Using sign language in teaching a song is a great method to help teach and reinforce the words to the song, especially for the younger children. It also is a way to incorporate movement while the children keep their focus on you while concentrating on learning the song. "Stand for the Right" is a very easy song to teach with sign language.
Now, the true American Sign Language (ASL) has a different syntax than the spoken English, that is, the sentence structure is not spoken the same as the English speaking sentence structure a.k.a grammar. Because true sign language will not match up with how one speaks the spoken word, or in this case sings the words, it can sometimes be confusing for children who want to relate the sign they are doing to the word(s) they are actually singing. For this reason, I tend to teach sign language using what is known as Pidgin Signed English (PSE). This combines English syntax with ASL signs; in essence, combining many signs from ASL but using it with a sentence structure more closely related to English. This is actually a very common way for hearing signers whose first language is English and who doesn't sign on a regular basis as well, to sign with those who are deaf, and those who are deaf are very adept at understanding and using this form of English signing. At least, this is what I have been told by those I know who are deaf.
Being that English is my first language and I am not deaf and the children in my Primary being the same, I am comfortable with not teaching signing in its truest sense, but teaching it in a way that is easier for non-signers to understand with the way they speak by using PSE. The reason I am explaining this is so you know another way to sign and also can understand how I write out my cheat sheets I have made for songs that I teach signing for in case your preference is to teach true ASL; the cheat sheets are written in the order of PSE—signing in the order we sing the words—not ASL.
Here is a PSE cheat sheet file I have made for the simple signs for "Stand for the Right". It is laid out in a column format; you read down the first column of the page on the left and then down the right column before going to the next page. The JR's love to do things with their hands and the kiddos will pick it up quickly—well, as for me, that's another story.
Now, the true American Sign Language (ASL) has a different syntax than the spoken English, that is, the sentence structure is not spoken the same as the English speaking sentence structure a.k.a grammar. Because true sign language will not match up with how one speaks the spoken word, or in this case sings the words, it can sometimes be confusing for children who want to relate the sign they are doing to the word(s) they are actually singing. For this reason, I tend to teach sign language using what is known as Pidgin Signed English (PSE). This combines English syntax with ASL signs; in essence, combining many signs from ASL but using it with a sentence structure more closely related to English. This is actually a very common way for hearing signers whose first language is English and who doesn't sign on a regular basis as well, to sign with those who are deaf, and those who are deaf are very adept at understanding and using this form of English signing. At least, this is what I have been told by those I know who are deaf.
Being that English is my first language and I am not deaf and the children in my Primary being the same, I am comfortable with not teaching signing in its truest sense, but teaching it in a way that is easier for non-signers to understand with the way they speak by using PSE. The reason I am explaining this is so you know another way to sign and also can understand how I write out my cheat sheets I have made for songs that I teach signing for in case your preference is to teach true ASL; the cheat sheets are written in the order of PSE—signing in the order we sing the words—not ASL.
Here is a PSE cheat sheet file I have made for the simple signs for "Stand for the Right". It is laid out in a column format; you read down the first column of the page on the left and then down the right column before going to the next page. The JR's love to do things with their hands and the kiddos will pick it up quickly—well, as for me, that's another story.