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Post by dingledel on Nov 26, 2007 18:02:59 GMT -5
Yes, she is in MS but it's been a long hard battle to get her supported. She has just started getting support in class in September when she started Y1. LEA refused to even assess her for statementing last year...but that's another story. Now she seems to be doing quite nicely!
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Post by nikkijgroom on Dec 3, 2007 17:42:32 GMT -5
Hello
Am very new to this site! I am a trained teaching assistant living in weston super mare. I work with special needs children and have an 11 yr old daughter who has aspergers syndrome and attends a special school. Last yr i passed my BSL level 1 and am currently studying for level 2.
Can anyone tell me exactly what signalong is? Do you have to be tutored or is it homebased courses?
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jo
New Member
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Post by jo on Dec 4, 2007 18:00:22 GMT -5
Best to get this answer from Signalong I guess, by my two-penneth is... Yes you need to be tutored and your local tutor should be listed on website. Only takes about 6-10 weeks to do basic course if you just go once a week. Once you've done that and can read the signs it's fairly straightforward. Check your local speech therapist as that's where I learnt (if you can find one!). From my limited knowledge, Signalong is based on BSL and has been specially developed for children with communication difficulties. But, as I said, Signalong are the best people to answer this part. Good luck!
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Post by mikekennard on Dec 7, 2007 3:51:49 GMT -5
When Signalong started back in 1992 the intention was to produce a resource which was self-explanatory and accessible. That's why we have such detailed descriptions, and if you have the A4-sized manuals you have the "yellow pages" at the front to explain the methodology. This means that you can access the signs without going to a training course.
Having said that, most people are much happier and more confident if they've been shown how to do it in a group situation, and there are aspects of sign-supported communication that can't be learned from a book. Signing is not just waving your hands about in a specific way. It's a whole-body experience - you need to use facial expression, body language and voice tone; you also need to practice modifying your language to make it less complicated.
There is a page in the "Services" section on the website about the training we offer, and you can find some of our tutors listed there as well, but not everybody wants their contact details available on the internet and we've got about 400 trainers in different parts of the country. Contact Sarah at the Signalong Centre for details of local trainers.
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yeapb
New Member
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Post by yeapb on Feb 26, 2008 6:29:14 GMT -5
Since we got the first Signalong book my kids and I have been trying to teach ourselves both the signs and the BSL in our 'spare' time!! When we get stuck with a sign now we can ask the child to spell out what she wants to say, this usually helps! We are actually finding it a fun and rewarding experience!
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Post by katherine on Oct 3, 2010 7:57:52 GMT -5
I work in a special school as a ta at KS4. Ijust think it is a brilliant way of communication, everyone is on an equal. My daughter who is almost 8 picked it up watching mr tumble on cbeebies with her grandad and we still watch it now. I did a course 18months ago and began to use it with my year 10's to practise what i had learned. I realised that the pupils enjoyed it so continued to do so. I'm hoping to continue my training in the future. My wish is that one day signalong will be taught as standard in all schools
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Post by honeybear on Mar 30, 2011 16:26:32 GMT -5
Hi, our little guy is only 14 months old but already showing signs of autism (lack of eye contact ect) although they will not diagnose it at this early stage it is clear that he will need extra stimulation to help him to acheive his full potential. my question is would you recomend sign as well as vocal communication for a child so young? he does not respond to his name nor does he talk very often (although he can ) is it expensive to learn ?
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Post by Signalong on Apr 1, 2011 8:58:46 GMT -5
Hi Honeybear,
You're right, it won't be diagnosed at this early stage - there could be other factors at play here.
Signing can be used from the moment that a baby can track movement with his eyes, so 14 months is by no means too early. Although some commentators aren't convinced, there is some fairly good backing for signing with babies, especially as it means that there is something to see, and that the parent has to be facing the child (and talking!). It has been shown to develop other early skills in addition to communication, so go to it!
As for the cost, it depends on where you are. If you contact me off the site at mkennard@signalong.org.uk I can put you in touch with local trainers. If you can't get to courses you can still learn the signs from the manual as they are fully described and illustrated, but it's better if you can practice them with others.
Have you been looking at the monthly sign sheets that you can download from our News page? In response to requests I'm going to be putting a link to the back numbers on the page, probably next week.
Don't worry too much at this stage - one of our former staff members has a daughter who didn't start speaking until she was past 2 years old - then the dam burst and she didn't stop! Keep an eye on him though, and make sure that the professionals are doing so as well.
Good luck!
Mike
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Post by kimmie86 on Apr 12, 2011 16:44:20 GMT -5
Im in worcestershire. My daughter is partially sighted and has severe learning difficulties aswell as a form of brain damage she is 10months old but really like a 5month old, i am hoping we can communicate this way. I have done two lessons in signalong and I use it everyday and i feel she is trying to communicate back with me now, she claps her hands and opens her mouth ( sadly no noise comes out) but it looks like she is trying
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Post by Signalong on Apr 14, 2011 3:50:36 GMT -5
Hi Kimmie,
Early days yet, but it's good news that she is trying to communicate with you.
I shudder when I hear people say "he/she doesn't communicate" - what this means is (a) we don't understand her method of communication or (b) he/she is dead. If your little girl is reaching for you, looking in your direction, or any other indication that she knows you're there, communication is taking place. The fact that she seems to be responding to signing is great.
You don't say how serious her sight impairment is. If it is profound, there are a number of ways that you can adapt signing - hand on hand (co-active signing) is probably the best - you can shape her hand into the sign you want to make, in a meaningful situation of course, and this will pattern it in her brain if repeated.
Very good luck, and please keep us posted on her progress. You can do this on this Forum or on the Signalong Group page on Facebook.
Best wishes
Mike
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