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<DIV><STRONG><FONT face="Book Antiqua" color=#400040>Hi, everyone!</FONT></STRONG></DIV>
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<DIV><STRONG><FONT face="Book Antiqua" color=#400040>I haven't posted in awhile, and had forgotten how to do it!! But Valarie asked that I share what I've been doing with signwriting. I read all the posts that everyone writes, so I'm still here...lurking about:)</FONT></STRONG></DIV>
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<DIV><STRONG><FONT face="Book Antiqua" color=#400040>Anyways, recently we had a Deaf conference, called Casa D/HH 2004 in Albuquerque, NM at the Marriot Hotel. We had a wonderful time, and the theme was based on Literacy. Lorraine and Cecilia presented the Signwriting bit (also another person, but sorry I forgot her name:( ). Some of my friends who attended the workshop were not at all interested in Signwriting, and didn't know that the workshop class taught about signwriting (the title hadn't mentioned it), but became curious afterwards. I explained to them what I have done with it and how it has helped, not only me, but my husband and family as well. Signwriting encourages writing, it really does, and I'll explain why.</FONT></STRONG></DIV>
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<DIV><STRONG><FONT face="Book Antiqua" color=#400040>I work at the high school in Belen, NM with a Deaf/Blind CHARGE syndrome student. She never had any previous writing experience and had alot of behavior problems. I just started working with her last year. I found she has autistic characteristics and needed a very structured classroom. She understood symbols very well, and picked them up quickly. She can see shapes, large lettering and colors. So in using Boardmaker, symbols and signwriting she was able to learn the word. She never writes the symbol or signwriting, she writes the word. Since she is also autistic, she does not express herself like people expect. But she is slowly coming out of the shell and has what I call "Helen Keller" moments. The first time I presented signwriting to her she was sitting down drawing the handshape (flat hand with half shaded) she all of a sudden signed "know" then jumped up, did a little dance and obviously proud of herself and continued to write. Now, she fingerspells everything and every word she wants to learn. She loves to read and write. I use writing with pictures and signwriting to explain to her things that happen along with signs. She memorizes it very quickly, and it helps her not only learn the word, but understand it.</FONT></STRONG></DIV>
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<DIV><STRONG><FONT face="Book Antiqua" color=#400040>My husband who is also Deaf/Blind (Ushers' Syndrome) loves to use signwriting with his A-Z stories and number stories. My children who are hearing also like to read it. My son has severe ADHD and it helps him with visual cues in reading since his first language is ASL. </FONT></STRONG></DIV>
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<DIV><STRONG><FONT face="Book Antiqua" color=#400040>Anyways, that's all I have for now:) Thanks to everyone who presented Signwriting at the Casa D/HH conference! You all did a super job!</FONT></STRONG></DIV>
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<DIV><STRONG><FONT face="Book Antiqua" color=#400040>Smiles everyone and have a happy Easter!!</FONT></STRONG></DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><FONT face="Book Antiqua" color=#400040>Nancy Cole</FONT></STRONG></DIV>
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<DIV><FONT lang=0 face=Arial color=#800080 size=2 FAMILY="SANSSERIF" PTSIZE="10"></FONT><FONT lang=0 face=Gallaudet color=#800080 size=6 PTSIZE="24"><B>Nancy a cole</B></FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>