Sign Language Encourages More Social Gesturing

It has been difficult finding articles that have supported sign language as a language intervention method. I came across this article and found it to be pretty insightful in regards to sign language and autism. The article focuses on imitation and gestural ability in children with autism.

The study utilized the Reciprocal Imitation Training (RIT) which has been shown to increase imitation skills. RIT uses sign language but focuses on strengthening gesturing and imitation skills first. RIT has to be implemented in a highly structured setting focusing on discrete trial training, utilizing shaping and reinforcement procedures. Ingersoll, Lewis, and Kroman (2006, pg. 1447) found that "intervention which target the imitation of gestures may have a substantial effect on both development of spontaneous gesture use and, subsequently, language use in general."

Participants in the study were five boys with an autism diagnosis ranging in from 34 to 49 months with limited to no gesturing or imitation skills. All intervention sessions were conducted in a one-to-one setting in a treatment room. The results of the study found that all participants increased their gestural and imitation skills and many of them showed improvement in social-communication skills.

After reading this article, I have learned the importance of establishing imitation and gestural skills prior to implementing a full language intervention.

Reference:

Ingersoll, B., Lewis, E., & Kroman, E. (2007). Teaching the Imitation and Spontaneous Use of Descriptive Gestures in 

       Young Children with Autism Using a Naturalistic Behavioral Intervention. Journal Of Autism & Developmental 

        Disorders, 37(8), 1446-1456. doi:10.1007/s10803-006-0221-z

Permalink to the article: https://ezproxy.western.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ehh&AN=26161837&site=eds-live

Research Update

Well, I am a little over four weeks into my research study and I have already experienced several obstacles. The first obstacle that I came across was not being able to find the four to six participants that I was hoping for. Finding participants on an island is one thing, finding participants that are between one and three years old with an autism diagnosis and whose parents are willing to let their child participate in a research study is a entirely different feat. By the end of the first week of the study I only had two participants and by the end of the second week I was contacted by a third. So I have had to settle for only three participants (two assigned to Sign Language and one to PECS).

The second obstacle that I have run into is that when working with toddlers you have to prepare for cancelations due to illness, nap times, and parents forgetting about your appointment time. With a full time job and going to school full time, the cancelation of an appointment is extremely difficult to reschedule. I have had to plan WAY ahead in order to ensure that if there is a cancelation that I am able to create an opening to reschedule.

Even with these obstacles, I am finding this research study to be an eye-opening experience. I am already seeing a difference in the chosen interventions and which intervention is showing more language acquisition!