BACK TO SCHOOL STRATEGY

BACK TO SCHOOL STRATEGY

by Laura O'Grady

We are all back to school and with that comes the chaos of scheduling, paperwork, and after-school activities. Children with special needs are often in new classes with new teachers and new aides, who have not yet learned each child’s unique communication needs.  What is the best way for children to convey a brief 1-2 word message when their articulation isn’t clear? Fingerspelling!! Fingerspelling is signing the spelling of a word rather than using the sign for the word.  Most Special Educators have learned how to fingerspell, and it can be used in any environment.  When your child isn’t understood, have them fingerspell it! When teachers ask who will be picking them up, have them fingerspell it! When teachers ask if they have siblings, have them fingerspell it! Fingerspelling is useful anywhere, anytime, so it is an essential skill to learn.  Be on the lookout for GraceSign's fun, new signing app that teaches all the letters in the alphabet! 

Guest Blog post by Laura O’Grady, Speech Pathologist and GraceSign's Board Member

Alligator in Sign Language

Who would think that an alligator could be fun?  In sign language it is.  Grace teaches us the sign for alligator.  Animal signs are actually fairly simple and easy to remember.  Kids love learning them and then signing them.  To sign Alligator, clamp your hands together, one on top of each other like the jaws of an alligator opening and closing.  Sign language is intuitive, for instance, to sign dog, you snap your fingers and pat your thigh (as if you were calling a dog to you. ) GraceSigns will be releasing a new app: Sign Me A Song in about a month.  It will be an easy way for kids and adults to learn the signs for the alphabet and the animals of the alphabet in an musical interactive format.   GraceSigns wants to make signing fun and memorable, we also like having all kinds of kids as our signing demonstrators.  Hope you enjoy learning with us.

By Valerie Carter

Sign Language Teacher Extraordinaire

Tyler, Sign Language Teacher 

By Amy Jacobberger, Guest Blogger

Our son, Tyler has Down syndrome and speech apraxia. To complicate his learning curve, he was born with conductive hearing loss.  He is unable to speak.  Sign language has been the primary tool for his daily communication and education.

Tyler first learned signs when he was 2 years old.  As a youngster, he used basic signs but as he has matured he has been learning the alphabet and numbers as well.  He is able to communicate in more complete sentences now.  Having sign language in his toolbox has been invaluable.  He is a quick study and teaches us new signs everyday!

Amy Jacobberger, is a parent, disability advocate and GraceSigns board member.  She is learning sign language from her son who is an excellent teacher.  He demonstrates many more signs in the Sign Me A Story app, available on Android and Apple.

To be UNDERSTOOD....

By Kyle De Longh

There are so many different ways that people communicate.  Some people use a mix of ways.  It's not all using words. My girlfriend Jennifer has Cerebral Palsy and she will use hand motions and sounds to communicate with me and with others. She also lets me know how happy she is with her great smile.

In my job, I work with people who have special needs and I have learned that there are so many to different forms of communication besides just using your words. We all use body language, facial expressions, and hand gestures (including sign language) every day.  You might see someone stomping their feet, with an angry face or maybe even with their arms swinging and know right away that they are mad without them telling you so. Moods, needs and wants can all be expressed without words.

Next time you are communicating with someone don't just use your ears, use your eyes as well. We may not all communicate the same way, but we all want to be understood.

Our Guest Blogger Kyle De Longh is a student and employee at the College of Marin In northern California.  Besides being a sports enthusiast, he is also a volunteer for various disability organizations.

SIGNS OF LOVE

SIGNS OF LOVE

by Laura O'Grady

The spirit of Valentine’s Day is upon us, and it puts the concept of “love” in the forefront of our minds. It is a time to consider the different types of love we have and share with others; love for a parent, child, spouse, pet, sibling, cousin, friend, etc. These different types of love are all uniquely different and equally as powerful.

Just as there are many different kids of love, there are even more ways to show love. Children have their Valentine’s parties at school, and teens and adults go on their date nights. Parents give their children chocolates and children give their parents cards. Spouses give each other flowers and take time out of heir busy lives to say “I Love You!” It’s a small holiday that reminds everyone of all the love that there is in the world.
Many of us want to hear the traditional, “I Love You," but for some, speaking those words is a challenge. Fortunately, there are infinite ways to say and show love, we just have to look for them. We can use sign language (pictured above) to show love, or the pop culture gesture of cupping your two hands together in a heart shape. For some, showing love is moving close to another or leaning their head on someone’s shoulder, touching someone’s arm, or making extended eye contact. Children might show love by sharing a preferred toy, or giving away artwork. A simple smile, a kiss on the cheek, a touch on the arm that is not part of the usual routine, are all expressions of love. These are all ways to show that we care, and ways to know that we are loved. This month, take some time to notice the non-verbal actions you give and receive from others. You will likely be impressed with the love that is given and received every day!


Our guest blogger is Laura O’Grady, a licensed Speech and Language Pathologist in California.

Communication Bridges Our Differences

By Sanjana Seshadri:

The differences in communication between people can be challenging but I believe that they are very possible to overcome. For example, there are many many forms of daily communication that exist. What is truly amazing are how those with speech difficulties so effectively express themselves using all those other forms. I have realized that we do not solely communicate with words and sentences, we show emotion on our faces and express ourselves with our body language and with our hands. This is the way we break down the barriers that exist between different people. With a sense of awareness and empathy, we can learn to communicate in the same way as those with limited language can. With patience and an open mind, we can help those who struggle with speech and guide them to express themselves.

It’s truly remarkable how much we can learn from those who may lack language skills. Quite often they perceive their surroundings with incredible astuteness. An example is a young lady that I tutor named Grace. She is quite clever despite having limited language. After four years of working with her, it still thrills me every week to see her constantly improving her speaking abilities. I have learned to communicate with her on many levels, using motions with my hands, my voice intonation and the written word. I help her read books, correcting her when she may mispronounce words and reinforcing positive speech patterns. It has been a rewarding challenge to learn new ways of communicating that differ from mine. I think it has expanded my thinking while also making me realize that the differences between us are not so great after all.

Sanjana Seshadri is a GraceSigns volunteer, high school senior, part-time academic tutor and is college-bound to Cornell University in the fall. She shares her insights here in this guest blog.

Showing Signs of Christmas

Showing Signs of Christmas

Guest Blog by student and volunteer Catherine Meyer

The holidays are a special, joyous time of year. However, the hustle and bustle of the holidays and end of year planning can distract from the true meaning of Christmas. As a college student, I understand how hard it can be to get side-tracked by the stress of life, work, and school. I find myself concerned with only tasks that I need to do, this year especially. On a recent trip to JC Penney to help my dad buy some gifts for the family, there was a kind-hearted lady ringing a bell for the Salvation Army, the red metal tin sat still and stagnant next to her.  It was at that moment that something jolted me and I realized I had failed to acknowledge the true meaning of this holiday season. After depositing money in her pail, a new attitude was awakened in me,  I now found the time to donate toys for the local Toys for Tots drive.  A man sitting on the street shivering was given a blanket. I smiled at people, held doors open. With each act, my heart grew a little warmer and my soul felt lighter and brighter than it has in a long time. I realized how important kindness, care, and compassion were to all human beings. We are in fact, all the same, regardless of our skin color, beliefs, income, or abilities. Wouldn’t it be great to show signs of Christmas to those around us… all year long?!

About the Blogger: Besides volunteering for GraceSigns, Catherine Meyer is a transfer student at Sonoma State University pursuing her BS in Computer Science. She has been enthusiastic about sign language since she was 13 years old.  She currently enjoys signing songs with a group called SoundWaves.