Sign Language Curriculum for Early
Intervention Parent-Child Groups
Sarah Honigfeld
Background
• Early Intervention in Massachusetts:
– Birth-3
– Qualify through Battelle Developmental Inventory2 (BDI-2), diagnosed medical condition, or 4+ risk
factors
– In-home visits, daycare visits, center visits, toddler
groups, parent-child groups
– 5 EI agencies in Greater Boston region
Research
• Early exposure to sign language benefits all
infants & toddlers, not only those with hearing
loss
• How?
– Increases receptive and expressive language
development (Daniels, 1994, 2004; Ellison, 1982)
– Increased use of adjectives and adverbs by preschool
age (Toth, 2009; Goodwyn, Acredolo, & Brown, 1990)
– Allows children to communicate more readily with
parents, even before developing spoken language
(Pizer, Walters & Meier, 2007)
So What?
• Increased referrals of families with children with
hearing loss
• Increase in children diagnosed with ASD or Down
Syndrome with delays in
language/communication development
• Accessible research promoting early exposure to
sign language to reinforce speech and language
• Parent interest in sign language beyond basic
baby signs
• Limited # of staff knowledgeable in sign language
Overview of Group
• meet weekly for 1.5 hours, 6 weeks
• Weekly themes: farm animals, snow, foods,
family, school,
• Group leaders: 3 Thom staff experienced/fluent
in sign language
• Parent or nanny must attend with child
• Siblings welcomed
• Snack provided
• Transportation provided if needed
Ideal Group Schedule
• 11:30- arrival, meet in gross motor room, free play
with adults and staff
• 11:45- parents separate for parent training workshop,
review activities for that day, practice old and new
signs
• 12:00- transition to classroom and begin circle time
• 12:20- transition to tables for snack time, parents sit
with children
• 12:40- clean up snack, begin art
• 12:55- clean up art, good bye song
Group Demographics- Cycle 1
• 7 EI children, 1 sibling
• Originally 12 children registered- 4 did not attend
• Age range: 15 months – 2 years
• Reported diagnoses: Hearing Loss, Downs
Syndrome
• Adults: 1 nanny, 1 grandmother, 1 father, 1
mother & grandmother, 1 adoptive mother
Group Demographics- Cycle 2
• 4 EI children, 2 siblings
– 3 were also participants in Cycle 1
• Age range: 17 months – 2.5 years
– Sibling age range: 2 -4 years
• Reported diagnoses: Down Syndrome, Hearing
Loss, Epilepsy, Global Delays
• Adults: 1 nanny, 1 set of adoptive parents, 1
set of biological parents, 1 grandmother
Pre-Survey Results
(per parent report):
• 2 out of 4 EI participants had between 10-20
signs; 1 participant had less than 2 signs; 1
had more than 50 signs
• All EI participants very often used signs at
home
• 1 EI participant sometimes used spoken words
at home, remaining participants rarely or
never used spoken words at home
Gross Motor Room
• (pictures and video shown)
• Total Communication
– Use signs and spoken words
– Everyone signs- staff and parent
– modeling signs, prompting child to sign, narrating
play (seen in video: down; 1,2,3; blocks; bummer!;
again?; all done)
Circle Time
(Old MacDonald clip shown)
• Everyone participates- children and adults sit in circle,
everyone signs/sings
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Staff model signs/language
Slow paced circle
More experienced adults model for newer participants
Children see all adults modeling
Provide repetition and extended time for adults and
children to imitate and practice
– Some emphasis on prompting- children are encouraged to
imitate/repeat sign in order to fully participate (first sign
animal name, then can put animal in the barn)
Circle Time
(5 Little Monkeys clip shown)
• Children participate- children sit near front,
adults sit near back
– Staff model, parents can follow along or observe
– Children watch staff models
– Provide repetition and extended time to allow
children to imitate
– Prompting is minimal
Snack Time
(clip of snack time shown)
• Adults and children sit together
• Staff provide individualized attention and support in
reinforcing signing requests
• High emphasis on prompting and/or spontaneous requests
– Child must sign which food item they prefer in order to receive
their snack
– Please & thank you are reinforced
• If child demonstrates ability to make requests
spontaneously, staff refrain from over-prompting
• Vocabulary relevant to mealtimes introduced
– Water, fish, cracker, cookie, applesauce, trash, uh oh!, messy,
hungry, eat, share, all done, more, please, thank you, wait
Post-Survey results
(per parent report)
• All participants had over 25 signs
• All participants’ families very often used sign
at home with their child
• 1 participant often used spoken words, 2
sometimes used spoken words, and 1 never
used spoken words at home
Implementation Reflection
– Highlights:
• Increased used of signs
and vocabulary
• Fluidity of circle time
• Parent confidence
• Parent networking
• Agency-wide awareness
• Challenges:
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Transportation
Consistent attendance
Parent training
Room set up
Carry over in services
Now…
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Group occurs on a consistent basis
New referrals ongoing
Currently- 6 EI children, 2 siblings
Monthly themes: activities build on previous
weeks
• Circle time incorporates routine songs/books
as well as new songs/books
Your Turn!
• Is this something you could implement in your
own agency?
– Is there a need?
– Is there appropriate staffing available?
– Highlights? Challenges?
Thank you!
(picture shown)
Contact:
Sarah Honigfeld
[email protected]