Chapter 5). As we start with functional communication with hearing children it is even more essential to give deaf children a good start at communicating his/her needs. Early childhood is essential for language development. Namely, results indicate that language development is significantly delayed when identification of hearing loss and intervention occur later than in six-months’ (Yoshinaga-Itano & Apuzzo, 1998). Signing with a baby can help parents and their children to begin with communication. We strongly suggest not waiting till the operation of a cochlear implant because the brain’s development at birth is not fixed. It rather changes in response to the growing child’s life experiences. The emerging communication skills significantly impact, and are impacted by, other areas of the child’s development.
6.4.1 Some more tips for deaf and hard of hearing children Attention Getting With deaf children we get the attention by tapping a child on his/her shoulder. It is commonly used within deaf community. We can observe deaf parents using tapping naturally with their children. But the ability to respond to a tap as a signal for attention to another person is not present from birth and is in fact a cognitive skill (Spencer, Erting, & Marschark, 2000). Situations are created where looking at the parent/guardian can be reinforced by providing a positive feedback.
Visual Listening For children who learn visually, listening becomes attending to signs, communication postures and facial expressions in an effort to distinguish one from another, to see strings of signs, and to attend to signs in an effort to make sense of them. Basic signs for deaf and hard of hearing children can be a start to communication but it is essential that parents and experts provide a full access to sign language. In order to acquire sign language, children require language models. This can be by a video of a national sign language or by interaction with deaf adults or children in schools or clubs.
Child-Directed Language Infants are born to pay attention to certain types of child-directed language. Child-directed sign language, the same goes with deaf and hard of hearing children, attracts and holds babies’ attention more than an adult-directed sign (Masataka, 1996). When observing specific behaviors of mothers who are deaf we can see the following characteristics: a slower rate of sign, using the child’s direct line of vision to sign or placing an object in front of a child when signing the name, repeating signs and exaggerating facial expressions and using touch and vision like signing on the child’s body or tapping the child to get attention. See more explanation on the acquisition of speech when signing to babies in Chapter 3.
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Development of Auditory/Oral Communication Courses for baby signing are also very much oriented in auditory/ oral communication. As it is instructed to speak and sign at the same moment we can enable a deaf or hard of hearing child to distinguish the most important word in a sentence. It can help a deaf child to start a process of lip reading or being able to have more auditory experiences listening to songs and simple stories. Playful activities are the main part during a course and laughing, giggling, singing, and playful silly noises and gestures offer good auditory stimuli to the early developing mind. This can be very useful in developing the parts of the brain that make connections with sounds and that produce sounds.
Other groups of children with special needs The common topic throughout this handbook is improving communication between children and adults and this is essential also for other groups of children with special needs. As the project Tiny Signers also involves specialists from the field of deaf organizations and deaf experts from different countries, we concentrated on the adaptation of the programme for deaf and hard of hearing children. We stressed the importance of sign language for this group of children. It is true that the approach of signing with babies and toddlers can complement with special education approaches. There are many children with special needs who have problems with socialisation in kindergarten and transitions within daily routine. They can have problems organizing themselves, expressing themselves or they can have speech or language delays or disorders or emotional difficulties. Signing with babies and toddlers can be used also with children with Down’s Syndrome, children with atenttention deficit disorder (ADD), children with dyslexia, learning-disabled children, children with autism, children with speech and language disorders, deaf-blind children and many other groups.
A deaf person is a great role model when signing (by Jan Kraigher)
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As a starting point we suggest the book of Ette Wilken being available in two languages of our project: written in German and translated into several languages. We need to mention that we strongly advise the use of national signs as explained in chapter 5. Within the Tiny Signers project it was impossible to research all options and adaptations for the use of signing with babies and toddlers in special education settings and we hope that this research will be the topic of another project.
6.5 References • • • • •
http://www.wfmt.info/Musictherapyworld/modules/mmmagazine/issues/20021018120155/20021018122201/Hooper.pdf http://www.hearinglossweb.com/Issues/Identity/quotes.htm http://www.gallaudet.edu/Clerc_Center/Information_and_Resources/Info_to_Go/Help_for_Babies_(0_to_3)/Language_ Development_for_Babies.html http://www.ksde.org/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=zx2msZjP5YQ%3D&tabid=3757&... Ette Wilken: Sprachförderung bei Kindern mit Down-Syndrom mit ausführlicher Darstellung des GuK-Systemswhich is also translated into Slovene: Jezikovno spodbujanje otrok z Downovim sindromom : z izčrpnim prikazom KPK sistema - s kretnjami podprte komunikacije / Etta Wilken ; [prevod skupina za nemški jezik pri Univerzi za tretje življenjsko obdobje]. - Ljubljana : Sekcija za Downov sindrom pri Društvu Sožitje : Pedagoška fakulteta, 2012
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7
Examples of sign communication elements
The project ‘Tiny Signers’ included four national sign languages. Therefore, the last sections of the handbook are different in order to present the signs in different countries. By analyzing the most frequently used words, we have prepared a list of a hundred most common gestures that are appropriate for the children who first encounter sign communication. The illustrator Mithila Shafiq created the graphics for the signs in English, Slovenian, Lithuanian and Austrian sign languages. In each of the countries we have chosen songs, and added the lyrics and the graphics of basic signs. Even finger alphabets vary from country to country and are a part of the national sign languages. They are suitable for the children from the third year. Here follows the presentation of an example of a lesson for the students.
A child signing ‘flower’ in Slovenian sign language (by Anja Musek)
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7.1 Example of a lesson plan Vicki Gilbert
Lesson/Session Plan Leeds City College Date: Lesson 1 Group/Course: BTEC National Diploma in Children’s Care, Learning and Development
Activity
Notes
Resources
Links to Curriculum/ Learning Outcomes
♪ Hello Students…
Sing
Signing Sam iPod and speaker
Course/module details
Explain content and Comenius Project
Project leaflets
Deaf Awareness - Q and A
How many deaf people in UK? No. of children?Reasons why people are deaf? Methods of communication, Sign Language
Powerpoint presentation
Signing with hearing babies and children
Explain history and basic research
Powerpoint presentation
To be able to relate the history and basic outline of research
Benefits
Each student to write one benefit on a post-it/sticky note, all put on board at front
Sticky notes Whiteboard
To be able to understand the importance of knowledge / skills of sign communication with toddlers
Charades
3 or 4 groups. Packet of words eg drink, eat, car. Do sign/gesture for others to guess. Feedback Tutor to show ‘correct’ signs
Packets of word cards
Video
Babies/children signing
DVD
Sign names
Give/develop sign names with the students
What’s your name etc
Show signs Practice in pairs, ask around the class etc
Handout showing signs
Basics
Milk, eat, drink, more Q and A re signs
Sign cards Handout showing signs
♪ This is the way…
Sing
More basics
Change nappy, all gone, wash, bed (sleep)
Work to do for next week
Imagine you are helping a family whose child has recently been diagnosed deaf. Identify a website which may be useful and reasons why.
Gain an understanding of the deaf community and culture
Gain basic sign communication to be able to converse with deaf people
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Learn basic signs to communicate with babies and toddlers
7.2 The manual alphabet in the British Sign Language
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7.3 Example of a song This is the Way….. (Sign key words. Shown on song sheets in capital letters) (Sing to the tune of ‘Here we go round the Mulberry Bush’)
This is the way we drink our MILK, Drink our MILK, drink our MILK. This is the way we drink our MILK, When we do our SIGNING. Milk
SigNiNg
This is the way we eat our FOOD Eat our FOOD, eat our FOOD. This is the way we eat our FOOD When we do our SIGNING. EAT/FOOd
This is the way we have a DRINK Have a DRINK, have a DRINK. This is the way we have a DRINK When we do our SIGNING. driNk
This is the way we ask for MORE Ask for MORE, ask for MORE. This is the way we ask for MORE When we do our SIGNING. MoRE
© Babies Can Sign 2012 (illustrations by Mithila Shafiq courtesy of www.tinysigners.eu)
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Sign communication with babies and toddlers Handbook
7.4 The list of words with graphics
A
ALL GONE
DOG
ANGRY
DUCK
ANIMAL APPLE
B
HUNGRY
TIDY UP
LOUD
TIRED
MILK
TO DANCE
MORE
TO DRAW
L M
F
FATHER FISH
BABY
FLOWER
MOTHER
TO DRINK
BALL
FOOD/EAT
MOUSE
TO FINISH
BANANA
FRIEND(S)
MUSIC
TO GO (WALK)
BE CAREFUL
FRIGHTENED
NICE, BEAUTIFUL
TO HURT/PAIN
BED/SLEEP
FROG
PIG
TO LAUGH
PLEASE
TO LISTEN
QUIET
TO PLAY
RABBIT
TO SHARE
RUN
TO SING
SAD
TO SIT DOWN
SEE/WATCH
TO SPEAK
HAPPY
SHOES
TO STAND
HAS FUN/TO HAVE FUN
SICK/ILL
TOILET
CHANGE NAPPY
HAT
SIGN(ING)
TOY
CLEAN
HELLO
SISTER
TRAIN
COAT
HELP
SMALL
TREE
COLD
HEN
SMILE
COW
HORSE
STOP
DANGEROUSLY
HOT
SUN
WHAT
DAY
HOUSE
TEDDY BEAR
WHERE
DIRTY
HUG
THANK YOU
WORK
BIG BIRD
G
GENTLY (GENTLE) GET DRESSED
BOOK
GIRL
BOY
GOODBYE
BROTHER
GRANDFATHER
BUS
GRANDMOTHER
C
CAR CAT
D
N P Q R S
H
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Sign communication with babies and toddlers Handbook
W
WASH WATER
A-B ALL gONE
ANgrY
ANiMAl
APPlE
BABY
BALL
BANANA
BE CArEFUL
BEd/SLEEP
Big
Bird
BOOk
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Sign communication with babies and toddlers Handbook
B-D BOY
BrOTHEr
BUS
CAr
CAT
CHANgE NAPPY
CLEAN
COAT
COLd
COW
dANgErOUSLY
dAY
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Sign communication with babies and toddlers Handbook
D-F dirTY
dOg
dUCk
FATHEr
FiSH
FLOWEr
A boy signing ‘car’ (by Klemen Jeke)
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Sign communication with babies and toddlers Handbook
F-H FOOd/EAT
FriENd(S)
FrigHTENEd
FrOg
gENTLY (gENTLE)
gET drESSEd
girL
gOOdBYE
grANdFATHEr
grANdMOTHEr
HAPPY
HAS FUN/TO HAVE FUN
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Sign communication with babies and toddlers Handbook
H-M HAT
HELLO
HELP
HEN
HOrSE
HOT
HOUSE
HUg
HUNgrY
LOUd
Milk
MoRE
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Sign communication with babies and toddlers Handbook
M-S MOTHEr
MOUSE
MUSiC
NiCE, BEAUTiFUL
Pig
PLEASE
QUiET
rABBiT
rUN
SAd
SEE/WATCH
SHOES
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Sign communication with babies and toddlers Handbook
S-T SiCk/iLL
SigN(iNg)
SiSTEr
SMALL
SMiLE
STOP
SUN
TEddY BEAr
THANk YOU
TidY UP
TirEd
TO dANCE
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Sign communication with babies and toddlers Handbook
T TO drAW
TO driNk
TO FiNiSH
TO gO (WALk)
TO HUrT/PAiN
TO LAUgH
TO LiSTEN
TO PLAY
TO SHArE
TO SiNg
TO SiT dOWN
TO SPEAk
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Sign communication with babies and toddlers Handbook
T-W TO STANd
ToilET
TOY
TRAiN
TREE
WASH
WATEr
WHAT
WHErE
WOrk
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Sign communication with babies and toddlers Handbook
This handbook is one of the main products of the Comenius Multilateral Tiny Signers project and is aimed at presenting the models of early language acquisition of both deaf and hearing children below the age of three using sign language in childcare/ educational settings in different countries of the consortium. The methods have been successful in increasing the awareness of the sign languages and their usage in early child care settings. They have also been successful in developing improved models of collaboration between the different actors, including parents, national deaf associations, nurseries, educational authorities, child care professionals, teachers and policy makers. The key element of the success of the initiative has been that local and national solutions have been developed in order to ensure sustainability of the initiative in each of the participating country as well as wider. Our experiences have shown that the sign supported learning approach based on official sign languages of the countries is a tool which can enable the recognition of sign languages, can enable the babies and toddlers to express themselves freely before their spoken language abilities enable them to do so, and thus settle in kindergartens and other child care settings easier. Furthermore, it enables inclusion in the early childhood classroom between deaf children (including those with cochlear implants) and hearing children. Equally the development has shown many additional individual benefits of all of the involved, e.g. child care professionals, teachers, parents of hearing as well as deaf and hard of hearing children, as well as children themselves. The approach has led to the rethinking of learning practices, as well as resources, environments and staff competences in continuation to work towards the creation of the inclusive societies with special schools for the deaf and hard of hearing being resource centres for these developments. During our work we have been opening many doors, and broadening the horizons and creating cooperation in the areas which are less likely to experience change, for example: •
We were developing a unique method to communicate with preverbal babies and toddlers based on the national sign languages, which benefits both the hearing and deaf communities, which is new to most EU countries.
•
Instead of the usual further measures for integration of the deaf and hard of hearing, we are focusing on creating inclusive environments as such, through the use of sign language in the early child care for all.
•
We were reaching outside the usual well set methods of interactions between the deaf and the hearing in societies and creating links and roles between deaf and hard of hearing and hearing people in which the deaf as the native speakers of sign language are in the role of teachers of hearing, offering them the gift to communicate with babies and toddlers at a very early stage.
•
The deaf teachers or other deaf specialists in sign language are active partners in the working groups. Because of that our project is unique for involving several national sign languages: the Lithuanian, the British, the Slovene and the Austrian sign languages,
and last but not least •
The project was focusing on the area of preschool education which is organised very differently across Europe and is less likely to be the subject of joint European projects.
This handbook is aimed at teachers, future child care professionals, childcare professionals working in the preschool settings with the children below the age of three (the hearing as well as the deaf), as well as childminders, experts in the area of preschool education, and last but not least parents of primarily preverbal babies and children who wish to improve the quality of early childhood provision through signing with children below three years and thus contribute to the development of children’s literacy skills as well as social and emotional wellbeing.
