A Sign in the Right Direction: Language Development for the Non-Verbal Child

Abstract

Within the population of moderately to severely handicapped children is a sub-population of non-verbal children who fail to develop a functional language system and do not appear to profit from the traditional therapeutic methods that concentrate on oral production. Research is reviewed which uses sign language coupled with the spoken word to facilitate the development of receptive and expressive language for the non-verbal child. Procedures for using sign language with the non-verbal child are outlined with specific goals focused on: (a) development of receptive vocabulary, (b) development of quality and quantity of expressive language, (c) development of sentence structure and length, and (d) development of a major means of communication. A brief summary focuses on the use of sign language as a multi-sensory approach to language development.