Baby Signing is a way to enhance communication with preverbal babies. It involves using hand signals when speaking to your child so that he learns to associate the word and action. You can make up your own signs but it's more consistent and easier for family and carers to get involved if you stick to signing methods based on British (BSL) or American Sign Language (ASL).
Why Do It?
Research in the US has identified many positive benefits. Child development expert Joseph Garcia first saw the benefits while working as an interpreter for the deaf in the 1970s. He observed that hearing children of deaf parents used signing to communicate their needs from an earlier age than non-signing babies and seemed more content. He thought it would be useful if all babies could sign and went on to develop the Sign With Your Baby program, which is based on ASL.
In 1982 Drs Linda Acredolo and Susan Goodwyn of California University noticed babies were using gestures to communicate preverbally. They conducted a longitudinal study, which found that babies who had learned to sign were happier, more confident, less frustrated and learned to talk earlier than non-signing babies. Their follow-up study of the same group of children aged eight found they had higher IQ's than non-signing babies.
When Should I Start?
Your baby will be able to gesture and point long before she can talk. Garcia suggests starting at six months as babies are capable of understanding from this age. At 9-10 months babies are quite social and enjoy pointing and babbling so will get a lot out of signing.
How To Get Started
Classes - Sing and Sign classes cost £54 per term (12 classes) based on an hour's tuition a week. Classes are taught by an accredited teacher and involve singing and the use of toys and props to teach signs. It's a sociable way of learning, geared towards teaching you while baby plays. However it's quite expensive and also a commitment as you've paid upfront for the term. There is also a big age range in the beginner group (they take babies from six-18 months), which means that the children are at different stages of development and interaction.
Books, DVDs, TV Programmes
A cheaper alternative is to hire or buy a book/DVD from your local library/bookshop. Educational TV programmes such as Something Special on CBeebies Children's TV explain how to use signing to communicate with your child. It's aimed at four to seven year olds with learning difficulties but is useful for all children.
Basic Signs (based on BSL)
Eat: primary hand held with fingertips touching thumb tip and then motioning towards mouth.
Drink: primary hand held with palm in front of mouth then moves sideways and hand partially closes.
Milk: squeeze your fingers into your palm and open again as a ‘milking’ motion.
More: hands held open with palms facing towards body with primary hand in front of the secondary hand. Primary hand moves forward a short distance.
All gone/Finish: Hands held in fists with thumbs extended and fingernails facing upwards.
- Try and get into the habit of using the signs everyday.
- Use one sign per sentence and speak the word as you sign it so that baby learns to associate the two.
- Make sure your signing is consistent.
- Be patient and encouraging. Your baby is absorbing information even if she's not yet signing.
Books
Baby Signs – How to Talk with Your Baby Before Your Baby Can Talk (Positive Parenting) by Linda Acredolo and Susan Goodwyn, Vermilion, 2000.
Joseph Garcia’s Complete Guide to Babysigning, Match Media Publications Ltd, 2004.
