Abstract

Nonverbal mentally handicapped children taught sign language often learn to sign spontaneously. The data available on their spontaneous signing is summarized here and possible reasons for the spontaneity discussed. Instructional techniques for promoting spontaneity are outlined, and implications of sign spontaneity for research are considered. Nonverbal children can learn to sign spontaneously to express their desires, to initiate social interaction, and to describe aspects of their world; they also sign egocentrically to guide their own behavior. This spontaneous signing, it is argued here, develops as an adaptation and extension of the behavior of goal-directed grasping to the tasks of social communication. To promote this spontaneity it is important to begin sign language instruction with the expression of desires, to de-emphasize imitation, and to use structured waiting. The developmental aspects of nonverbal children’s acquired spontaneity in signing suggest intriguing research possibilities.

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