Kindy kids learn to sign

Rutherford St Kindergarten children are learning how to use one of New Zealand’s three official languages – sign language.

The children have been getting lessons from Hearing Association sign language tutor Cathy Gutschlag.

Cathy teaches children at three primary schools in Nelson and Motueka.

Rutherford St Kindergarten is the first kindy she teaches at, but she would love to help other young children learn how to sign.

Learning sign language is helping the Rutherford St kindy kids communicate with one of their fellow pupils, Destiny Taylor-Gibbins.

Destiny is 31⁄ and has Down syndrome.

Head teacher Mary Davies said that since the children had started learning sign language teachers had noticed children were signing to Destiny to communicate with her – ‘‘which is great’’.

Parents had also noticed children were using sign language at home and teaching their parents.

Mary said sign language was expressive language and it was great for children to be able to express themselves in different ways.

Cathy said young children were great fun to teach and they picked it up quite quickly.

She said her course covered a range of things including animals, classroom objects, colours, numbers and songs.

It was tailored to the age of children, and always started with the national anthem because it used all three of New Zealand’s official languages – Te Reo, English and sign language.

She said it was wonderful that Rutherford St kindy kids were using the signs to communicate with Destiny.

The aim of the classes was to help make communication flow between kids.

‘‘I’m really passionate about hearing children learning to sign that just makes our community more inclusive,’’ Cathy said.

If any other kindergarten or school is interested in contacting Cathy Gutschlag they can email her on nelsonnzsl@gmail.com.