basic communication skills 37
Older children who cannot hear also need to
learn to keep a give-and-take going through
whatever activities that interest them. For a
child who is 5 years old, playing a game may
be more interesting than rolling
a ball.
Rene’s older sister
is teaching her a
clapping game.
Preparing a child to use signs and to speak
While a child is learning that communication can make things happen,
you can help her learn to understand words and signs. This will prepare
her to use signs and to speak. To understand words and signs, she must
first learn to pay attention to them and learn that words and signs have
meanings. See Chapter 8 and Chapter 9 for suggestions to help your
child learn the meaning of signs and words, and learn how to use signs
and words herself.
Encourage your child to use hand movements
It is natural for a child to use gestures. Both deaf and hearing people
already use their hands, bodies, and make expressions with their faces to
communicate many things — both with words and without words. These
movements are called gestures. We wave ‘good-bye’, shake our heads
when we mean ‘no’, and we point.
Here are some examples of people using gestures:
This child is
telling his
mother that
he wants
something.
Do you
think it
will rain?
This man is
answering
that he does
not know.
Using gestures and signs does not prevent a child from learning to talk.
Gestures help prepare a child to sign and speak. By using them he
learns that he can send specific messages. For example, he learns that by
shaking his head, he makes it clear he does not want to do something.
Helping Children Who Are Deaf (2004)