Prioritizing communication amongst peers for Deaf, Hard of Hearing, and nonverbal elementary age children has never been a national focus…until now. Sign Kind will change this by sending a team of one Deaf and one Hearing teen into our elementary schools this fall!
American Sign Language isn’t usually taught, if at all, until high school. How are school age children learning to communicate with children their own age if they’re not taught? How are they to know how their differences should be acknowledged/celebrated/respected? If the peers of Deaf children don’t recognize or know basic ASL, the social determinants of mental health (such as bullying, anxiety, and sense of belonging) and the overall well being of Deaf/HH/nonverbal children are at risk.
Implementing the Each One Teach One Model, Sign Kind is providing an opportunity for deaf and hearing teens to introduce sign language to children in a fun engaging way NATIONALLY. There are teacher shortages in schools and limited/no funding for additional programs. Not only will new jobs be created for a marginalized community, but all students will gain better cognitive and social skills from kids they can relate to!
This 2024-2025 school year, we will be launching a pilot program. It will include a team of teens (one deaf, one hearing) heading into elementary schools during the fall of 2024. These teen tutors will follow a Sign Kind Curriculum that will introduce deaf etiquette and basic conversational ASL. f The goal is to better equip them to for peer-to-peer social interaction with a fun interactive experience and spark interest in learning ASL before high school.
Pros of Teen Tutor Teams (T3’s):
Deaf/HH Students:
Employment/work experience
Interaction with Hearing Peers
Advance Cognitive Development
Team Training
Leadership Training
Pros of Teen Tutor Teams (T3’s)
Hearing Students:
Employment/work experience
Gain Receptive Language Skills
ASL/SEE practice
Interaction with Deaf Peers
Advance Cognitive Development
Team Training
Leadership Training