Sign with me is surprising: the child does not know how to speak but thanks to gestures borrowed from sign language, the little one manages to make himself understood. The experience is in place in the Les Petits multi-reception center on the Thionville hill.
–
Yesterday at 8:00 p.m.
“More, eat, change the diaper, mom”… they are less than 3 years old, some do not yet know how to pronounce a word, but already manage to make themselves understood. Since November, at the multi-welcome Les Petits de la colline in Thionville, toddlers have been expressing themselves with their handcuffs. The establishment managed by the Red Cross has decided to introduce the Sign with me methodology into its educational project.
“We borrow gestures from sign language”, specifies Natacha Sedicaut, the director, trained as well as her team by Christelle Beaudouin who has been part of the movement since 2005. The trainer fell in thanks and for her deaf son. Since then, she has multiplied actions, internships and interventions in Moselle, Luxembourg and beyond. Thanks to Sign with me, which can be practiced from birth, the child avoids anger and frustration because he manages to convey a message. The methodology comes from the United States. It has proven itself but despite everything, some skeptics think that it slows down the learning of verbal language. “Not at all,” says Christelle. We accompany the signs with words, they reinforce understanding and are an ally for foreign or hearing-impaired children. It’s great for learning bilingualism and great when dealing with homonyms. »
Since November, the staff has been offering signed nursery rhymes. Children love it and reproduce the gestures. Photo RL /Armand FLOHR
150 signs to assimilate
Estéban, Vaiana and the others have become familiar with the practice in a few weeks by learning nursery rhymes that they love and that the staff signs daily. “The idea was suggested to us by my assistant Audrey who had been trained by Christelle Beaudouin, remembers Natacha. We bought into the concept and talked to the parents about it. Some already knew and practiced. At the end of three months, babies are more serene, less frustrated. “We intend to welcome families to show them and encourage the device which can be easily reproduced at home. For us, it’s a plus because we can facilitate the integration of hearing-impaired children. The multi-reception centers of the Red Cross in Yutz, Trémery, Forbach have been trained, in Fontoy it is in progress. From now on, at not even two years old, toddlers have their say!
