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July 13, 2005
Tiny talking hands: kids learn sign language
Some of us use our hands when we talk, but usually it's unintentional. Now, one woman in Ardmore is teaching youngsters how to use their hands to talk, by holding a sign-language summer reading program. KTEN's Chelsea Hover has details.
American Sign Language is the third most commonly language in the United States...second only to English and Spanish.
Every Tuesday at The Bookseller in Ardmore, kids from 7 months to 6 years old come to listen to story time, with a twist. They aren't only using their ears; they are learning sign language as they go.
Penny Haussmann started this program to teach kids the beneficial skill of signing because it helps develop visual perception and cognitive skills…even for hearing children.
She discovered its benefits when she began signing to her own daughter, when she was an infant.
”I just saw she could sign back,” Haussmann said. “She was communicating with us before she was verbal which is kind of neat because you don’t know what’s on their mind and you’re unlocking who they are as a person.”
Her daughter now has an extensive vocabulary, high confidence, and is reading and writing at age three.
For these kids though, it's a break from the summer heat and a way to learn and grow with their friends.
Today was the last session for the summer here in Ardmore, but you can still catch Thursday’s sign language lessons down in Gainesville.
By Chelsea Hover, KTEN News
Posted by 4HL on July 13, 2005 8:35 AM
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