"Sign In A Minute"
"Do not keep children to their studies by compulsion, but by play" - Plato
There have been many studies done over the years that have found that making learning enjoyable increases the amount of knowledge gained and retained.
Sign In A Minute was created with this in mind.
Sign In A Minute is a competitive, interactive game that also allows all players to be the teacher and the student. The players teach by showing how to sign the ASL vocabulary word they are asking for. They then become students learning to “read” other player’s hands as they respond by answering, also using ASL vocabulary.
Story
behind
The precursor to "Sign In A Minute" was created to help Jimmy find his voice....
When we met, Jimmy was a 12 year old boy with Down Syndrome, severely hearing impaired,non-verbal, and very frustrated. He could not express his feelings in an acceptable way. It quickly became apparent that sign language vocabulary was the way to give him a voice. Unfortunately, Jimmy and his peers at school lost interest in books, videos, and flash cards. An interactive game was needed. That is when I created the precursor to “Sign In A Minute.” Soon, not only students and staff from Jimmy’s class but some students from other classes would come in to play the game with Jimmy. When they learned sign language vocabulary, they could communicate with him. His attitude changed. He communicated his wants and his feelings in a positive way. He made many friends, worked in the school and in the community and left a lasting impression on all those who were lucky enough to have known him. Sign language vocabulary gave Jimmy a voice. There are so many people with whom you could be communicating with if you learn sign language vocabulary; there are many others who are just waiting to find their own voices.
You could give them that voice.
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​Co-founder of Rowan Educational Resources LLC
Sign In A Minute
A great tool for learning or teaching American Sign Language vocabulary.
When you play Sign In A Minute Phase 1, you learn how to sign the ASL vocabulary words and also to recognize the word in English and Spanish along with learning to "read" the other players' signs.
After you have learned the signs using Phase 1, test yourself by playing only with the Phase 2 cards.
Now you are ready to teach ASL vocabulary using the Sign In A Minute Phase 2 cards to those that do not read yet, or have special needs.
Time To Play Sign In A Minute
1) How to Play "Sign In A Minute"
It is a fun game for a group of 2 to 6 or more people. If only two are playing, it is faster to play and learn if you use half the deck of cards (make sure that all the cards you use have duplicates) until you learn those signs, then play with the other half until you learn those signs. It is not uncommon to learn the signs and remember them after playing the game three or four times. Because the game is played only using signs after the second time you go through the deck, the only sound you hear is laughter as the players learn to communicate with each other. (if they can’t read your sign, you can show them the card you are asking for, and show them how to form the sign without speaking).
(Photo credited by Othello Outlook)
2). Find The Sign
​Another use for teaching with the Phase 2 cards is called “Find the Sign”. Lay out four cards, facing the person or people that you are working with. This works very well with young children who don’t yet read, and people with special needs. Ask them to point to the card, example ‘apple’. When they point to the correct card, show them how to sign the word. Then do the same with the other three cards. After they have been shown each sign, tell them you are only going to sign the word, no talking, and have them point to the card you signed. Praise them for reading your signs, and then have them be the teacher next. Have them sign a word to you and you point to the correct card. When you see that they know that sign, keep adding more cards to the original four. You will be amazed at how fast they learn!
3) Use as flash cards
1. Use Phase 1 or Phase 2 cards to introduce and review vocabulary word signs.
2. Cover up the Phase 1 vocabulary word and written description and have the student match it with the Phase 2 card.
4). Match the signs
Mixing Phase 1 and Phase 2 cards. Lay a series of Phase 1 and Phase 2 cards face down and take turns trying to match the sign card with the picture card
5). Play Sign In A Minute Relay
Line up students in equal rows with a desk at the front of each row to place the Phase 1 cards in a pile face down (divide the cards equally between the rows). At the front of the room, place the Phase 2 cards spread out face up on a table. Have a space of any amount of feet clear between the front of the row they are lined up at and the table at the front of the classroom, so the students have room to move fast going back and forth. When the teacher signs the word ‘go’, the first student in each row takes the top card, turns around, and signs that card without letting anyone see it. The second person in line then approaches the table as fast as they can and chooses the card that matched the sign given and returns to the row and shows it to the person who signed it. If it is the correct card, the two students go to the back of the line, and the next person signs a new card to the person behind them. If it is not the correct card, the signer again signs the word and the student again returns to the table to find the matching card. It is up to the teacher’s discretion how many chances each student gets to make the match before they are told what the signed word is. The first team to match all their cards is the winner.
