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Does using Sign Language with
babies delay the development of verbal communication?
|
 |
Are SmallTalk Workshops based
on real Sign Language? |
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Are SmallTalk Workshops designed
for deaf children? |
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When should we introduce Sign
Language to our baby? |
|
How long will it take for
our baby to produce the signs? |
|
Why is our baby not signing
even after we have been using signs for a while? |
|
Is there scientific
research that supports the idea of signing with babies?
|
|
What if my childcare provider
doesn't use signs? |
|
Is it necessary to take a
workshop to learn how to use Sign Language with my baby? |
|
Why do you incorporate familiar
children's songs and rhymes into your workshops? |
|
What is the best Sign Language
book to purchase? |
|
Where can I get more information?
|
Q. Does using Sign Language with
babies delay the development of verbal communication?
A. This seems to be the most common concern people
have about using Sign Language with their pre-verbal baby.
Rest assured that the research
actually shows the opposite to be true. Studies have shown
that babies who learn to sign tend to have a stronger command
of verbal language and also begin speaking at an earlier
age than babies who don't sign. The experiences shared by
the people who have attended our workshops confirm these
scientific studies again and again. Sign Language (a visual/gross
motor skill), simply gives children the ability to communicate
before speech (a fine motor skill), develops.
Q. Are SmallTalk Workshops based
on real Sign Language?
A. SmallTalk Workshops are based on American Sign
Language (ASL), the official language of the Deaf Community
in the United States and Canada. An advantage of learning
a widely recognized language such as ASL is that other people
who are familiar with the language will be able to identify
and respond to the signs that your baby knows. As your baby
develops, he or she will also begin to recognize familiar
ASL signs on TV shows and in public settings. Further, babies
begin communicating using one-word sentences to express
complete thoughts or needs. The structure of ASL is compatible
with language development, given that one sign often conveys
an entire concept.
Click here to learn more about the benefits of using ASL to facilitate early communication with your baby.
Q. Are SmallTalk Workshops designed
for deaf children?
A. No, our workshops were designed for hearing babies
and hearing adults. However, since our workshops are based
on American Sign Language, they are useful and appropriate
for families of deaf children and children with a variety
of special needs
Q. When should we introduce Sign
Language to our baby?
A. We encourage you to begin learning Sign Language
and incorporating it into your everyday communication with
your baby right away. This gives you the opportunity to
develop a familiarity with the language over a period of
time. When your baby is six or seven months old, we suggest
that you begin to actively work on one or two 'essential
signs' such as more and all done. Use these signs in conjunction
with the spoken word at every opportunity, and gently and
playfully show your baby how to make the signs with their
own hands. For example, set the stage for your baby to want
more of something, let's say dry cereal. If your baby generally
can eat 15 pieces of cereal at a sitting, only give her
five. As she finishes the last one, do the sign for 'more'
while asking her if she wants more, then gently bring her
hands together to make the 'more' sign. Follow this up by
giving her some more cereal. Over time, when your child
is ready, she will bring her hands together in some fashion
to indicate a desire for 'more.' Express your excitement
and show your baby that you understand what she has communicated
by giving her some more!
Research indicates that babies can begin signing back to
you between the seventh and eighth month, although, some
may begin earlier and some may not sign until after the
first year. Do not become frustrated if your baby does not
produce any signs right away. All babies develop at their
own pace. A baby needs to develop memory, dexterity, and
cognition adequate for recognizing, retaining, and producing
signs. We've found that when your baby is using other common
gestures for communication such as waving 'bye-bye,' pointing
at objects of interest, and reaching to be picked up, they
are more likely to begin signing. We have found it is never
too late to begin signing. Even babies that have developed
early verbal skills can benefit from signing. For example,
although our daughter had a very large verbal vocabulary
at eighteen months of age, she did not say every word clearly.
Signs were very helpful when we could not decipher the word
she was repeating over and over. Similarly, when a child
is having difficulty learning how to say a new word, a sign
can be a fun way to bridge the gap until the new word is
mastered.
Q. How long will it take for our
baby to produce the signs?
A. This depends on several factors such as how old
your child is, how frequently caregivers are using the signs,
and how interested the child is in communicating. Some parents
get results in a few days and others wait several weeks
or even months. As discussed above, consistently using a
few key signs on a daily basis, setting the stage to give
your child an opportunity to communicate using signs, and
promptly responding to your child's version of the sign
are all important factors.
Q. Why is our baby not signing even
after we have been using signs for a while?
A. As discussed above, a variety of factors play
into how quickly a child begins using the signs to communicate.
We do not look at the process as a race to see who gets
to the finish line first. We encourage you to use the signs
on a consistent basis, set the stage to give your child
an opportunity to communicate, and respond to your child
when they have made an effort to form a particular sign.
Given this, babies will sign when they are ready to communicate,
and when they are given the chance to communicate. Sometimes
babies do not begin signing simply because their needs are
so well anticipated by their caregivers that they have no
need to supplement their communication with signs.
We do not advocate teaching signs to babies, but rather
integrating them into your daily spoken communication with
your child. Force feeding signs or having grand expectations
will work against the intent of using the signs to enhance
the communication process. If you have particular questions
about your child's use of the signs, do not hesitate to
contact us.
Q. Is there scientific research
that supports the idea of signing with babies?
A. Yes! Please visit our scientific
research page for a summary of current research in this
area.
Q. What if my childcare provider
doesn't use signs?
A. It is important that the people who care for your
child are familiar with the signs that your child knows.
Your child will grow accustomed to having his needs responded
to when he uses the signs to communicate. Ideally, your
caregiver should be invited to attend one of our workshops.
In addition, we have a variety of books
that will help your caregiver develop a vocabulary in Sign
Language.
Most childcare providers embrace the idea of communicating
with babies through signs when they discover that signing
greatly reduces the frustration levels for both the babies
and themselves. We have received a great deal of positive
feedback from childcare providers who have attended our
workshops and incorporated the signs into their childcare
setting. If your childcare provider is resistant to using
the signs, it may help to print and share the information at the following links: http://www.newswise.com/articles/1999/1/SIGNLANG.OSU.html and http://www.sign2me.com/daycare/main.htm.
These links contain information regarding signing with
preverbal babies in a childcare/classroom environment.
Q. Is it necessary to take a workshop
to learn how to use Sign Language with my baby?
A. It is not necessary to take a workshop to learn
Sign Language vocabulary, but the workshops
do speed the learning process and provide a learning atmosphere
that is fun and supportive. Sign Language is an intuitive
and accessible language to learn. If you decide not to participate
in a workshop, there are a wide variety of written
materials available to help you learn the vocabulary
and learn how best to integrate signs into your communication
with your baby.
Q. Why do you incorporate familiar
children's songs and rhymes into your workshops?
A. Exposure to music enhances language development,
spatial reasoning skills, socialization, and motivation
to communicate. Again and again people tell us that incorporating
music into the learning environment helps them learn the
signs and gives them a tool to practice at home. Incorporating
songs and rhymes into the learning environment also provides
a more engaging environment for both adults and children.
With few exceptions, fussy babies will quiet when the adults
begin to sing and sign. Further, both signing and music
aid in the ability to keep a steady beat; a skill which
has been linked to improved reading performance.
Q. What is the best Sign Language
book to purchase?
A. We recommend a variety of different Sign Language
resource books. The best
book for you depends on your particular needs and circumstances.
In each of our workshops we highlight selected resource
materials and describe the benefits and drawbacks of each.
We also give you a hands-on opportunity to explore the books
and consider them for your own use. You can order Dawn's books by clicking here or by contacting us.
Q. Where can I get more information?
A. Dawn's Blog is full of great information. Click here for a series of posts that summarizes, step-by-step, how to sign with your baby. You are also welcome to
contact us
with any additional questions you might have.
