ASK Angie ASL + Tips: The Holidays

The Holidays: As we approach the holiday season, let’s take some time to learn some fun holiday signs that the entire family can use. Remember to encourage signing when your child uses it. This holiday try to use the signs you’ve learned in this video as often as possible when the opportunity arises. Using signs can lower frustrations with non-verbal students, help with eye/hand coordination, expression, and muscular strengthening in their hands. Signing is fun and a great way to communicate in a different language.

TIPS:

1. Remember that as the weather becomes cooler, it’s easier to allow your child to still communicate if they are wearing gloves vs. mittens. I know it sounds silly, but as a teacher, I see it every year where my students are limited on their communication abilities due to cooler weather. Parents tend to purchase the readily available mittens verses gloves. It is very difficult to fingerspell, or even want to sign, when your hands are cold.

2. Deaf students and those with Down Syndrome are more prone to ear infections during the changing of the seasons. It may not appear to be evident at the onset of the infection, but look for signs of the student suddenly not paying attention as much or showing a preference to a specific ear. Contact your audiologist in the county to look into possibly getting a sound system for the classroom that makes the teacher’s voice equally as loud in all areas of the classroom. If a specific student is prone to multiple ear infections each year, then this is a must for their learning environment.

My wish this holiday season is love, joy and peace.

Resources:

Check out some of these sites for holiday gift ideas that have sign language on them. Lots of great stocking stuffers!

ADCOHearing.com – lots of gift ideas with sign language

Harris communications.com – equipment and products designed for deaf and hard of hearing individuals.

Oriental Trading Company – sometime they will have products with sign language – great for buying bulk.

HandCraftEdASL.com – any of my products are great for hearing and deaf children / siblings.

Rule-the-School.com – deaf education products

Angie Craft author and teacher brings over 26 years of experience in deaf education and is committed to serving the deaf community. Keenly aware of the isolation that deaf students often experience, Angie developed and wrote HandCraftEdASL to bridge the communication gap between deaf children who primarily use American Sign Language and their parents, peers or educators. www.handcraftedasl.com

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ASK Angie ASL + Tips: The Holidays

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