Activity - Sign Singing (The alphabet)
Grade Level: Kindergarten – Grade 3
Diversity Focus
The following activity is designed to help promote an accepting, understanding and welcoming atmosphere within the classroom. It is directly focused on hearing loss. The activity can be performed in a classroom with a hearing impaired student present, but it can also be performed in one without. It could be used to increase a general awareness regarding the diversity of language and various forms of communication.
Activity
1. Introduce students to American Sign Language – discuss who uses ASL (individuals who are unable to hear or do not hear very
well), why they use it (because they are unable to hear or hear very well when others are speaking to them), and what they use it
for (to help them communicate).
2. Familiarize yourself with the “ABC Phonics Song – ASL Letters and Symbols Tutorial” video. The tutorial will teach you the ASL
signs and key phonics symbols required to sing the ABCs song.
3. Review the “ABC Phonics Song – Full ASL Song Tutorial” with your students to show them what you will be learning as a class.
4. Starting with the letter A, demonstrate how to perform each letter of the alphabet and its corresponding phonic symbol. ie. “A is
for Alligator” – so you would sign the letter, demonstrate the phonic sound, and sign alligator. (letter and phonics symbol visual
chart can be found here)
• It is a good idea to practice small chunks of the alphabet and gradually work your way up to the full song.
5. It is important to practice together consistently to learn the symbols and songs. ie. Each morning together during carpet time.
6. You can extend this activity to include a number of different children’s songs or nursery rhymes. You can find more tutorials on
the Nellie Edge website here.
What is really neat about this activity is that you’re students are not only learning acceptance and empathy regarding an exceptionality (hearing loss), but they’re also learning/practicing their alphabet and phonics in two languages. Engaging children in this type of multisensory learning as they develop letter and sound correspondence also helps to dramatically increase their recall.
Diversity Focus
The following activity is designed to help promote an accepting, understanding and welcoming atmosphere within the classroom. It is directly focused on hearing loss. The activity can be performed in a classroom with a hearing impaired student present, but it can also be performed in one without. It could be used to increase a general awareness regarding the diversity of language and various forms of communication.
Activity
1. Introduce students to American Sign Language – discuss who uses ASL (individuals who are unable to hear or do not hear very
well), why they use it (because they are unable to hear or hear very well when others are speaking to them), and what they use it
for (to help them communicate).
2. Familiarize yourself with the “ABC Phonics Song – ASL Letters and Symbols Tutorial” video. The tutorial will teach you the ASL
signs and key phonics symbols required to sing the ABCs song.
3. Review the “ABC Phonics Song – Full ASL Song Tutorial” with your students to show them what you will be learning as a class.
4. Starting with the letter A, demonstrate how to perform each letter of the alphabet and its corresponding phonic symbol. ie. “A is
for Alligator” – so you would sign the letter, demonstrate the phonic sound, and sign alligator. (letter and phonics symbol visual
chart can be found here)
• It is a good idea to practice small chunks of the alphabet and gradually work your way up to the full song.
5. It is important to practice together consistently to learn the symbols and songs. ie. Each morning together during carpet time.
6. You can extend this activity to include a number of different children’s songs or nursery rhymes. You can find more tutorials on
the Nellie Edge website here.
What is really neat about this activity is that you’re students are not only learning acceptance and empathy regarding an exceptionality (hearing loss), but they’re also learning/practicing their alphabet and phonics in two languages. Engaging children in this type of multisensory learning as they develop letter and sound correspondence also helps to dramatically increase their recall.
Resources
KIndergarten Class Performing ABC Phonics Song
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Benefits of singing in the classroom
The following two videos explain some of the benefits that students gain from singing in the classroom.
In Video 1, a professor from Oxford explains the importance of singing in general in an early years setting (Pre K - Grade 3). Video 2 is a video put together by a school in the UK who discuss some of the experiences and benefits they have experienced since implementing a singing program called "Sing Up." They specifically address how singing has influenced some of their hearing impaired children at (1:45).
In Video 1, a professor from Oxford explains the importance of singing in general in an early years setting (Pre K - Grade 3). Video 2 is a video put together by a school in the UK who discuss some of the experiences and benefits they have experienced since implementing a singing program called "Sing Up." They specifically address how singing has influenced some of their hearing impaired children at (1:45).
Video 1: The Value of Singing in the Classroom
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Video 2: Singing in Your School with Sing Up
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References
Websites
Nellie Edge Seminars and Resources. (2013). ABC Phonics Sing, Sign, and Read! Retrieved on January 25, 2013, from http://www.nellieedge.com/index.htm
Videos
nellieedge. (2012, July 5). Kindergarteners Perform ABC Phonics: Sing, Sign, and Read! [video file]. Retrieved January 25, 2013, from
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PL6kdgkgDyA
OUPAcademic. (2011, November 9). The Value of Singing in the Classroom [video file]. Retrieved January 25, 2013, from
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OLbJ7JqCrVM
Sign2Me1. (2010, April 29). ABC Phonics Song – ASL Letters and Symbols Tutorial [video file]. Retrieved January 25, 2013, from
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=DCb7yaK1-q4#!
Sign2Me1. (2010, April 29). ABC Phonics Song – Full ASL Song Tutorial [video file]. Retrieved January 25, 2013, from
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GPMp5A_U2ek&feature=player_embedded#!
SingUpAmericaStreet. (2012, February 28). Singing in Your School with Sing Up [video file]. Retrieved January 25, 2013, from
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xRwn2p9OjR8&feature=player_embedded
Nellie Edge Seminars and Resources. (2013). ABC Phonics Sing, Sign, and Read! Retrieved on January 25, 2013, from http://www.nellieedge.com/index.htm
Videos
nellieedge. (2012, July 5). Kindergarteners Perform ABC Phonics: Sing, Sign, and Read! [video file]. Retrieved January 25, 2013, from
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PL6kdgkgDyA
OUPAcademic. (2011, November 9). The Value of Singing in the Classroom [video file]. Retrieved January 25, 2013, from
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OLbJ7JqCrVM
Sign2Me1. (2010, April 29). ABC Phonics Song – ASL Letters and Symbols Tutorial [video file]. Retrieved January 25, 2013, from
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=DCb7yaK1-q4#!
Sign2Me1. (2010, April 29). ABC Phonics Song – Full ASL Song Tutorial [video file]. Retrieved January 25, 2013, from
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GPMp5A_U2ek&feature=player_embedded#!
SingUpAmericaStreet. (2012, February 28). Singing in Your School with Sing Up [video file]. Retrieved January 25, 2013, from
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xRwn2p9OjR8&feature=player_embedded