Signing with your child

[Deneen]

Nicci,
Should we start a new post somewhere about sign language?  Maybe somebody out there already has video or pics?  Actually....it would be more work but SOOOO worth it if we would use our own kids doing the signs then they would likely remember them easier.....
I have this pic of Shawn Michael signing more (although it's the wrong sign it's what we used in our family)

[nhockaday]

I thought about doing videos myself, but I'm not sure if they'll be too large to upload. Gabriel is only 7 months old so I have only been signing with him for about a month. Of course, he doesn't know how to do any signs yet, but he smiles when I sign to him, and he knows what some are already (milk, hungry, cereal mainly!)

And by the way, it doesn't matter if our kids create their own spin on the signs. As long as we figure out what their signing, it's ok! If they mess up when first signing, we are supposed to keep signing the right way so that they'll get better at it (never correct them; they are trying, and that's what counts). I have many great tips that I will post on our new thread!

[nhockaday]

Hi everyone! Have you taught your baby or child sign language? Are you interested in learning more about sign language? Here's the place to share your experiences or learn more!

What are the benefits?:
Sign language is a wonderful way to communicate with your baby. If started soon enough, many babies can sign basic words before they can speak them! In a long-term study funded by the National Institute of Health, researchers found that signing actually makes it easier to teach a baby to talk. Also children who were consistently signed to as a baby scored higher on standardized tests of both receptive language development (how much they understand) and expressive language development (how much they can say).

-Child can communicate wants and needs at an early age
-Child may learn to speak earlier (because sign language is used in conjunction with speaking, you teach your toddler to talk as you sign)
-Child may have a higher I.Q. (research suggests as much as 10 points higher)
-Child may have an easier time learning a second language later in life
-Both child and parent experience lower frustration levels because baby can communicate needs earlier
-Parent and child create a deeper bond and a higher level of trust
-Parent receives greater insight into child's mind
(these benefits are from the signbabies web site)


I started teaching my son, Gabriel, some basic signs about a month ago. The signs I am teaching him are common words that I use often. So far I have introduced signs for more, milk, done, cereal, eat, sleep, mom, dad, hungry and change. I have also used spoon, dog, cat and book a few times too. He smiles when I sign to him and he recognizes some words.

I bought a wonderful set of asl cards when I was still pregnant, and although he is too young to understand the cards, they are wonderful for me to learn the signs! When he gets older, I will show him the cards just like flash cards.

If you are interested in buying some asl cards or books, this is a great site http://www.signbabies.com/. This is where I got my cards from (I bought the whole set), and they are wonderful! The site also has tons of info.

Now, here are some great tips from their site:

(tips on teaching sign language) http://www.signbabies.com/article_info.php/articles_id/5?osCsid=4110deab9bfbda202e08defcf519694a

http://www.signbabies.com/article_info.php/articles_id/5?osCsid=4110deab9bfbda202e08defcf519694a

(tips for success) http://www.signbabies.com/article_info.php/articles_id/5?osCsid=4110deab9bfbda202e08defcf519694a

(will my baby ever sign back?) http://www.signbabies.com/article_info.php/articles_id/5?osCsid=4110deab9bfbda202e08defcf519694a

[nohayo]

I never really thought sign langauge was that important !! But making potty training easier is so worth it !!  Is this also from Glen doman??

[pupisek]

As I said in download section when I was uploading categories of some Baby Signs with illustrative pictures - I started to teach my daughter signing at her 7 month and she started to sign back to me one month later. It made everything so much easier because instead of whinning and crying she could actually tell me (with signs) what she wants. It even speeded up the potty training because she actually was able to show me that she wants to change, later on that she is peeing and later even that she wants to go to use the potty. I definitely recommend it to every parent. Check my sign pictures as soon as they are approved, they helped me to learn signs myself and I could later teach my daughter how and when to use them. If you have any questions feel free to ask.

[nohayo]

I just downloaded them, are these real sign language (for deaf communication) ? Or just baby sign language?

[pupisek]

As far as I know most of American Baby Sings are based on real American sign language (ASL) for deaf people. They are just little adjusted if necessary (for example a potty sign is a ASL sign for toilet). These official signs are just good guidelance but you can create your own signs that suit you and your baby. The pictures are from book that teaches sign communication with baby.
And I do not know this from Glenn Doman. I have never read anything from him about sign language. Most of my "baby signing" knowledge is from different programs like - Signing time, My baby can talk, Sign with your baby, Baby See and Sign...They are very similar to one another, they explain how and when to introduce new signs to your baby, how to repeat them, it usually also includes some dictionary of signs, some of them are videos that really teach children sign language while they are wathing. It is really worth it to start teaching signing your 8, 9, 10 months or so. Try it, you will see the great benefits.

[nohayo]

Thanks Pupisek more tahn enough info! I will look up theose resources you mentione... I think I changed my mind about sign language 

[lawrencelb]

I just posted a little bit about my use of sign with my own kiddos on another thread (now I can't recall where), but then I checked out this thread and thought I would share here as well.

I completely agree that using sign along with words can be very beneficial for all children who are learning language.  I am a big proponent of incorporating sign - I have seen firsthand with my older child when she was little the reduction in frustration when she could rely on a sign to request an action or an object when she did not yet have the spoken word for it.  I have also used sign language with children who have communication delays, and I have found it very beneficial.  Over the years, I have encountered some parents who have had initial reservations about my using sign with their child (usually their question is "won't my child just rely on the sign and not learn the spoken words to go along with them?"), but I have never found this to be the case.  The signs simply fade away once the child begins to be able to say the words.

I am pleased to see so many parents interested in and using sign language (in whatever form) with their children. 

I also agree that it is completely fine for the child to develop his or her "version" of the sign.  Children's first attempts at signs are often only "approximations" of the adult versions of the sign.  Deneen's Sean Michael doing the sign for "more" is a perfect example of how early signs are often adapted by kiddos when they first learn them.  What is important is that the parents or other family members know what the child is trying to communicate (what the sign stands for).  I have met some children who have developed some pretty extensive gestural systems to get their wants and needs met who have never even been exposed to "true" signs.

Great discussion everyone!  Thanks for reading.

[nhockaday]

Thank you for re-posting here. Thanks for sharing your experiences too

[Maddy]

Hi everybody!

I'm a BIG fan of baby signing (and use it to communicate with my DD, Naimah). I just spoke to my friend Singwa, who is Hong Kong's official Baby Signs teacher - I wanted to ask her about the sign for "more" posted by Deneen. It's one I've seen several times so I thought it was an alternative to the standard fingertips-together American Sign Language (ASL) sign. (Btw, if you need to look up a sign, I recommend this ASL dictionary).

What Singwa told me was very interesting: apparently a lot of babies adapt "more" to look something like the sign Shawn Michael is modeling - i.e. they tap a finger or fingers against their flat palm instead of against the fingertips of their other hand. Obviously this is easier to do, but isn't it amazing that different babies will independently come up with similar-looking adaptations?

If you want an easy and fun way to learn ASL with your baby, I highly recommend Baby Signing Time. (If your baby is over one, you might like to go straight to Signing Time [the original program that aired on US TV]). If it's videos of babies signing their idiosyncratic signs that you're after, you'll also find those in Baby Signing Time (my favorite was a girl tapping her nose as the sign for "bird"!).

NIKKI, thanks for taking the time to post all that information about the benefits of signing for hearing babies! Six months is a fine age to start (nice 'n early), but you can actually begin modeling signs to your baby from any age (even birth!). It's just that your baby may not be able to start signing back until 10 to 12 months of age. Naimah just turned 9 months, and while she hasn't started modeling signs, she's been obviously understanding them for as long as I can remember (we started at around 3 months). So I would highly recommend introducing sign language as early as possible - babies feel a whole lot happier when we tell them what's happening instead of just doing things to them. e.g. When Nim is on the nappy mat, she will often stop fussing and trying to crawl away only when I show her the signs for "change nappy" and/or "change clothes."

NOHA, as far as I know, Glenn Doman has never promoted baby sign language. But maybe he should! It can make all the difference between whether or not brain-injured children are able to communicate. Rachel de Azevedo Coleman, co-creator and presenter of (Baby) Signing Time, has said that sign language greatly helped her second daughter, who has cerebral palsy, to communicate - when the doctors had predicted she would never be able to. Coleman adds that had it not been for the fact that her first daughter is deaf, it would probably never have occurred to her and her husband to use sign language with their second daughter!

MARTINA, thanks for your contributions to the Downloads section. Your baby's motor skills are very advanced - congratulations! (I don't think many babies start signing back at 8 months.) Yes, baby signing programs (and there are MANY) generally involve ASL or British Sign Language (BSL) - with a few signs modified to make it easier for the babies. A good example is "dog," which involves slapping your hand against your thigh (as though you're calling a dog over) and then snapping your fingers. Most people leave out the snap when talking to their baby, as babies can't snap their fingers!

LEANNA, it's great to have experts like you in the forum! Now we all know someone who's experienced firsthand how sign language can help children with communication delays (incidentally, another group that I heard it can be extremely beneficial for is Down syndrome kids).

I'm so glad to be having this discussion, as all of your insights and experiences could in some way be incorporated into the signing section of the BrillBaby website

[nohayo]

Maddy I was just thinking that signing might be great for down's syndrome then I read your post confirming it It is great for communication problems wherever they originate from O guess

[Buckeroo]

From kikaep:

I would need an advice from a successful signer  . I have three kids (one son is 14, other son 3 1/2 and baby girl who is 11 months old). I signed with the first one and all he learned was a sign for nursing  . With the baby girl I'm signing for last 4 months and she is sometimes reproducing something. The problem is following: she is very active and she rarely look at me and my hands when I'm signing, she is usually doing her stuff and looking all around. What do you suggest to do? Thank you! Kristina from Croatia

How soon your child signs back depends not only on developmental readiness (i.e., motor skills developed enough to be able to imitate simple signs), but also on how consistently and frequently you sign with him/her.  Another factor to take into consideration is also how interested your child might be in communication; some kids are more interested in exploring /climbing bookshelves than in communication.   Each child has his own unique timetable.  Just go with the flow and continue to model the signs.  Please do not push it; you'd want signing to be fun and not a point of stress for both you and your child.  Do be patient.  She will sign back.   

There are many learning resources around if you want to know more.  A good one to start with is the book BABY SIGNS: HOW TO COMMUNICATE WITH YOUR BABY BEFORE YOUR BABY CAN TALK by Drs. Linda Acredolo and Susan Goodwyn, pioneers of the baby signing movement and whose research on the topic all the other infant signing programs cite. Many families here in Hong Kong and in the US and Canada who prefer to have someone walk them through the process, take the Baby Signs® Parent Workshop where they have a certified Baby Signs® instructor take them step-by-step through everything they need to know about signing with their babies--when to start, how to choose and teach signs, what to look out for as the child transitions from signing to speech, etc.  Some families who, for any reason, are not able to take the Parent Workshop,  opt to get themselves a Baby Signs® Complete Starter Kit instead.  (https://www.babysigns.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=mall.ViewProductDetail&categoryid=44&itemid=209)

Good luck and happy signing!

[Buckeroo]

It even speeded up the potty training because she actually was able to show me that she wants to change, later on that she is peeing and later even that she wants to go to use the potty.

pupisek --So good to meet another mom who is using signs to help with potty training! 

We are now also doing the same.  While bladder control is not quite there yet (she's 14 months), she definitely can tell us when she needs to "go."  She does the sign for POTTY, says "pah" and then actually walks to the washroom door!  It's now a matter of us getting to her and getting her on the potty seat in time.   

[pupisek]

Buckeroo,
keep signing with your child, it is really well worth it.
I was so proud of her when she was signing to me that she wants to use a potty and I saw on her face that she was proud of herself too.
And what do you want more than happy succesfull and smiley baby?!

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