What is this gesture a sign for?

Question

My son is 3 and has an expressive speech delay. We are using multiple communications methods. He is starting to catch on to ASL (we're all hearing, so our experience is limited to baby sign classes and Bill Vicars). He has a number of gestures that he uses, which I'd like to help him turn into actual signs, as I would try and turn a babbled sound into a word by guessing at its meaning and then saying the word. For example, he LOVES the song "Wheels on The Bus" and asks for it by rotating his hands around each other or honking an imaginary horn (as done in the first two verses in this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S9XZX3m06cE). Are these gestures similar to any ASL signs that I can use in other settings? I've tried searching lifeprint but can't find anything (besides that honking a horn is like YOUR/YOURS).

Answer 1

The gestures he is using is close to the actual signs we use. This gesturing is similar to when a hearing child is learning to speak. Minor errors but the meaning is there.

The human brain wants to communicate. If verbal communication wont work, then gestures and eventually a form of Sign Language would be used.

Answer 2

Good question. If your son is making a rotating gesture for "wheels" it can be turned into the sign for WHEEL which would be using your closed fist with index finger extended on both hands and making a circling motion in lower space like at your waist level. Two wheels with arms extended outward and then move back to show the back wheels and make two circles with your index fingers on either side of your body to show the back wheels. In essence you are showing the outline of the wheels themselves.

The sign for honking a horn on a bus would be the gesture using the palm of your hand on the heel to press the imaginary horn. So yes this is similar to the sign for YOUR but the fingers would be curled up to look like the hand actually pressing at the center of the car steering wheel.

So yes your basic intuition about this is correct. You could model back to your son the correct handshape and motion for the signs to more formalize them.

If you would like more regular tutoring in ASL that could help you better help your son in his communication I would be happy to provide instruction for you.

Regards

Bill