10 Benefits of Sign Language in the Classroom (Why Sign Language Should Be Taught in School)

There are many benefits to teaching sign language in the classroom with autistic learners. Sign language is one of the most powerful tools you can have in your toolkit to build communication skills and decrease frustration with your little learners. Learn how to teach sign language here.

10 benefits of sign language in the classroom

Increase communication
Decrease frustration
Build imitation skills
Build social skills (other students are also provided with a clear way to communicate with special needs, non verbal students)
Increase interaction
Provide more learning opportunities
Help special needs students integrate into your classroom more easily
Provide input in a visual way which is particularly well adapted for autistic learners
Increase sensitivity of all students to learners with autism and other special needs
Increase happiness and harmony in your classroom

These advantages of sign language communication for children with autism lakes it important to learn sign language if you are working with autistic students

Download your free signing poster to get started using sign language in your classroom!

Using sign language in the classroom

In order to teach a child with autism to sign, it will be necessary to dedicate time to teaching the signs and the signing method. Once the initial understanding of signs is in place, it is valuable to teach the other children in the classroom some basic signs as well so that the children can communicate with one another, to increase the sensitivity of the other children in the class to the learner, or learners, with special needs and to facilitate overall communication in your classroom. This is why sign language should be taught in school.

Incorporating sign language into the classroom

The best way to go about incorporating sign language into your classroom, is to do it slowly, step by step.

Benefits of learning sign language at an early age

As with all other teaching techniques for autistic learners, the earlier you start, the best.

Disadvantages of sign language for children with autism

There are very few disadvantages to using sign language with autistic children. Parents and teachers often worry that using sign language will hinder the development of spoken language, but as we saw earlier, and as research has shown again and again, this is the opposite of the truth.

Unfortunately, sign language still has a bit of a stigma attached to it which can prevent some parents and teachers from wanting to use it with autistic individuals.

The other down side, is that a prerequisite to learning sign language is having the fine motor skills necessary to form the signs with your fingers.

Sign language for students with special needs

It is important to note that adapted sign language is a powerful way to teach individuals with autism and it can also be very useful for students with a variety of special needs.

How does sign language help communication?

Sign language provides the visual prompt necessary for autistic learners to understand a new vocabulary word, request or other communication.

Unlike a word that is heard and then disappears, as long as someone is making a sign, the visual prompt is necessary making it possible for a learner with autism to take the time necessary to receive and process the communication.

The impact of sign language

As sign language helps to increase communication and decrease frustration with special needs learners in classrooms, the impact of using sign language over the time has the potential to be enormous.

One of the biggest benefits of sign language in the classroom is that it can help to prove calmer and happier classroom in which autistic learners are integrated more easily.

Download your free signing poster below to learn the first 9 signs you need to get started teaching adapted sign language in your classroom!