PRLog (Press Release) –
May 14, 2008 – Recently, parents, caregivers, and childcare professionals have started using sign language to communicate with preverbal infants. Signing with babies is gaining popularity because it empowers children with early communication skills and helps to significantly reduce frustration.
Local classes teach adults in North Carolina how to use American Sign Language with infants and young children. Signing with pre-verbal hearing babies is one of the most fascinating and fastest growing parenting trends in North America. American Sign Language (ASL) is the third most commonly used language in the United States and its popularity is growing!
Rebecca Marsch is the founder and owner of Learn and Grow Together, based out of Morrisvlille, North Cariolina, and certified Wee Hands baby, toddler, and preschool sign language instructor. Learn and Grow Together provides workshops, classes, and personal instruction in the NC Triangle and surrounding areas designed to introduce American Sign Language (ASL) to infants, toddlers, and preschoolers as well as their parents, care givers and family members.
Studies show that using American Sign Language with infants and toddlers can help to reduce frustration, strengthen the parent-child bond, enrich children's literacy and speech & language development, boost vocabulary, increase self-confidence, and stimulate intelligence. Children with special needs also benefit from the gift of ASL, allowing them to communicate in a meaningful way.
Rebecca has her degree in Early Childhood Education and has 17 years experience with working with children from birth to preschool age. She also has 3 children of her own, ages 8, 5, and 1. From using signs, her 1 year old has a sign/spoken vocabulary of almost 100 words.
A National Research Study has shown that using sign language with hearing babies and toddlers allows communication and spoken language to happen earlier and faster, while reducing frustration and tantrums. Most children have 2-3 words by 12 months, whereas, children who use sign typically have: 5 signs and 1 word by 8 months! and 25 signs and 16 words by 12 months! Most children start combining words into 2 word sentences by 20 months, whereas children who sign typically do this by 11-14 months and some as early as 6 months, sometimes earlier! The typical non-signing, hearing child has 20-400 words by age 2.
