Why wait to Communicate? Using sign language with your baby, toddler, and preschooler!

May 14, 2008 - PRLog -- 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.

Studies have shown that using sign language with hearing children allows communication and spoken language to happen earlier and faster, while reducing frustration and tantrums. Most children have 2-3 words by 1 year of age, whereas, children who use sign typically have possibly 6-10 words by 8-10 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 sooner!

Signing with your child does not hinder communication, but instead activates multiple areas of the brain used for communication earlier then with just speaking to your child. The area of a baby’s brain that is responsible for understanding what is seen (visual area) develops before the area that is responsible for what is heard (auditory area). This means that babies can understand what is being shown to them earlier than what is said to them. So if you consistently show your baby the sign for MILK while saying the word, it is most likely the case at 4-5 months that she’ll be calming down because she understands what she is seeing, not necessarily what she is hearing, yet. Keep in mind that all babies develop differently though.

The gross motor ability to sign starts developing around 6-7 months (every baby is different) while the finer motor skills need for speech develop from 12 months onward. This of how easy it is to sign FISH, one hand moving as if imitating the tail of a fishing swimming. My son signed this at 9 months. He started attempting to say it at 12 months, /pish/, and it wasn’t until he was two years that he clearly said /fish/

Using American Sign Language with Toddlers and Older Children

During the terrible two’s most of the challenging behaviours that occur happen because a toddler can’t make themselves understood (and they are transitioning out of naps!). She wants your attention, and can’t get it appropriately; she wants to escape a situation (e.g., diaper changing) and can’t do it appropriately; she wants something and can’t communicate this effectively and/or appropriately. Sign allows toddlers to communicate clearly and appropriately – no more 20 questions and melt downs are lessened.

Sign also allows you to communicate with your family is places where you need to be quiet, at church or at the library. It allows you to communicate through glass windows.

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Learn and Grow Together was founded in 2005 by Rebecca Marsch. Her goal was to educate and bring together families, helping to create a positive family and learning environment.
The mission of Learn and Grow Together is to provide each family with a fun, supportive environment that promotes self-discipline, motivation, and excellence in learning. We believe that every family can learn together how to have a close, happy, and well managed family!