Grove 2006 SIGNING FOR CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS Nicola Grove Department of Language & Communication Science City University Manual Sign System Conference.

grove 2006

SIGNING FOR CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS

Nicola GroveDepartment of Language & Communication ScienceCity University

Manual Sign System ConferenceCommission for Persons with Disability23rd September 2006Valletta, Malta

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SIGN LANGUAGES & SYSTEMS SIGN LANGUAGES Natural Structure

independent of spoken language

Primary means of communication

Maltese SL; ASL, FSL; BSL

SIGN SYSTEMS Devised Structure based on

spoken language Used as a means of

education Makaton,

Signalong, Signed English, Paget Gorman

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HISTORY OF SIGN SYSTEMS

Use with children and adults with intellectual disability began in early 1970's

Started with people who were deaf, then used with hearing people who had difficulties with speech perception and production

Groups Intellectual disability; specific language

impairment; ASD; cerebral palsy; dysarthria and dyspraxia; some adults after acquired brain injury

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USER GROUPS

Children who can speak, but need sign to help their speech perception and understanding

Children who need signs as a transitional stage in developing spoken language

Children who use sign as a “back up”to their use of speech

Children who are dependent on sign and gesture as their main means of communication

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Worries and concerns

Signing may stop speech development Signing means professionals are giving up

on speech Signing makes children stand out as

different and inferior Learning to sign is an additional pressure

on familiesPowell ( in press)

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DON'T BE WORRIED!

SIGNING CAN HELP IF...Children have problems articulating or producing speech soundsChildren have problems processing and understanding speechChildren have problems understanding information

SO – WHAT'S THE EVIDENCE?

SIGNS ARE EASIER THAN SPEECH…….

What are the reasons?

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RATIONALEAdvantages of sign over speech Signs are produced in time and space More redundancy than speech Taking longer to produce Can be held static as model More iconic (pictorial) representations Require less control over fine motor

production Easier to perceive and discriminate

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Reasons to do with the nature of language delay and impairments

Language delays are usually associated with problems in processing and recalling the phonological patterns of speech; and with articulating finely co-ordinated oral movement Tallal, 2000

Children with SENs often have hearing difficulties

Children with SENs often have relative strengths in the visual-motor system (eg Down syndrome)

GESTURE AND SPEECH

Try this in pairs Think of a place you really like to go Sit on your hands Now give directions to your partner about

how to get there And describe what it’s like

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SIGN, GESTURE & SPEECH

Close relationship between 2 means of expression

Gesture and speech are intertwined as thoughts are realised in communication

Use of sign and gesture takes pressure off speech initiation

Use of sign and gesture appears to facilitate articulation of speech

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CORTICAL REPRESENTATION

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Signs help speech Gesture and signing help the

development of speech Capone and McGregor, 2004; Goldin-Meadow and Morford 1990

Gestures and words complement each other Nicoladis, Mayberry and Genesee 1999.

Late talkers naturally use gesture as a compensatory strategy Thal & Tobias, 1994 ; Iverson et. al, 1993

Signs help speech contd… Signing helps to make speech more

intelligible• Listeners understood the speech of adults with LD better when signs were used – even when they could not see the signs.This is perhaps because their speech rate slowed down and became more rhythmical Powell & Clibbens, 1994

Signs help speech contd…. Most children with DS who are

introduced to signing early on, progress to spoken language by the age of 5 Miller, 1992; Launonen, 1996

Once a child becomes able to use speech, sign becomes used as a “back up system” Launonen & Grove, 2002

Signing does NOT stop speechLaunonen & Grove 2002

The case of Eppu Down Syndrome Mute at 4 years At 12 started to speak By 16 only used sign as back up gesture-

competent speaker ??vocal cord apraxia, hormonal changes

at puberty made adduction easier

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Signs help language development

Better interaction between parents and children

Less passivity in children Larger vocabularies Improvements in cognition Improvements in language development

Results from longitudinal studies Larger vocabularies in sign and speech

• total 111 in research group; 14 in control at 3y (Launonen)

Advances in cognition, language and literacy• Intervention group significantly ahead of controls in

language comprehension, interaction, reading and writing at 8 years.

• Gains in syntax Buckley, Bird, and Byrne, 1996 Allowed those children who did not develop speech to

have a functional means of communication• 1/12 in research group no formal communication;

5/12 in control group Launonnen, 1996; 2002; Miller, 1992

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Best practice in using signs

Start early• Neural plasticity – get the brain laying down

pathways when it is most receptive• Ensure development of good reciprocal

interactions• Help children to be active communicators• Forestall problems with hearing and

capitalise on the child's strengths Use signs yourself

• Essential for the child to develop language naturally

• To provide good models• To reduce isolation – why should she sign if

you don't!

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GUIDELINES FOR TEACHING

Take the lead from parents of deaf children – use signs where children can see them

Use the sign language of your own country! Follow principles of normal language development Choose signs that are functional and motivating, not

by ease of production or “iconicity level” Use signs yourself in spontaneous contexts Develop large vocabularies, including verbs,

adjectives, question words as well as nouns• 50 words -> word combinations 400 words ->

grammar

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JOINT ATTENTION & LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT Children learn words when they are

attending to the object their parent is naming

Children learn words to fill gaps in their use Pointing plays a significant role in language

development Research has shown that a child who is just

beginning to talk must hear a word about 500 times before it will become part of his active vocabulary.

THE ATTENTION PROBLEM Work with a partner Take some objects out of your handbag

and put them in front of you Pick up and handle one of the objects Your partner must tell you what it is Now do this without talking, and try to

teach the sign for the object

THE ATTENTION PROBLEM

Speech input to hearing child

LOOK AT THE BOX

THE ATTENTION PROBLEM

Sign input to child with hearing/speech perception difficulties

TEACHING STRATEGIES THAT MAINTAIN ATTENTION DO Sign where the object

is, in child’s visual focus

Sign on child’s body Wait for child to look

at you, hold object and sign

DON’T Sign when child can’t

see you Tap the child or move

face to gain attention, then sign (because they lose the focus on the object)

Mould children’s hands

(can be done occasionally)

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PROGRESS IN SIGN AND SPEECH

Vocalisations and gestures Single words and single signs Points plus: p + voc, p+p, p+sign, p+word Sign + sign, sign + word, word + word

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The fight back!

Signing will stop my child speaking – NO IT WON'T

Signing means that professionals have given up on my child speaking – NO: SIGNING AND SPEECH GO

TOGETHER

Signing will make my child inferior– WHO SAYS???

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TOTAL COMMUNICATION

The use of all forms of communication that are useful to a child in all potential contexts

Sign and speech are both face to face – best for faster, interpersonal direct interaction. Problems are memory and intelligibility

• Sign and gesture – particularly good for dynamic actions (verbs)

• Vocalisation & speech – good for calling attention, emotional expression,

• Facial expression & body language – attitudes & emotion Picture boards – involve 3 way interaction,slower, but

• useful for names, specific places and people, narrative recall – compensates for memory difficulties

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The communication environment

Children will sign more when those around them sign (Grove & Mcdougall, 1990; Mellon unpublished).

Visual schedules and timetables, objects of reference help children to know what they are supposed to do, and predict and recall

Visual and tactile cues in the environment help children with SEN to develop independence and find their way around

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VALUING PEOPLEThe communication gap 'Valuing People' says that people with learning

disabilities should have: Independence, Choice, Rights and Inclusion.

Many people with learning disabilities have difficulties with language and communication

It is hard to be independent, to make choices, know your rights and feel you belong when you cannot communicate easily. *

Many people with learning disabilities can learn to communicate in other ways. They can use objects, pictures, symbols and signing.

These means of communication must be valued Jones, 2001

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Diversity of communication – a Human Rights Issue

www.communicationrights.org/statement_en.html

Communication is a fundamental social process and the foundation of all social organization. It is more than the mere transmission of messages. Communication is human interaction among individuals and groups through which identities and meanings are shaped. Communication rights are based on a vision of the free flow of information and ideas which is interactive, egalitarian and non-discriminatory and driven by human needs, rather than commercial or political interests. These rights represent people’s claim to freedom, inclusiveness, diversity and participation in the communication process.

…continued Communication diversity is crucial to

democracy and political participation, to the right of all people to promote, protect and preserve their cultural identity and the free pursuit of their cultural development.

World forum on communication rights, December 11 2003 Geneva

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UN CONVENTIONProtection and Promotion of the Rights and Dignity of Persons with Disabilities

ARTICLE 21 - FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION AND OPINION, AND ACCESS TO INFORMATION

States and parties shall take all appropriate measures to ensure that persons with disabilities can exercise their right to freedom of expression and opinion, including the freedom to seek, receive and impart information and ideas on an equal basis with others and through sign languages, Braille, augmentative and alternative communication, and all other accessible means, modes and formats of communication of their choice, including by:

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Article 21 continued (a) Providing information intended for the general

public to persons with disabilities in accessible formats and technologies appropriate to different kinds of disabilities in a timely manner and without additional cost

(b) Accepting and facilitating the use of sign languages, Braille, augmentative and alternative communication, and all other accessible means, modes and formats of communication of their choice by persons with disabilities in official interactions;

Article 21 continuedUrging private entities that provide services to the

general public, including through the Internet, to provide information and services in accessible and usable formats for persons with disabilities

(d) Encouraging the mass media, including providers of information through the Internet, to make their services accessible to persons with disabilities

(e) Recognizing and promoting the use of sign language

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IN CONCLUSION Access to Sign and other methods of AAC is a

fundamental human right, as these are essential means of communication

Signing and gesture enhance speech, and will not prevent speech and vocalisation

We need to learn from the expertise of the Deaf community

Be proud of this beautiful language - and make your children proud to be signers and users of AAC!