ROAR!! This is How You Sign 'Lion'

I have a very young student with a moderate hearing loss. We'll call him John. He can understand spoken language for the most part, but has problems expressing himself verbally (for different reasons, not because of hearing loss). He knows how to sign and he utilizes an interpreter in his general education class. His typically hearing classmates have the habit of coming to me or his interpreter and asking about John. I often remind them to talk to John directly and I encourage them to learn some signs.

Yesterday, on Halloween, I came by for a visit to assist with John in a "monster" activity. Some of his classmates sitting nearby were talking about their Halloween costumes and asking each other what they were going to wear.

Suddenly, John signed, "lion" and then let out a huge roar. He wanted to be part of the discussion.

One of the students looked at him and asked him directly, "What are you going to be for Halloween?" John signed "lion" and let out another roar. The student looked at me, and I told him to try to guess. He looked at John and asked him to repeat what he signed. John signed 'lion' again and attempted to say 'lion'. The student asked, "A lion?" and then he signed 'lion'. John smiled a big smile and yelled out, "Yah!" His other classmates started signing 'lion' and asking John if they signed it correctly. Then, they all played a game together where they pretended to be deaf lions who sign. John was having the best time.

These are the moments that make all the stress and insanity of my job worth it. : )

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