Over the past two or three decades, the concept of baby sign language has become increasingly common. Although signing is essential for hearing-impaired babies, research has shown that baby sign language also benefits developmentally normal babies. Some people view baby signing as simply a fashionable fad, but it actually enhances verbal, mental and emotional development, notes the "Infant Mental Health Journal." Teaching your baby to speak through signing helps him express his needs and thoughts before he can learn to talk.
Method
When your baby is about 10 months old, introduce a few simple signs. The Perry (Ohio) Public Library recommends starting with signs for your baby's favorite things. For example, if your baby has a favorite toy or activity, then start teaching him the sign for that toy or action. Whenever your baby asks for or plays with the toy, say the word for the toy and make the sign for it. After doing this for a few days, if your baby seems interested, then add another step; gently hold his hands and help him form the sign. Your baby will learn to associate the sign with the word and with the object, and he will eventually begin mimicking the sign on his own.
Mental and Emotional Development
According to the "Infant Mental Health Journal," preverbal infants want to express their emotions through communication, and their brains can comprehend the concept. Sign language provides a linguistic tool they can comprehend before they can talk, and it might help them learn to understand their own feelings.
The ability to converse through signs helps babies avoid frustration and tantrums. Further, notes Baby Signs, it enhances confidence and self-esteem because it lets babies connect with people on a more advanced, independent level.
Language Development
A study in the "Journal of Nonverbal Behavior" found that babies who know sign language learn to speak faster and acquire bigger vocabularies. They know more words by age 2 than other babies, even babies who receive special verbal training. They show advantages in talking by 15 months and in hearing comprehension by 19 months. This linguistic advantage lasts only until about age 3, but meanwhile, it helps parents and children communicate effectively.
How It Works
The "Journal of Nonverbal Behavior" explains that conversing, even nonverbally, helps a baby's brain grasp the concept of communication. Signing provides an intermediate linguistic level that bridges the gap between understanding language and mastering talking. It helps the baby progress towards verbal dialogue before he can speak effectively.
Additionally, parents tend to talk to their babies more frequently if their babies use sign language, the journal notes, and babies learn language by listening. Further, signing lets babies initiate and influence conversations, which helps foster their interest in conversation.
IQ
According to a paper presented at the International Conference on Infant Studies, children who learned signed language as babies tend to have higher levels of intelligence. The study found that at 8 years old, children who signed as babies significantly outperformed other children in verbal IQ, performance IQ and normal IQ. This outcome demonstrates the long-term benefits of baby sign language, which enhances, enriches and accelerates linguistic and mental development.
Hearing-Impaired Babies
Learning sign language greatly benefits deaf and hard-of-hearing babies, notes the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders. Not only does it help them communicate despite their impediment, it also helps them develop normally, since language is essential to mental development. Georgia Tech explains that deaf babies who use sign language gain better language comprehension, communication skills, intellectual development and mental health.
References
- "Infant Mental Health Journal"; Signs of Emotion: What Can Preverbal Children "Say"; Vallotton; 2008
- Perry Public Library: Sign Language for Babies?
- Baby Signs: Benefits
- "Journal of Nonverbal Behavior"; Impact of Symbolic Gesturing...; Goodwyn et al.; 2000
- International Conference on Infant Studies: The Longterm Impact of Symbolic Gesturing During Infancy
