Enhancing Classroom Management with Hand Signal Posters
The importance of classroom management is reinforced in teacher preparation courses, however specific resources are not a topic of discussion. Through your classroom management you set behavioral expectations, maximize your instructional time, and promote a productive learning space. Create an optimal learning environment for your students using the best management tools and techniques. These free multicultural hand signals for classroom management are the perfect tool to support your students this school year. They are inclusive and have been proven to support effective communication in thousands of classrooms! I will outline the best tips and tricks for using these classroom hand signals.
An Important Note
When choosing resources to use in your classroom, considering the children represented in our classroom is imperative. A special feature of these hand signal signs is their many multicultural skin tones. This sends an inclusive message to all students and ensures everyone feels represented. Also, these posters incorporate several American Sign Language (ASL) signs such as “agree”, and “toilet”. Sign language is a helpful classroom tool for your entire class, but especially for those who are nonverbal, an English language learner, or have a hearing impairment.
Purpose of Hand Signal Posters
Using hand signals for classroom management facilitates non-verbal communication between all individuals. Each poster contains a multicultural hand and the corresponding word underneath the visual cues. Teachers and students use hand signals to streamline interactions. For instance, during whole class instruction instead of shouting, “May I go to the bathroom?”, the child can show the hand signal for the bathroom to ask for permission. This minimizes disruptions and ensures students’ needs are met in the classroom.
Designing Your Posters
Before you teach your students non-verbal hand signals, determine which signs you plan to use in your classroom. I recommend using no more than 5 in your classroom if you teach younger students. You can always teach more throughout the school year if you find your students have mastered the hand motions. Consider the simple questions your students ask most frequently and the unique student needs in your classroom. Cut your work time in half with these 7 premade hand signal posters (an editable version is also included). The premade signs include: Tissue, a pencil, break, drink of water, yes, no, and question. Choose the posters that best match your color schedule. Included in your free download are hand signs in bright colors and neutral colors. Click here to download your free hand signals for classroom management.
If you need a signal not included in the premade posters, you can use the editable version to add your own text. This freebie is a digital resource and can be downloaded directly to your computer. Use the text box on each poster to add your desired phrase. Choose a font that is easy to read and appropriate for your grade level. When you’re finished customizing your hand signal posters, print, cut, and laminate for durability. Pro tip: you can change the size of the posters by adjusting the scale in the printer settings. To make the posters smaller, select a value < 100. To make the size larger, select a value > 100.
Teaching Hand Signals in the Classroom
I recommend introducing the use of hand signals at the beginning of the school year! The best time to teach hand signals is during whole group instruction. Begin by introducing one hand signal a day. Show your students the poster and explain its purpose in the classroom. Give students time to practice making the hand signal. You can have them practice in pairs or as a whole class on the classroom run, for example. Then, display the poster in clear view of your students. Remember, these posters are a visual reminder of your expectations, so students should be able to reference them.
Model and role-play using the hand signal during a lesson. This reinforces student understanding and familiarity with the hand signals. Consider teaching the following procedure to your students. The student shows the sign to use the bathroom by holding the hand signal in front of their chest. Make eye contact with the student. Then, provide your student with nonverbal cues such as the thumbs-up signal to show you give permission or a shake of your head to signal no. This procedure sets clear expectations for using hand signals in the classroom. Remember, the goal of hand signals is to make your life easier! So you want them to set up clear and simple procedures around using them.
Integrate Into Classroom Management and Routines
Incorporating hand signals into your daily routines and classroom procedures reduces classroom disruptions. Classroom communication becomes streamlined and students’ needs are met quickly. Praising students for using hand signals is a great way to reinforce usage and consistency in your classroom. Do not be afraid to correct and model if your students need support using the signals properly. An easy way to do this is to allow other students in the classroom to model how the procedure should have been done. This helps children support one another and learn from each other.
Most classroom disruptions occur during instructional time. I recall my first year of teaching having to stop so many times to dismiss students to the bathroom and to get a tissue. I started utilizing this valuable tool and saw a dramatic decrease in classroom distraction. Student behavior was also better during shared instruction time because students focused and we were more engaged without interruptions.
Another great way to use these non-verbal cues is during small group lessons. Some students are completing independent work, while others are with the teacher. The teacher might be in the middle of a mini-lesson and a child working independently needs to get a drink of water. The child will come up to the teacher’s table and use one of the silent hand signals, without interrupting the group. The teacher will make eye contact, and give the child a silent response. Implementing hand signals and using them with fidelity is such an effective classroom management tool.
Classroom Benefits
Classroom management strategies are some of the most important tools in your teacher toolkit! Classrooms with strong management systems are more productive. They do not waste time due to student disruptions and redirections. Hand signal posters empower students to communicate their needs appropriately. Another benefit is improved student behavior because students feel their needs are being met.
Whether it is the beginning of the year or the middle of the year, hand signal posters are always a good idea! If you need hand signal posters, I’d love to send these multicultural hand signals straight to your inbox. Click here to sign up to receive them. These posters embrace diversity and promote an inclusive classroom environment. Hopefully, you gained some new ideas and inspiration to use these hand signals as part of your classroom management! If you use these ideas, please tag me on social media @bloomwithbridgette. I always love seeing your amazing classrooms!
Please note, that these multicultural hand signal posters are for single classroom use and cannot be sold or redistributed in any way. There is no need to purchase any additional license if you intend to share with your teacher bestie. Instead, please send them to this blog post, so they can download their own posters and read all the helpful tips!
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