How do I handle this?

MsKayy · #1 12-17-2012, 09:39 AM

I teach American Sign Language to 38 kindergarteners in the afternoons. We are making our way and everyone is doing pretty good. However, there is one. A little boy, for the sake of the arguement we will call him Matt. I have had one on ones with him, we have played games to review everything. I usually beat every new sign to into the ground, so to speak, to make sure they get it.

I thought, maybe it just doesn't come easy to him. Well we are learning our colors. Ill sign the colors, make sure everyone knows the color before I sign it. And then ill sign "Find something___". They all go and find the right colored items except Matt. Ill say find something Blue and he will find something yellow, etc. same with signing letters. Ill say sit on the letter K and he will sit on Z.

I'm just not sure how to handle it. I just keep correcting him, but 37/38 kids get it, and they know the signs. I don't want to leave him out or anything but I'm just not sure what to do. Tips?

EdEd · #2 12-17-2012, 10:53 AM

First, it sounds like a cool class! Also, from your title/description it looks like you are doing this at a boys & girls club? If so, that's pretty cool that you are looking to be so specific in your instruction in a community-based environment!

In terms of your post specifically, I have two follow-up questions:

1) How does he do with other academic areas? Does he struggle with anything in particular, but do well in other areas (e.g., struggles with math measurement but good with learning math facts)? I'm guessing you don't work with him in other areas, so you may need to ask others. Unfortunately you may not have a great source of information at the BGC, but if you are able to get in touch with the child's teacher at school, or parent if reliable, that may help.

2) You mentioned having done several follow-up & review activities - what specifically have you done and with what skills?

EdEd · #3 12-17-2012, 10:53 AM

I should also mention that I have no training or experience with ASL, but I've found that principles of learning tend to be similar across content areas, so I'm going off that...

MsKayy · #4 12-17-2012, 12:19 PM

Thank you for your response! The class itself is really fun! The kids enjoy themselves and being able to communicate using their hands! I've found that our "busiest" children who find themselves feeling like they have to do something to keep busy often times excel in ASL.

With Matt,
I do know for a fact his teacher works with him after school 3 days a week. His parents also insist he does homework at home so they can help him. Its not that he doesn't understand how to sign, he just doesn't seem to have the Vocab to keep up. Like colors for example. In order to associate the sign with the word you already know, you must first know what the color is. I'm very visual with them...

So lets say I'm teaching them the color red. Ill tell them we are going to sign the color red, ill then sign the color while saying it out loud, they will then mimic me and we will go through several times saying the sign, associating with a visual, and signing the word. Eventually we move into total sign language.

Even with that, Matt will still find the yellow object when the color signed was red.

As for one on ones, we have gone through signs together as we not only do colors and letters but also numbers, finger spelling our names, talking in complete sentences and classroom management. He does understand what time saying for the most part, but something just isn't clicking when I sign and connect that with a visual.

terptoteacher · #5 12-17-2012, 12:24 PM

Gee, my first thought was if he knows his colors.

EdEd · #6 12-17-2012, 01:42 PM

MsKayy, sounds like you've gone above and beyond! If the issue is that he doesn't have the background knowledge to be able to identify the symbols (e.g., color or number), then I'm not sure there's any specific "intervention" you'd be able to use in terms of sign language, at least unless you were also going to try to teach those colors/numbers as well.

How is his behavior in your class? Is he enjoying it at all? I'm wondering if it may just not be too likely that he learns ASL from you, but still is enjoying the process? If not, are there other groups of kids doing something else in another room that he could join?

MsKayy · #7 12-17-2012, 06:04 PM

He is pretty well behaved in class, I don't usually have any problems with him. Unfortunately whe we are learning ASL, they all stay together as their "program time". I really don't want to leave him out or send him to another grade level but I'm not sure what else he can do

EdEd · #8 12-17-2012, 06:22 PM

Maybe it would be helpful to think of specific accommodations during each activity. What's an example of an activity you do in class where he is expected to participate, and is having difficulty?

czacza · #9 12-17-2012, 06:27 PM

Does Matt NEED to know ASL?

MsKayy · #10 12-17-2012, 06:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EdEd

Maybe it would be helpful to think of specific accommodations during each activity. What's an example of an activity you do in class where he is expected to participate, and is having difficulty?

We try to make a game of everything! One game we do almost everyday (kids love it). I will put them in groups of 3 - 5. I will then sign a letter for one team member to find on the alphabet rug, after which they will all make the letter on the rug using there bodies. Not sure if you've ever seen that game done? Where a teacher calls out the letter and the kids go spell it using their bodies. It's fun!

Anyways EVERYONE get a turn to find a different letter on the mat before the group part. When it's Matt's turn, his team members will even help him. It's the sane problem at the colors. Ill call out R and be will find A...