Using sign language to teach a foreign verbal language

[emmar]

Hi,

I have just learned about a method that uses signs, amongst other things like songs and drama, to teach a foreign language. It is used to teach French to English children in Canada, and is becoming very popular because all children in Canada must study French.

Apparently, when teaching school children a foreign verbal language, it is important to always speak to the children in that foreign language - French - and never use the usual verbal language - English. But how to explain things if the kids don't know the new language yet? By using iconic sign gestures!

If you want to read more about it, go to http://www.aimlanguagelearning.com/
If you want to see videos of it, go to the links near the bottom of http://radio-canada.ca/actualite/v2/enjeux/niveau2_4575.shtml

This method doesn't use all actual ASL signs. However, it seems that the application of sign language for hearing children's education is unlimited!, what with
- signing with toddlers for advanced communication, speech and intelligence ("Baby Signs" by Linda Acredolo and Susan Goodwyn, and "Sign With Your Baby" by Joseph Garcia),
- Marilyn Daniels' "Dancing With Words" and MBR Beginning Reading Program at http://www.csupomona.edu/~apfelzer/mbr/mbr.html that use sign language to teach children reading and writing,
- and this AIM method at http://www.aimlanguagelearning.com/ that uses their "Gestural Approach" to teach a foreign verbal language
- I read in Oliver Sacks "Seeing Voices" that at a Swedish school, sign language was a better method for teaching mathematics than a verbal, non-spatial language.

[aligreat]

One night after ASL class I tried to speak with one of the other parents. I soon found out that he didn't speak any English. He was very good at signing, and I asked him in ASL what he does when people fingerspell to him. He said that it's like any other sign that you don't know. You can try to get it from the context or have the person explain it another way.

[andrealynnj]

My daughter is learning both Spanish and English. I really think it helps her to see the same sign for "eat" and "comer", etc.

I did not originally set out to make her trilingual, but I guess that is how it is going to work out, because ASL is her perfered language at this point!

[amiller]

My sister is raising her son bilingual 0 they speak only French at home - and he is finding ASL a useful bridge between languages, particularly in his day care setting where they speak English. I never thought about it, but it has seemed to really help his vocabulary development in both languages!