An evaluation of the relationship between receptive speech skills and expressive signing.

Three kids with intellectual disability learned new signs. Half the signs matched words they already understood. Half did not.

The team used an alternating-treatments design. They switched the type of sign each day and tracked how fast each sign was learned and kept.

Signs tied to known receptive words were mastered faster. Kids kept these signs longer during follow-up checks.

Unmatched signs took more trials to learn and faded quicker. The difference was clear for every child.

Gentry et al. (1980) showed total communication beats sign-alone for a mute autistic preschooler. The 1986 study adds a rule: first check receptive vocabulary.

Bao et al. (2017) found expressive-first sequences speed up feature-function-class learning. Both papers say receptive-before-expressive is not the fast track.

Skrtic et al. (1982) moved signing into daily routines for older youth. Their durable gains support using the receptive-match rule in natural settings too.

Before you pick new signs, run a quick receptive probe. If the child already points to "cup" on request, teach the sign for "cup" first. You will save trials and boost retention. Use this match-to-receptive rule in both table work and natural-environment teaching.