This document summarizes a presentation on using American Sign Language (ASL) fingerspelling to teach spelling in elementary classrooms. It describes a three-part spelling program that incorporates ASL fingerspelling homework, daily practice of new and review words through signing, and engaging multiple parts of the brain through seeing, hearing, saying, and signing spelling words. The goal is to make spelling practice more engaging for students by incorporating visual and kinesthetic learning through ASL fingerspelling.

1. ASLFingerspelling as a tool for teaching spelling in the elementary classroom By Marti Kramer Suddarth

2. Sample slides from my full presentation. Originally presented October 8, 2009 at the Ohio Catholic Educators’ Association’s 2009 conference. For more information or to see the full presentation, please contact me at mesuddarth@gmail.com.

3. FINGERSPELLING! Fingerspelling is a part of American Sign Language – a representation of the letters of the alphabet with a hand.

5. Part One: The Spelling Contract

6. Name_______________________________________________________ Spelling Contract date Below are the spelling words and spelling assignments for this week. The assignments are due Friday, date, the same day as the spelling test. Please do all assignments for both the new words and the review words, staple everything to this contract page, and place the contract in the inbox on Friday. 1. Print each word 3-times. 2. For each word, write a sentence that shows that you know the meaning of the word. (HINT: It is blueis not a good sentence, but The Sky is blueIS a good sentence.) Underline the spelling word. 3. Write each word as a rainbow word. (See an example on our class website.) 4. Take a practice spelling test. Review Words: this down Kleenex scary Our New Words: 1. cat 2. please 3. light 4. time

7. cat cat cat

8. Part Two: ASL Fingerspelling

9. What is American Sign Language? It’s a visual/kinetic language that uses gestures, facial expression, hand symbols, and position to convey meaning.

10. FINGERSPELLING! Fingerspelling is a part of American Sign Language – a representation of the letters of the alphabet with a hand.

11. How do we sign our spelling words?

12. Sign the word. Fingerspell the word. Sign the word. Repeat.

14. American Sign Language is a separate, distinct language. It has its own vocabulary, grammar, set of expressions, idioms, dialects, accents, etc.

15. American Sign Language is NOT simply replacing a spoken word with a gesture. What we are doing today is a great way to learn spelling, but it is NOT a good way to learn the language.

17. BONUS: If you use expression when signing spelling words, the students practice reading with expression!

18. American Sign Language is a living language. It’s constantly changing.

19. Learn each sign by its MEANING, not by matching it to a spoken English sound.

21. PART THREE: Review all the words.

22. THREE PARTS OF THE SPELLING PROGRAM: Spelling Contract – homework This week’s words – 5 minutes to practice each 3X daily. Review the old words – 10 minutes to practice each 1X daily.

23. Engage Multiple Parts of the Brain: *See the word and letters *Hear the word and letters *Say the word and letters *Sign the word and letters

24. THANK YOU TO: Heidi Imberi, principal, St. Joseph Catholic School, Corydon, Indiana Dr. Bill Vicars, instructor of ASL/Deaf Studies at California State University, Sacramento.