Ringrose Kindergarten
"Signing to advance Speech, Language and Communication" is an accredited distance learning course with strong links to the Early Years Foundation Stage curriculum. The programme uses signs alongside speech to accelerate the learning and development of children aged 0 – 5 years.
A colleague and I decided to give it a go as it would be another string to our bow despite not having children in our setting with hearing impairments or indeed any other form of special educational need. So, one rainy day in Chelsea, London, my pack arrived. This comprised of a very easy-to-follow core curriculum with dozens of activities to implement or adapt to one’s own needs and circumstances. There were also several DVD’s to enable me to learn signs to put into practice, WOW - a cuddly signing puppet, red and yellow gloves, beautifully illustrated signing books and three assignments to be delivered to my distance tutor within six months.
So I set to work… The children sat on the mat facing me and waited with anticipation wondering why on earth I was wearing red and yellow gloves and had a cuddly puppet on my lap (also with red and yellow gloves!) ... As I began to tell the story I included the sign “happy” which I repeated with the puppet making the sign for “happy” too. The response was incredible. All the children wanted to take part signing and speaking: “Look Miss Sarah. I’m happy’. I noticed that when they made the sign for “happy” they all had beaming smiles on their faces. Likewise their mouths were turned down when we moved on and they signed/said the word “sad.”
I knew immediately this form of learning was a hit. It was different to anything we had done before, a form of learning that even the quietest of children could take part in. It felt inclusive and we were having fun.
Parents and colleagues have welcomed this new method of teaching and learning and through our understanding of the Unique Child and Positive Relationships we have embraced and adapted the “Signing to advance Speech, Language and Communication” methodology and practice to suit our setting.
As a practitioner, I feel that the course has helped me reach out to every child and recognise their individuality. This has motivated me to delve deeper into the Learning forum. I have recently become the SENCO in my setting and have just embarked upon a Portage course which specifically caters for early years , hence signing is a vital mechanism for communication. Whilst attending the Portage course I met a couple of fellow practitioners who had also completed the 'Signing to advance Speech, Language and Communication Course' programme and like me, they were thrilled with this new way of learning and completely agree with my conclusive comments:
Signing to advance Speech, Language and Communication accredited programme is achievable, fun and progressive. The methodology develops children’s personalities, their co-ordination and communication. Advancing children’s language and literacy skills just couldn't be made easier. "
Early Years Educator Magazine - Review by Sarah Watson, Deputy Headmistress, borough of Kensington and Chelsea
