Sign Language: Enhancing Childrens Literacy and Learning

Alyssa Andreachuk

Sign Language: Enhancing Childrens Literacy and Learning

Sign language can refer to many different languages that have evolved when
spoken word could not be used (Daniels, 2001). It is certainly important to deaf
communities and can naturally fill a language need for them (Daniels, 2001). While the
importance of sign language is clear for deaf communities, I would like to explore how
sign language can contribute to literacy and learning development in hearing children,
particularly in the early childhood years. Literacy, at its core, consists of the ability to
communicate, which is often done through reading and writing. Both of these skills are
essential for students to develop in order to become successful learners in the classroom
and beyond. However, every child has a slightly different way in to reading and writing
than another (Bright, personal communication, n.d.). With that in mind, as a teacher, I
believe sign language is significant for me to explore, as it may be a potential way in to
literacy for my future students. In order to investigate this potential way in to literacy, I
will be looking at how sign language can contribute to childrens learning through
increased memory retrieval and its visual and kinaesthetic natures. I will also be
discussing how sign language can contribute to literacy development in students with
specific special needs including: ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder), dyslexia, autism, and
Down syndrome. Finally, I will suggest some strategies teachers may implement in order
to reap the benefits sign language can bring to their students literacy and learning.

Before exploring sign languages benefits to early childhood literacy, it is

important to first briefly look into sign languages history. Sign language was at first
thought of as an inferior form of English or just a system of gestures. However, in 1960,

Stokoes work led to findings that garnered American Sign Language (ASL) linguistic
status (as cited in Daniels, 2001, p. 120). Now, like any other structured language, ASL
has its own grammar, syntax and morphology (Daniels, 2001).

Since sign language is considered a language in itself, it can also be determined

that it is stored similarly in the left hemisphere like other languages, such as English
(Daniels, 2001). Although English and sign language are both stored in the left
hemisphere, it was found by Hoemann that sign language is stored in a separate part of
the left hemisphere of the brain than English (as cited by Daniels, 2001, p. 121). This
separate memory storage can lead to increased literacy and learning for young children
who are learning the English language along with ASL. These children are able to look in
two places for information while learning, and they can flip easily between their English
database and ASL database (Daniels, 2001). This increased memory retrieval strengthens
childrens reading as it allows for them to find the ASL sign that will substantiate the
written English word (Daniels, 2001). It also aids in childrens spelling as they can
remind themselves how to spell an English word by referring back to the manual
alphabetic letters of sign language. Childrens vocabulary can also be strengthened by
this dual memory retrieval as they can find the ASL sign that provides a clue to the
meaning of an English word (Daniels, 2001). Overall, the second distinct memory source
created through learning ASL strengthens childrens search and recall in literacy.

Along with additional memory connections, sign language can increase childrens
literacy and learning through its visual nature. While the ears are the receivers for

English, sign language relies on the eyes for reception. This visual-spatial nature of sign
language leads to its intake to be by the right hemisphere of the brain, rather than the left
(Daniels, 2001). This intake is significant because children benefit greatly from visual
learning. An important comprehension strategy is visualizing, as it helps students create
mental images of what they are reading, or what they are hearing being read to them, in
their minds (Tompkins, 2011). However, if students are unable to create these mental
images in their minds, the words they are reading will be difficult for them to
comprehend (Daniels, 2001). Sign language can mediate this through providing a picture
for students to connect a word to. This process is greatly helped through the iconic nature
of signs (Daniels, 2001). For example, if children were to read the word car, they may
not be able to picture that word in his or her head. However, car is an iconic sign in
ASL, as it is portrayed through the mimicking of using a steering wheel. If a child knows
this sign, he or she can connect it back to the word, and to their previous experience of
seeing a steering wheel being used in a car. These connections can help create a visual
picture of a word for a child as well as further increase their semantic knowledge of the
English language. Even if a sign is not iconic, the gestures used to create that sign can
provide a visualization of the word, creating a concrete connection to the word for a child
(Daniels, 2001).

Sign language can also increase literacy and learning through its use of
movement. It has been found that children can create words with sign language before
they are ready to speak (Pettitto & Holowka, 2002). Sign language can capitalize on this
through using gestures to create meaning before children are able to write. The movement

of sign language creates a more conscious thought connection to the English language
than just hearing or seeing it does. Adults are able to connect to the English language
through motion by taking notes (Daniels, 2001). However, this process of writing is still
unnatural to children at a young age. Children are able to more naturally make gestures
with their hands before they are able to write words down with a pencil on paper
(Daniels, 2001). Furthermore, children often find the formality of writing on paper to be
intimidating (Newman, personal communication, n.d.) Sign language can be less
intimidating because a mistake can be easily corrected through the remoulding of a
childs hand to the proper gesture. Overall the motion of sign language can be an easier
first step into constructing English words and thoughts in comparison to writing or even
saying words.

Next I will explore how sign language can assist in the literacy and learning of
children with special needs. For these learners, the visual nature of sign language can
create a strong support for their communication and literacy development.
Students with attention deficit disorder (ADD) can benefit from sign language as
they learn mostly through pictures. As discussed, sign language is visual-spatial language,
and the concrete pictures it can make through gestures can greatly aid these highly visual
learners (Daniels, 2001). Potentially, students with ADD could use sign language to stay
better engaged in their learning.
Children with dyslexia, who also rely greatly on mental pictures, particularly
while reading, can also benefit from sign language. These learners often struggle with
words that do not have an image associated with them (Daniels, 2001). For instance,

these children cannot tell the difference between words like the and then as they have
no picture attached to them (Daniels, 2001). However, these students can benefit through
sign language by fingerspelling out the letters in each word. This process allows them to
see the difference between the two words through connecting them to concrete images.
Children with autism can also particularly benefit from sign language. These
children have trouble comprehending verbal communication, but do much better with
visual processing (Daniels, 2001). Signs can provide a way for them to understand
language through feeling and seeing it. Integrating sign language practice at both the
home and in the classroom can also lead to vocabulary development for children with
autism (Toth, 2009). Sign language, in some cases, may also lead to oral language
development as well in children with autism (Daniels, 2001).
Children with Down syndrome may also find benefit through sign language when
it comes to their language acquisition. These children often have difficulty
communicating through speech (Toth, 2009). Signs can aid in their communication
through the use of movement and gestures for expression. Like with autism, the
integration of signs at home and school can lead to an expanded vocabulary as well as
oral language development (Toth, 2009).
So far it is clear that the visual nature of sign language can have positive
developments for the learning and literacy of special needs students. Toth (2009) stresses
the importance of further sign language research in the area of special needs students in
order to better their expression and retrieval of information. She suggests continued,
collaborative and comprehensive effort is needed to support the specific needs of each
learner through sign language.

From the discussions thus far, it is evident that sign language can be a strong
potential way in to literacy for children. Reynolds (1995) suggests that the early
childhood years are the ideal time to introduce sign language. With that in mind, it is
pertinent to discuss strategies a teacher can use in order to implement sign language in
their classrooms so children may reap its literary benefits. As a pre-service teacher, and
the daughter of a teacher, I am well aware that teachers are busy people with many
strategies to implement in their classrooms; is it manageable for teachers to add sign
language in on top of these? Brereton (2010) investigated this question through observing
a pair of pre-school teachers as they implemented sign language in their classroom for the
first time. In order to implement sign language, the teachers learned it alongside their
students and integrated it naturally into the curriculum. This integration consisted of
teaching ASL signs that related to what they were learning while reading stories during
circle time. For example, when reading a story about families, the teachers would
introduce the signs for mommy and daddy. Throughout the year, the students continued to
learn vocabulary words in ASL based on the story they were reading. While reading to
the children, the teachers encouraged them to sign what they heard throughout the story
and what they saw in the illustrations of the book. A favourite mentor text for this process
was Eric Carles The Very Hungry Caterpillar, which they used to learn the signs of
various foods mentioned in the book. The teachers in Breretons research also explored
letters later on in the school year with their classes. The students were taught the manual
alphabet and were encouraged to make the corresponding signs to letters they recognized
in books, signage and other environmental print around them. Overall, Brereton (2010)
discovered that these pre-school teachers found sign language to be both feasible and

rewarding in their classroom as they taught new signs gradually throughout the year that
connected with their curriculum.
My mother is a teacher, and she too uses sign language in her Kindergarten class
curriculum (Andreachuk, personal communication, n.d.). Like the teachers in Breretons
research, she uses sign language as a daily strategy during circle time. During this time
each morning, her students perform an action song using ASL. These songs are related to
her themes of the month and allow the students to learn the vocabulary for these themes.
She notes that her students enjoy the repetitive nature of performing the songs and are
highly motivated by moving their hands to the music. Also similar to the teachers in
Breretons observations, my mother uses sign language to introduce the alphabet to her
students. She introduces the letters to them through Sharon, Lois & Brams song, A
Youre Adorable. As the children sing the song, they are introduced to the letters and
fingerspell them using the manual alphabet. My mother has also found sign language to
be a rewarding process in her classroom and continues to use it to this day.
Daniels (2001) also suggests a variety of strategies for sign language
implementation in pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten classrooms. Like my mother and
the teachers studied by Brereton, Daniels (2001) suggests using signs during circle time
and morning routine. These signs could include signs for the weather, seasons, holidays,
attendance and activities. During this process, she recommends teachers sign the word,
say the word, and ask students to do the same. While students are signing, it is easy to
notice whose hands are not quite creating the right shape. Teachers should move these
childrens hands into the proper positions, as well as allow for students to correct one
another (Daniels, 2001).

An important point about implementing sign language, I have found across my

research, is for teachers to learn sign language along with their students. Teachers do not
need to feel like they have to know every sign in the ASL dictionary in order to
implement sign language. It is actually quite beneficial for students to see their teacher
model the process of looking up words in an ASL dictionary in order to master
vocabulary. Children will watch this process and take the teachers lead when they come
across a sign they would like to know (Brereton, 2010). It is a good idea for teachers to
keep an ASL dictionary in their rooms for this process, whether it be a book or an online
source. When implementing sign language, teachers should focus on learning the manual
alphabet, and creating a sign language vocabulary for their classroom based on
curriculum, level of students, and how much they intend to use sign language (Daniels,
2001).
Sign language is a strong tool for enhancing the literacy and learning of hearing
children, especially in the early years. It allows for increased memory retrieval, which
can enhance childrens reading, spelling and vocabulary through strengthened search and
recall. Due to its visual nature, sign language is able to create concrete pictures for
children to connect to when comprehending words. Its kinaesthetic nature allows for
children to be involved in more conscious thought through creating the gestures of sign
language. The movement of sign language also provides a more natural way for children
to express themselves in comparison to pencil and paper. Sign language can prove to be a
useful tool of communication for special needs students, including those with ADD,
dyslexia, autism and Down syndrome. These learners can respond well to sign language
due its visual essence. Finally, there are a variety of ways to implement sign language

into classroom teaching to further literacy. Teachers can do so gradually by modeling and
learning signs along with their students. It is clear that sign language can be a key tool to
further accessing communication for children. This increased access to communication
allows for a way in to increased literacy and learning for children.

References
Brereton, A.E. (2010). Is teaching sign language in early childhood classrooms feasible
for busy teachers and beneficial for children?.Young Children, 92-97.

Daniels, M. (2001). Dancing with words: Signing for hearing children's literacy.
Westport, CT: Bergin & Garvey.

Pettito, L.A., & Holowka, S. (2002). Evaluating attributions of delay and confusion in
young bilinguals: Special insights from infants acquiring a signed and spoken
language. American Annals of the Deaf, 154(2), 85-95.

Reynolds, K.E. (1995). Sign language and hearing preschoolers: An ideal match.
Childhood Education, 72(1), 2-6.

Tompkins, G.E. (2011). Literacy in the Early Grades: A Successful Start for PreK-4
Readers and Writers (3rd ed.). United States of America: Pearson Education.

Toth, S. (2009). Bridges of signs: Can sign language empower non-deaf children to
triumph over their communication disabilities?. Sign Language Studies, 3, 4-33.

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