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Ida S. Baker High students teach youngsters sign language | news-press.com | The News-Press
It was difficult, but the students contained their excitement.
They knew it was the only way they could play sign language bingo.
The students watched the game leader as she made a sign with her hand. Across the room, students mimicked the same sign by holding their thumb and pinky fingers out, tucking their other fingers into their palms and creating the letter Y
“I know that one,” a student called out, marking his bingo sheet.
The excitement of learning a new language ensues for the students at Gulf Elementary School about twice a month. That’s when Ida S. Baker High sign-language instructor Shelley Downey-Consolo and her advanced sign-language students walk over to the school to teach the lessons.
“I enjoy seeing how quickly the students learn the language,” said Ashley Whidden, 16, a sign-language student. “Kids learn so quickly.”
The high school students come to Gulf prepared with lessons on teaching the alphabet, numbers, colors, holidays and other subjects.
Downey-Consolo has had the lessons in mind for the past couple of years and finally decided to move forward with the idea this school year after having spoken with Gulf principal Donnie Hopper.
“I just want to bring more exposure to American Sign Language,” Downey-Consolo said. She noted that students on both ends enjoy the lessons.
Downey-Consolo has been teaching at Baker for five years. She began teaching English and then started the sign language program about three years ago. Downey-Consolo majored in deaf education in college.
She said she enjoys hearing stories from her students who say they’re able to use the language in a real-life situation such as at work with a deaf customer.
“It makes it feel like everything is worthwhile,” Downey-Consolo said. “They’re putting their skills to work in the real world.”
In Florida, sign language counts as a fulfillment for a college language requirement.
“I think it’s good for more complex learning skills,” Downey-Consolo said.
But the language isn’t an easy one to learn.
“It’s not just English translated into signs,” Downey-Consolo said. “It has a whole different grammar structure.”
Baker, Fort Myers High and Island Coast High are the only schools in the district to offer the program.
Downey-Consolo had a few inspirations to learn the language. As a child, she played with a deaf boy down the street and would learn words on her own to communicate with him.
She also enjoyed watching Linda Bove, a deaf actress, sign on Sesame Street.
“I would watch it and I thought the language was very pretty,” Downey-Consolo said.
It was difficult, but the students contained their excitement.
They knew it was the only way they could play sign language bingo.
The students watched the game leader as she made a sign with her hand. Across the room, students mimicked the same sign by holding their thumb and pinky fingers out, tucking their other fingers into their palms and creating the letter Y
“I know that one,” a student called out, marking his bingo sheet.
The excitement of learning a new language ensues for the students at Gulf Elementary School about twice a month. That’s when Ida S. Baker High sign-language instructor Shelley Downey-Consolo and her advanced sign-language students walk over to the school to teach the lessons.
“I enjoy seeing how quickly the students learn the language,” said Ashley Whidden, 16, a sign-language student. “Kids learn so quickly.”
The high school students come to Gulf prepared with lessons on teaching the alphabet, numbers, colors, holidays and other subjects.
Downey-Consolo has had the lessons in mind for the past couple of years and finally decided to move forward with the idea this school year after having spoken with Gulf principal Donnie Hopper.
“I just want to bring more exposure to American Sign Language,” Downey-Consolo said. She noted that students on both ends enjoy the lessons.
Downey-Consolo has been teaching at Baker for five years. She began teaching English and then started the sign language program about three years ago. Downey-Consolo majored in deaf education in college.
She said she enjoys hearing stories from her students who say they’re able to use the language in a real-life situation such as at work with a deaf customer.
“It makes it feel like everything is worthwhile,” Downey-Consolo said. “They’re putting their skills to work in the real world.”
In Florida, sign language counts as a fulfillment for a college language requirement.
“I think it’s good for more complex learning skills,” Downey-Consolo said.
But the language isn’t an easy one to learn.
“It’s not just English translated into signs,” Downey-Consolo said. “It has a whole different grammar structure.”
Baker, Fort Myers High and Island Coast High are the only schools in the district to offer the program.
Downey-Consolo had a few inspirations to learn the language. As a child, she played with a deaf boy down the street and would learn words on her own to communicate with him.
She also enjoyed watching Linda Bove, a deaf actress, sign on Sesame Street.
“I would watch it and I thought the language was very pretty,” Downey-Consolo said.