RE: Re: school services question

[Guest guest]

As an SLP, I don't understand either. I use ANYTHING that will help my

clients to speak, eat, use language, etc. I use ASL, PECS/augmentative

communication, etc. Most kids with apraxia NEED a combination approach

because often sign or PECS is at a higher language level than they can

communicate via speech.

As far as the school's obligation, they must provide FAPE= Free Appropriate

Public Education. Appropriate is where most of the debate lies. Depending

on how your state and county operate will determine if they will use ASL or

not.

The rule of thumb that I use for my clients is: first teach the sign for new

and multisyllabic words (e.g. giraffe-perhaps she can't say it but can use

the sign), then teach the word approximation as appropriate according to the

PROMPT hierarchy. If a child CAN produce a word approximation but signs, I

would acknowledge the sign and try 2 more times for a word approx. Eg.

" Great! You signed 'monkey'. This is how we say 'monkey' (muh-ee) "

PROMPTing as I say that. If only sign, say " Try again 'muh-ee' " and PROMPT

again. If the child can't produce any voice then praise the sign again and

move on.

I vary the above routine a little depending on the child, strengths, skills,

how they are doing that day, etc. In speech, it's important to at least try

for the sounds/wd approx. During the class (w/teacher) I would allow signs

for emerging or new words. I would expect a word/approx IF a child CAN

produce it consistently. Then I would want to work on generalizing it to

other settings.

That's my input. J hope it helps!

Warmest wishes,

Barbara

Barbara A. , M.S., CCC-SLP

Executive Director/ Help Me Speak, LLC

<http://www.helpmespeak.com/> http://www.helpmespeak.com

(o) 410-442-9791 (f) 410-442-9783

2500 Wallington Way; Suite 103

Marriottsville, MD 21104

follow us on FaceBook:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Marriottsville-MD/Help-Me-Speak-LLC/1046288520

32

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From:

[mailto: ] On Behalf Of mosense

Sent: Tuesday, March 16, 2010 8:23 PM

Subject: [ ] Re: school services question

I still cant understand or fathom why there are still SLP's out there that

think sign language will inhibit speech! My daughter dropped every sign as

soon as she was able to speak the word for it! It was our EI SLP who

suggested we begin signing with her at 1yr old--she could already see her

future Apraxia dx, which came at 4yrs old. The signing saved lots and lots

of frustrating conversations! What the special needs prek told us is they

wont teach her more sign, but they wont ignore her either! Their goal was to

teach her to speak. We were told the same when she went into K. The prek

teacher started using Picture system. I've heard from many that most school

districts would only provide ASL teachers for deaf children--so not sure

about that one..which I understand since they want our kids to talk. We

never took any lessons and my daughter, my oldest son and my husband knew at

least a thousand signs just picking things up on our own.

Good luck with your meeting. You can take signing classes on your own and

there are many websites and books out there. If they expect your daughter to

talk--you may not need many lessons! My daughters speech tripled in

Kindergarten with her SD SLP that used Prompt, Kaufman and whatever else

worked! It was during her K year that she finally started with two-word

sentences! It was amazing! She's 8.5 yrs old now and rambling on all day

now!

maureen

>

> Hi everyone. My daughter's annual IEP review is coming up and I have a

question that maybe some of you could help with.

>

Signing is my first choice, because it's an actual language so even if she

miraculously starts speaking in clear sentences the day after she learns it,

she is learning a language that she can use the rest of her life. Of course

I want to weigh all our options but I keep coming back to signing.

>

> This is where my question comes in... When she started in her preschool

class a little over a year ago, her speech therapist made it clear that she

felt sign language would only hold H back and prevent her from trying to

talk. H went in knowing some basic signs from Signing Time, but early on the

ST instructed anyone who worked with H to not respond unless she attempted

to make a sound as well as a sign. This upset me initially, but I decided to

give the ST the benefit of the doubt (since she's been doing this a while

and knows more than I do) Now as our IEP meeting approaches, I know things

need to change and I am not sure the ST will agree with me, especially given

the progress H has made over the past year. So, I am trying to figure out

what I can require of the school. I would like to actively teach H (and our

family) sign language so she can finally communicate beyond the basics. Is

this something I will have to do on my own, or can I request that the school

get her a sign language instructor? I know they are legally obligated to

provide whatever H needs for her education, but being that H has no hearing

issues, this may be something that they won't see as a necessity.

>

> Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

>

> Thanks!

>

[Guest guest]

WHAT? I do recommend that any child who is not yet speaking learn to sign

as well as a bridge to speaking/communication. The Signing Time videos are

great!

The ONLY time that I would NOT recommend sign is IF a child had severe limb

apraxia with a resulting severe difficulty w/fine motor skills such that

they can't make the signs after many attempts.

I have had several clients over the years who have had general apraxia

throughout their body and CAN make sign approximations. So I recommend to

TRY sign, see what the child can do, and take it from there. J

Warmest wishes,

Barbara

Barbara A. , M.S., CCC-SLP

Executive Director/ Help Me Speak, LLC

<http://www.helpmespeak.com/> http://www.helpmespeak.com

(o) 410-442-9791 (f) 410-442-9783

2500 Wallington Way; Suite 103

Marriottsville, MD 21104

follow us on FaceBook:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Marriottsville-MD/Help-Me-Speak-LLC/1046288520

32

From:

[mailto: ] On Behalf Of

Sent: Thursday, March 18, 2010 10:40 AM

Subject: [ ] Re: school services question

I spoke to one SLP about a month ago who also indicated she did NOT support

the teaching of sign language to an apraxic child. She considered herself an

apraxia expert. I believe her rational was why have a child who has motor

planning issues spend the time trying to learn how to do sign language, when

it would be more effective teaching that child how to make sounds and talk?

Note, we had already started watching the Signing Time DVDs last fall, and

we're not constantly working with that SLP. I'm amazed when my son comes out

with a new sign.

> > > >

> > > > Hi everyone. My daughter's annual IEP review is coming up and I have

a question that maybe some of you could help with.

> > > >

> > > Signing is my first choice, because it's an actual language so even if

she miraculously starts speaking in clear sentences the day after she learns

it, she is learning a language that she can use the rest of her life. Of

course I want to weigh all our options but I keep coming back to signing.

> > > >

> > > > This is where my question comes in... When she started in her

preschool class a little over a year ago, her speech therapist made it clear

that she felt sign language would only hold H back and prevent her from

trying to talk. H went in knowing some basic signs from Signing Time, but

early on the ST instructed anyone who worked with H to not respond unless

she attempted to make a sound as well as a sign. This upset me initially,

but I decided to give the ST the benefit of the doubt (since she's been

doing this a while and knows more than I do) Now as our IEP meeting

approaches, I know things need to change and I am not sure the ST will agree

with me, especially given the progress H has made over the past year. So, I

am trying to figure out what I can require of the school. I would like to

actively teach H (and our family) sign language so she can finally

communicate beyond the basics. Is this something I will have to do on my

own, or can I request that the school get her a sign language instructor? I

know they are legally obligated to provide whatever H needs for her

education, but being that H has no hearing issues, this may be something

that they won't see as a necessity.

> > > >

> > > > Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

> > > >

> > > > Thanks!

> > > >

> > >

> >

>

[Guest guest]

Hi Barbara....any suggestion to help a child with apraxia improve their motor

planning in order to learn sign language?

Maybe this is more an OT ?.....

Barbara <helpmespeak@...> wrote:

>WHAT? I do recommend that any child who is not yet speaking learn to sign

>as well as a bridge to speaking/communication. The Signing Time videos are

>great!

>

>

>

>The ONLY time that I would NOT recommend sign is IF a child had severe limb

>apraxia with a resulting severe difficulty w/fine motor skills such that

>they can't make the signs after many attempts.

>

>

>

>I have had several clients over the years who have had general apraxia

>throughout their body and CAN make sign approximations. So I recommend to

>TRY sign, see what the child can do, and take it from there. J

>

>

>

>Warmest wishes,

>

>Barbara

>

>Barbara A. , M.S., CCC-SLP

>

>Executive Director/ Help Me Speak, LLC

>

> <http://www.helpmespeak.com/> http://www.helpmespeak.com

>

>(o) 410-442-9791 (f) 410-442-9783

>

>2500 Wallington Way; Suite 103

>

>Marriottsville, MD 21104

>

>

>

>follow us on FaceBook:

>http://www.facebook.com/pages/Marriottsville-MD/Help-Me-Speak-LLC/1046288520

>32

>

>From:

>[mailto: ] On Behalf Of

>Sent: Thursday, March 18, 2010 10:40 AM

>

>Subject: [ ] Re: school services question

>

>

>

>

>

>I spoke to one SLP about a month ago who also indicated she did NOT support

>the teaching of sign language to an apraxic child. She considered herself an

>apraxia expert. I believe her rational was why have a child who has motor

>planning issues spend the time trying to learn how to do sign language, when

>it would be more effective teaching that child how to make sounds and talk?

>

>Note, we had already started watching the Signing Time DVDs last fall, and

>we're not constantly working with that SLP. I'm amazed when my son comes out

>with a new sign.

>

>

>> > > >

>> > > > Hi everyone. My daughter's annual IEP review is coming up and I have

>a question that maybe some of you could help with.

>> > > >

>> > > Signing is my first choice, because it's an actual language so even if

>she miraculously starts speaking in clear sentences the day after she learns

>it, she is learning a language that she can use the rest of her life. Of

>course I want to weigh all our options but I keep coming back to signing.

>> > > >

>> > > > This is where my question comes in... When she started in her

>preschool class a little over a year ago, her speech therapist made it clear

>that she felt sign language would only hold H back and prevent her from

>trying to talk. H went in knowing some basic signs from Signing Time, but

>early on the ST instructed anyone who worked with H to not respond unless

>she attempted to make a sound as well as a sign. This upset me initially,

>but I decided to give the ST the benefit of the doubt (since she's been

>doing this a while and knows more than I do) Now as our IEP meeting

>approaches, I know things need to change and I am not sure the ST will agree

>with me, especially given the progress H has made over the past year. So, I

>am trying to figure out what I can require of the school. I would like to

>actively teach H (and our family) sign language so she can finally

>communicate beyond the basics. Is this something I will have to do on my

>own, or can I request that the school get her a sign language instructor? I

>know they are legally obligated to provide whatever H needs for her

>education, but being that H has no hearing issues, this may be something

>that they won't see as a necessity.

>> > > >

>> > > > Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

>> > > >

>> > > > Thanks!

>> > > >

>> > >

>> >

>>

>

>

>

>

>

>