Spalding/Sign Language is a year-long humanities program for kindergarteners. Our goal is to inspire a love of reading and offer a distinctly different idea for teaching literacy from the classroom. We have been able to do this by teaching letter sounds using the phonetic Spalding method and American Sign Language (ASL).
Sign language is a fabulous way to communicate. For those students who need alternate ways to communicate in front of others, it is the perfect solution. Even those students who don’t have any inhibitions love learning to speak in sign language.
Collaboration with the kindergarten teachers is vital to the success of this library program. We coordinate the introduction of each letter and letter sound with what is being introduced and taught in the classroom; that way the library can be a resounding support of the phonics that are being taught by the classroom teacher. This also provides each student with a multitude of ways to learn the sounds, letters and the language of signing.
Sign language is a great alternative for children who struggle to communicate in front of others.