New learning resource for children with intellectual disabilities

Lámh Ireland has launched their brand new Lámh-a- Song 2 DVD, book and learning resource for young Lámh users.  Including 15 nursery rhymes, Lámh-a- Song 2 is especially for young children with intellectual disabilities, with all songs sung and signed using Lámh along with teacher Lámheen.

Lámh is a manual sign system used by children and adults with intellectual disability and communication needs in Ireland. Supporting communication between parents, children and siblings, Lámh is used as a stepping stone for children and adults with intellectual disabilities to communicate with the world.

Originally developed in the early 1980s in order to create a unified, standardised, Irish-based approach to signing for those with intellectual disabilities and communication needs, Lámh speech is always used with signs and only key words in a sentence are signed. Lámh currently has 500 signs and has evolved and added signs since its initial development.

Speaking at the launch of the Lámh -a-Song 2 DVD, Mary Cullen, Manager of Lámh Development Office said: “I am delighted that the new ‘Lámh - a -Song 2’ DVD and learning resource are now ready for order and the resource link will be available for download shortly. ‘Lámh-a-Song 2’ is for young Lámh users, supported by their families, carers or pre-school staff and using the resource should be a fun activity and an opportunity for children to practice the signs. There are currently 500 Lámh signs and we will be launching more signs in the near future with the main objective of developing and promoting Lámh as an augmentative system of communication for people with intellectual disabilities in Ireland.”

Lámh signs can help children and adults with communication difficulties by encouraging eye contact and attention to movement. The signs also help people to develop their vocabulary and language skills and promotes attention to movements.