teaching the kids

[Valerie Sutton]

SignWriting List
January 12, 2007

Cherie at Georgia School for the Deaf wrote:
> OMG!!!  These kids picked up SW like it was candy.  At the end of a  
> one hour lesson, I could write just about any sign on the board and  
> they could figure it out.  Today was just supposed to be an  
> introduction, but we went farther than we had planned because they  
> just soaked it in.  Luckily I had next weeks materials ready!  I am  
> so impressed I don't know what to say!  They were all interested  
> and paid attention well (for elementary students, smile)  They were  
> hollering out (in sign) words for me to write...  It was amazing!   
> Toward the end, when they hollered out a sign, I would say "where  
> (on the body) is it?" and they would tell me if I needed a shoulder  
> line or a face circle.   Then I would say what handshape, and they  
> would show me, then I would ask how does it move, and they would  
> show me....  They were all just as excited as they could be.  So am  
> I!  cherie

Hello Cherie and Donna!

That is great news!

Hope your administrators were present to see this! If not, ask them  
to come next lesson...

And no surprise about this reaction...it is a normal reaction we have  
seen time and time again...Deaf kids, in a relaxed and happy  
environment, take to SignWriting very quickly and with great  
enthusiasm...

This has happened to a teacher at the Oregon School for the Deaf (one  
classroom), in Albuquerque New Mexico in several classrooms...and  
even for me ...years ago...

I presented SignWriting to ASL Deaf kids in New Hampshire in 1977,  
for exactly one hour...they were writing in SignWriting all over the  
board themselves, before I barely had a chance to start!

Thanks for sharing with us...and keep the news coming!

Val ;-)