Learning...Sharing...Creating
Using sign language as a means of learning new languages quicker and easier?
So my boss told me that his daughter is working with a group of technology educators who are trying to develop a product that is geared around a new concept that I hadn't considered before.
They want to create a program that is similar to Rosetta Stone that help students learn new languages faster by first teaching them sign language and then having them practice using sign language as they sound out, read out loud or learn new words and phrases in foreign languages.
For example, a student learning Spanish would be trying to learn the word "cat" in Spanish so they might have them practice the word "gato" out loud with other students while using the sign language sign for "cat" or spelling out the word "cat" using sign language letters. That way each student sees how the new word "gato" will look in sign language and will have an easier time assigning the word "gato" to the same sign language sign/symbol that they're used to seeing for the word "cat" thus new word associations are formed that help them learn the new language(s) faster and easier.
I think it's a brilliant idea but I wanted to ask you guys what your opinions were on this method. Is this something that educators are already doing to help students learn new languages, especially students with speech deficits or hearing difficulties? And if this is a new technique, would this be beneficial for both students with disabilities, as well as the general student population?
They are also trying to figure out the best way to package, present and sell this new product. Would it be more beneficial to teachers as a print book or lesson plan, or maybe instead as a lesson plan on CD or a software tool that also incorporates computer games and interactive activities that will keep younger students more engaged with the program?
Any thoughts or ideas you guys have would be greatly appreciated. I've told my boss to tell his daughter and her educator friends about this forum so maybe they can login and learn more about assistive technology, which might help them understand the best way to create this new learning program.
Thanks!
They want to create a program that is similar to Rosetta Stone that help students learn new languages faster by first teaching them sign language and then having them practice using sign language as they sound out, read out loud or learn new words and phrases in foreign languages.
For example, a student learning Spanish would be trying to learn the word "cat" in Spanish so they might have them practice the word "gato" out loud with other students while using the sign language sign for "cat" or spelling out the word "cat" using sign language letters. That way each student sees how the new word "gato" will look in sign language and will have an easier time assigning the word "gato" to the same sign language sign/symbol that they're used to seeing for the word "cat" thus new word associations are formed that help them learn the new language(s) faster and easier.
I think it's a brilliant idea but I wanted to ask you guys what your opinions were on this method. Is this something that educators are already doing to help students learn new languages, especially students with speech deficits or hearing difficulties? And if this is a new technique, would this be beneficial for both students with disabilities, as well as the general student population?
They are also trying to figure out the best way to package, present and sell this new product. Would it be more beneficial to teachers as a print book or lesson plan, or maybe instead as a lesson plan on CD or a software tool that also incorporates computer games and interactive activities that will keep younger students more engaged with the program?
Any thoughts or ideas you guys have would be greatly appreciated. I've told my boss to tell his daughter and her educator friends about this forum so maybe they can login and learn more about assistive technology, which might help them understand the best way to create this new learning program.
Thanks!
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