How Use of Signs Impacts Personal Peace and the Classroom

Abstract

This research paper evaluates how the use of sign language in a Montessori environment contributes to personal peace and how that impacts the classroom community. Use of signs in classrooms has become more prevalent throughout the years, whether it be baby signs, American Sign Language (ASL), or a sign invented by teachers and students alike to use in the classroom or at home. To inform the research, this paper will discuss how ASL came to be used in America and how signs are now used in classroom settings. The design of the study is auto-ethnographic and was for the purpose of supporting the pedagogical development of the researcher, who is a Montessori educator. The research spanned over the course of five weeks; 15 students were studied using three data collection instruments. These instruments included a tally chart, an observation sheet, and a personal questionnaire. The research concluded that use of sign language positively impacted the researcher’s personal peace and congruently impacted the classroom community in a positive manner.