Solving Common Classroom Problems: Sign Language Lends a Hand

By Rebecca Friedman with Eleanor Grewal

This morning, four of my students asked to use the bathroom in the space of 10 minutes. In those same 10 minutes, I was able to conduct three formative assessments and adapt my teaching based on those assessments, all the while making every student feel listened to and keeping the class engaged. I don’t have a robot, two heads, eight arms, or an over-inflated ego—but I do use my hands as well as my mouth to communicate.

When I first became an elementary school teacher, I certainly felt like I needed extra arms to balance all the dynamics of my classroom. I had learned how to teach math and how to leverage technology, but not how to contend with Johnny’s drawn-out and distracting expression of his immediate need to go to his cubby. Technology tools and teaching tips are great, but there are many pressing questions to answer first: How do I avoid juggling hall passes? How do I know who is grasping factorization and who could use another explanation? How do I know my students are even listening? How can I encourage my students to engage without screaming over one another?

By introducing five simple signs in American Sign Language to my class, I’ve eliminated some key daily...