There are many reasons why parents teach sign language to their children. Some first-time parents want to teach their children to sign because it gives them insights into what their child’s wants and needs are before they are able to talk clearly. For others, it is because their child has not started talking when other children their age have.

 

Teaching your child sign language has lots of benefits and many people are on board with signing with babies.

 

But what about using sign language for children who have developed some spoken language? Should you still sign? While there may naturally not be a need to continue using sign after spoken language emerges, we say stick with it! The benefits are vast.

 

Dr. Claire Vallotton from Michigan State University, states in her white paper: Signing with Babies and Children:

 

“There are many benefits of using signs with students – from as young as preverbal infants, to those in early elementary, all the way to adult students who struggle with reading or those who are learning a new language.

 

Research has also shown benefits for children with special needs including dyslexia, language impairments, Down syndrome, and Autism Spectrum Disorders, as well as for both hearing and deaf children in an inclusive education environment. Thus signs can be used to enhance education for learners of a wide range of ages and abilities.

 

The benefits of signing are not just for the students, but for teachers, too. When children can communicate more clearly, teachers can respond to them more easily, and teachers’ feel more competent in their own work.

In the last three decades, we’ve witnessed an amazing partnership between families, teachers, and researchers. This partnership created the impetus for the early research and the momentum for studies that followed.

As we move into the future, our work will continue, fed by breakthroughs in neuroscience and technology which will lead to even more exciting discoveries about how signing influences human interactions and learning.”

 

 

 

Why Do We Recommend Starting Sign Language Early?

Many studies have shown that it is ideal to teach children sign language young because children who are hearing and typically developing naturally use their hands to communicate before they can talk. With just a few basic signs, you can know if a Baby is “hungry”, “thirsty”, wants “milk” or “water”, needs to “sleep”, wants “more” — and the list goes on and on.

 

Signing reduces frustration and tantrums. Parents who use signs with their hearing children before they can talk report lots of different benefits for themselves and their children. For example, parents report that their signing children have fewer tantrums and better social skills and that both the children and parents are less frustrated.

Researchers have tested some of these claims by comparing families who use signs to families who don’t use signs. Parents who use signs with their children have less parenting-related stress, their interactions are more affectionate, and parents have an easier time responding to their children when the children are upset.

Also, studies by Claire Vallotton have shown that children who use signs before they talk can use signs to express their feelings and to control their own behavior in order to comply with adults’ requests.

Research shows that using signs with preschoolers and kindergartners aids their language and literacy development and indicates that it is helpful, not harmful, to continue using signs with children who are signing. Several studies have also shown that signing can help kindergartners, and even older children, gain bigger vocabulary and improve their spelling and reading skills.

 

Using baby sign language will help you to communicate and give you the opportunity to spend more time together — a beneficial time forging your bond and learning a new skill together. When communication happens between you and your little one, you can better understand each other and spend more time getting to know each other.

 

Once your child is better able to express their desires and interests, you can get a glimpse at their personality. Sign language and gives your child a voice when they may not be able to vocally communicate. It is often easier for a child to sign they are overwhelmed due to a stressful situation such as illness. They can also express their emotions through signing. Your child’s ability to express themselves and your ability to better understand them will help you both to feel more confident.

 

 

 

Easy Ways to Teach Sign Language to Children

The best way to teach your child to sign is by making signs a natural part of your conversation during the day. You can begin signing with your baby soon after birth, so you may want to start practicing during pregnancy.  Keep in mind, that Baby may not be able to sign back until after they are four to nine months old. Remember – all babies develop differently, and it may take time for the baby to understand signs and sign back.

After the Baby is born, continue signing as part of your conversations and your baby will naturally pick up the signs. When you are feeding your baby, sign “MILK” and then as they transition to food, sign “EAT“.

As you are laying them down for a nap sign, “SLEEP“. Other great signs to start with are “MOM“, “DAD“, “MORE“, “PLEASE“,  “THANK YOU“, and “FINISHED/ALL DONE” in your daily interactions with your baby.

Surrounding your family with others who use sign language will reinforce what you are teaching your child. An easy way to do that is to attend Baby Sign Language Classes. Find a Signing Time Academy Class near you at https://www.signingtime.com/academy.

 

 

Why Parents LOVE Signing Time

Joseph Garcia from Signing With Your Baby states, “It Takes A Language to Learn a Language!” Signing Time teaches American Sign Language vocabulary and concepts. Here are some amazing comments we’ve received from parents who have taught their young children sign language with our programs:

 

“I am certain that learning to sign as babies and toddlers helped my daughters learn to read, memorize, and even dance better. I like to joke that signing ‘turned their brains on, and perhaps made them more aware of things around them, at an earlier age.

 

I am so grateful for Rachel Coleman’s work and care in bringing these programs to all families. It made a world of difference in our family and I am so grateful to have had it during those younger years especially. We also enjoy the Potty Time, Nursery Rhymes, and the Rachel & the TreeSchoolers programs. Keep up the great work! And THANK YOU!!!”

— Charity S.

 

 

“Yesterday, I went to pick up a piece of trash that fell out of my car and bumped the door shut and locked my 18-month-old inside. It was 94 degrees out. I fought to keep calm as I tried to pry the window open and keep him happy while we waited for the police to arrive.

Although it seemed like hours, he was in there only six to eight minutes. I want to thank you because he was able to sign for me and I knew he was still coherent. I don’t think the thought of him sweatily signing for water will ever NOT make me sob, but I’m so thankful that we had a way to communicate. Thank you so, so much!”

— Becky

 

“My son is now two, but was getting so frustrated trying to tell us what he wanted and would act out a lot. Now he is always happy because he can sign!”

— April

 

 

“I want to take this opportunity to thank you for giving my son functional communication. He is non-verbal autistic and is 12-years-old. Your videos have made it possible for him and I to communicate, totally limiting his frustration, and hence he is very well behaved. Thank you!”

— Leslie R.

 

 

 

Joovy Magazine Readers — get a free 14-day trial to MySigningTime.com with this link!

 

 

Have you taught your children sign language? What kind of impact has it had on your family? Tell us in the comments below!