Improve Child or Student Behavior With Sign Language

As a parent of two and former teacher, I have always looked to improve my children’s behavior at home and improve my classroom management at school. Research has shown that the use of American Sign Language has the ability to help with both of these issues that are dealt with among parents and teachers on a daily basis. Many people are skeptical about how exactly this can work, but I will explain major issues that arise and how sign language can help in those situations.

Three common problems that teachers and parents must deal with is redirecting children, engaging them, and using positive reinforcement, rather than negative. It can be frustrating to try and redirect a student by interrupting your current lesson by speaking to them verbally. This will disrupt the rest of the lesson and distract other students as well. Instead, you can silently ask them to stop or pay attention by using signs. They will understand what you are saying and the children around will not become unfocused on the task at hand either.

Parents try to get their children interested in the activity they are doing, such as reading a story, and teachers search for ways to make their students more interested in the lesson or activity they are doing. Sign language is a way to get children involved. For example, if you are reading a story to your child or students, you can ask questions and have them sign answers back to you. They will pay more attention and become more engaged in the activity.

Many parents and teachers commonly use negative reinforcement, telling children what they should not being doing or saying, and often forget to reward them for doing and saying the right things. You can sign words such as “great” or “friendly.” Students will react positively to this attention and remain focused on the task at hand.

Mainly, sign language allows you to get your message across silently. You do not have to raise your voice and/or distract your child or students in this way. Using sign language to improve behavior at home and with students in the classroom has helped me and I am sure that you will begin to see changes right away as well.