Sign Language

[Guest guest]

Shauna

It's silly to disagree with another professional who offers another option for children to learn a skill. If you have worked with autism for as long as you have, then the most important lesson you should have learned is that not every child learns the same. I do not disagree with anything you have posted at all. Quite the contrary. I don't even see how you are interpreting the Pre-Sign program as an opposite approach to using the traditional methods you mentioned. It is an adjunct to what you are already doing. I am very glad that you have had 100% success using your methods, but I really don't know what 100% success means. I have had children who have come to me from all the country who have learned a few signs in the traditional methods, but using motor planning strategies has upped their abilities quite a bit. They go from minimal sign usage to a higher level. And these methods are based on research in terms of how motor planning and sign language skills are developed.

I have been in this field 30 years. I continually am open to new ideas and concepts. I attend tons of conferences, read books, participate in on-line learning. I actually love to read these lists as I learn a lot from the parents on the list.

Just this week, one of my moms introduced me to a fabulous program for brain training using computer-based learning. Now clearly, I know a thing or two about computer-based learning, but this program was new to me. I read through the material, asked some questions, and recommended the program to the mom for her son.

Of course, being a mom to a son with autism has taught me more than anything else. He struggled to learn signs using the traditional methods. For all the methods, programming and techniques that I have developed through the years, I am most inspired by my own child. He often leads me in directions that I would never have thought of before.

So good luck with everything and your upcoming talk.

Herskowitz, MA CCC-SLP

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