Sign to Learn: American Sign Language in the Early Childhood Classroom

by Kirsten Dennis, Tressa Azpiri

Overview

Everyone is talking about signing with young children. As a form of early communication for infants and toddlers, or as a transitioning tool for children just beginning to speak, the benefits of signing with hearing children are endless.

Sign to Learn is the first complete introduction to sign language curriculum for hearing preschoolers. In this unique resource, you will learn how to integrate American Sign Language (ASL) into your classroom to enhance the academic, social, and emotional development of children, and how to respectfully introduce children to Deaf culture.

This comprehensive, fully illustrated curriculum contains captivating activities and lesson plans grouped by themes, including feelings, food, seasons, animals, songs, and families. Sign to Learn also contains strategies for using sign language with children with special needs and in multilingual classrooms, and it describes how ASL can assist you in developing a literacy program and in managing your classroom.

Information-rich appendices include a thorough ASL illustration index, sample letters to families, and resources for further reading.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781929610693
Publisher:	Redleaf Press
Publication date:	10/01/2005
Pages:	208
Sales rank:	466,206
Product dimensions:	8.50(w) x 11.00(h) x 0.40(d)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

Kirsten Dennis has worked as preschool and kindergarten teacher for fifteen years-incorporating ASL into her work with young hearing children for the last ten years. Tressa Azpiri is the owner and lead teacher of Puddle Stompers preschool/kindergarten program on Vashon Island, WA.

Table of Contents

	Foreword	vii
	Acknowledgments	ix
	Introduction	1
	Sign Language Terms	4
Chapter 1	History of American Sign Language	5
	What Is Deafness?	5
	How Did American Sign Language Develop?	6
	Why Was American Sign Language Controversial?	6
	How Was American Sign Language Finally Accepted?	7
	How Did This Change Deaf Education?	7
Chapter 2	Research on Teaching Sign Language to Hearing Children	9
	Deaf and Hearing Students Together	9
	Children with Special Needs	10
	Second-Language Learners	10
	Babies and Toddlers	10
	Early Literacy	11
Chapter 3	Guiding Principles of the American Sign Language Curriculum	13
	Start Early	13
	Start Simple	14
	Make It Fun	14
	Make It Meaningful	14
	Include Information about People Who Are Deaf	15
	Use American Sign Language	15
	Use Existing Classroom Materials	15
	Include All Teachers and Staff Members	16
	Share with Families	16
	Relax!	16
	Signs for "It's Raining, It's Pouring"	17
Chapter 4	Teaching and Learning about American Sign Language and Deaf Culture	19
	Why Teach about Deafness and Deaf Culture?	19
	Learning about Deaf Culture	20
	Teaching about Deaf Culture	22
	Learning American Sign Language	23
	Lesson Plan-"Sign Time"	27
Chapter 5	American Sign Language in an Early Childhood Literacy Program	29
	Why It Works	29
	How to Include ASL in an Early Childhood Literacy Program	30
	Literacy Signs	33
Chapter 6	American Sign Language for Classroom Management	37
	Engage Your Students	37
	Effectively Redirect Behavior	38
	Establish Routines	38
	Ease Transitions	38
	Address Different Learning Styles	39
	Increase Communication with Children with Special Needs	39
	Create a Common Language in a Multilingual Classroom	40
	Help Children Understand and Express Feelings	40
	Clam the Classroom	40
	Build Community	41
	Classroom Management Signs	41
Chapter 7	Thematic Lesson Plans	49
	The ASL Illustrations	49
	Unit Order	50
	Introducing ASL Vocabulary	50
	Using Children's Books	50
	Songs	50
	A Final Word	51
	Feelings	53
	Family	65
	School	87
	Food	103
	Colors	119
	Seasons	133
	Community Helpers	159
	Animals	175
Appendix I	American Sign Language Illustration Index	188
Appendix II	Sample Letter to Families	191
Appendix III	References	192
Appendix IV	Resources	193