Research shows that young children, typically developing with no developmental delays, hearing impairments or visual impairments, can acquire sign language to communicate their wants or needs prior to their ability to communicate through spoken language. However, much of the research reviewed focused on whether it was normative for young children to use signs or symbolic gestures to represent objects, make requests, or to express other wants or needs. In addition, many of the studies reviewed lacked scientific rigor and were primarily anecdotal in that much of the data relied on parent reports of his/her child's production of signs or symbolic gestures. The present study expanded upon the procedures of Thompson, McKerchar, and Dancho (2004) by teaching more complex signing repertoires using different training procedures. This study examined the acquisition of functional sign language by typically developing infants, ranging in age from 10 months to 14 months, using a training program which consisted of three components. The three components of intervention included a 30 minute group class once per week, an intensive or "booster" 1:1 session twice per week, and parent led training in the participant's home environment. During intervention a variety of concept items such as toys, pictures, books, and real objects were presented to represent the signs were utilized. A multiple baseline design across pairs of behaviors was employed to assess experimental changes in signing repertoires during the intervention conditions. All participants demonstrated zero rates of signing during baseline and showed an increase in their signing repertoires during intervention phases.

Denna kvalitativa studie belyser ritprat som kommunikativ metod på förskolan. Ritprat består av ritade berättelser i kombination med det verbala språket. Ritprat används för att visualisera olika situationer med syftet att bland annat synliggöra människors olika perspektiv, tankar och känslor. Studiens syfte är att undersöka hur ritande i kombination till talat språk kan användas som kommunikativ metod samt hur pedagogerna förhåller sig till denna. I studien lyfts pedagogernas olika användningsområden för ritprat samt deras reflektioner. Den metodologiska utgångspunkten är en serie av fallstudier där öppna observationer samt semistrukturerade intervjuer använts. Observationerna är genomförda på en förskola på två olika avdelningar med åtta dagar i följd. Fokus låg på pedagogernas användande av ritprat i planerade kommunikationssituationer. Intervjuerna genomfördes med en pilotintervju där en pedagog deltog därefter genomfördes en gruppintervju med tre pedagoger. Empirin analyseras utifrån ett semiotiskt perspektiv för att belysa den meningsskapande processen och synliggöra hur pedagoger konstruerar och använder ritprat. Resultatet visar att trots pedagogerna konstruerar sitt ritprat på liknande sätt användes ritpratet för att skapa kommunikation eller skapas utifrån kommunikationen. Vidare framkommer tre olika användningsområden: förberedande, återberättande och narrativt. Pedagogernas förhållningssätt gentemot ritprat som metod framkommer under intervjuerna som positiva. Pedagogerna upplevs vara eniga om att ritprat är en metod som kan öka tydligheten i innehållet och kommunikationen samt fångade barnens intresse och fokus.

The current study examined the role of two different methods of sign presentation on signed and spoken language acquisition of toddlers aged two to four years with Down syndrome (DS). The aim of this study was to determine if a method commonly used by native signers/Deaf mothers (referred to in this study as signing to maintain joint attention (SMJA)) was more effective than the method commonly used by hearing mothers and speech-language pathologists (referred to in this study as the triangular method of signing). Both methods were compared in a within-subject design for effects on the participants’ total number of words signed and/or spoken, unique words signed and/or spoken, and parent report of novel word acquisition. Although the sample size was small, clear trends were seen suggesting SMJA may result in greater increases in early language acquisition for toddlers with DS. These results are consistent with considerations regarding the DS phenotype. The use of signing takes advantage of strengths in gesture and visual-spatial short-term memory. More specifically, the use of SMJA addresses weaknesses in attentional capacity by allowing the child to attend to the object and referent without disruption, thereby maintaining joint attention and supporting language acquisition.

<p>This essay is treating how, by signing to little children, can help them i their speach language development. I have intervjued the staff in a preeschool, where they are working with signs in the purpose to help little children, in some case, so small that they not yet have a language, to communicate with others. My hope is to show that it´s possible to minimize small childrens tantrums with this method. And that these children who has learned signs, does not choose signing over spoken language.</p>

This essay is treating how, by signing to little children, can help them i their speach language development. I have intervjued the staff in a preeschool, where they are working with signs in the purpose to help little children, in some case, so small that they not yet have a language, to communicate with others. My hope is to show that it´s possible to minimize small childrens tantrums with this method. And that these children who has learned signs, does not choose signing over spoken language.