Basic Signs
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In recent years, there has been an increased interest in teaching sign language to young children. This interest is usually influenced by a desire to help young children acquire language or communication skills when they may not have them. Other times there may be challenges or delays with language so sign language is introduced.
Many parents and caregivers teach their children basic signs for common words that are used in daily exchanges. There are several reasons that this may be. Small children are not able to communicate their needs verbally, and often have a high success rate of acquiring and using basic sign language.
Children are able to acquire sign language skills similarly to the way they acquire spoken language, but often at a much earlier age.
Also, a study done by Linda Acredolo, Susan Goodwyn and Catherine Brown found that children who were taught sign language as early as 11 months old, had better language and cognitive development later in life (Acredolo, Goodwyn and Brown, 2000).
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This training will provide videos, broken down into categories with the goal to teach the signs in their basic form and give you the chance to practice as we go along. Along with about 100 basic signs that are commonly used between children and their caregivers there will also be explanations of how to use the signs in correct context. This course does not aim to teach fluent ASL, but instead to give a general introduction to the beautiful language of American Sign Language for child care professionals and teachers to use in their programs.