Advantages Of Learning Baby Sign Languages
By: Nick Clipton
People are trying to find more and more ways to discuss with their babies, or at least to interact with them. You see, through sign languages parents can learn how to get somewhat closer to their babies, to their needs and desires. Even if in some cases it is quite obvious that a child wants to eat or sleep, it may not be enough. Forget the fact that teaching sign language to a baby may mean that he will develop any vocal skills in a slower manner - studies have shown the exact opposite. Babies that have learnt the sign languages early enough have shown a better understanding of any vocal language, and quite an ease at learning it.
Nevertheless, before we discuss anything more about baby sign language we must first understand what it is. Baby sign language is a very common way to communicate with your child through signs before he has the ability to speak verbally. Baby sign language can also prove to be very useful if your child is deaf or has problems hearing. Learning sign language at an early age will, in this case prepare him for more advanced courses later. You have to understand that when it comes to deafness, it is very important to correctly master sign language in order to express them perfectly later. Teaching sign language to a baby that suffers from deafness can mean a head start in winning this battle against absence of sound. Remember that loss of hear can, in many cases frustrate the individual, especially if he was not sufficiently prepared and you would not want to send your child with more problems than he already has in the world. So what's it all about? Baby Sign Language or (Baby Sign) is the method of using sign language to communicate with babies before they can talk. It 3 is Steadily gaining in popularity worldwide and has many benefits to both the parent and the child.Many people worry about sign language delaying speech but in fact the opposite has been proven to be true. Baby Signing help develop IQ and language skills and many signing babies actually speak earlier and have a wider vocabulary than non signing babies. So how do you sign with your baby? Baby Sign Language is based on the adult form of sign language usually with a bit more flexibility, so signs can be altered to make it easier for little hands to copy. I am writing this article based on British Sign Language.
First off there is some extra information that will be useful to you before you begin.
*You can start signing with your baby at any age but you will get the best results from about 7 months old, this is because your baby's memory will be developed enough to store and use the signs effectively. *On average it takes 4-6 weeks for the baby to start to copy the signs back to you so you will need to be patient.
*You must be consistent is using the same sign all the time and repetition really is the key to success. You should get other family members and nursery staff to use the same signs too. The more baby sees the sign the quicker he will respond. *Learn the signs yourself in advance so that you will be prepared for when your baby points at something and looks as you with a questioning face, you will be able to show the sign right away. *Say the word while you make the sign, make sure the baby knows what you are talking about - point to the object or person or animal, make sure your baby is looking at the same thing. *Be receptive to your baby's development, when she is taking an interest in communication and is babbling to you then she will be most open to learning signs. *Make it fun! Use signs in nursery rhymes and action songs, use signs when reading books, make animal noises along with the signs, anything to engage your baby.
Ok so on to the signing. It is best to start with signs that are part of your baby's everyday life, the first three signs that get the best results are;
Milk, Eat, More: So we will start with those *Milk: To make the sign for Milk: Make fists with both hands and extend your thumbs and little fingers, hold your hands vertically so that your little fingers point downwards and your thumbs point upwards. Hold your hands in front of your body and move them alternatively up and down as if milking a cow.
Top Tip: Show your baby her bottle and ask her 'Do you want your milk' then do the sign. Say the word 'Milk' whilst making the sign a few times before and after giving the bottle. If you are breast feeding make the sign before your baby latches on, and if possible while she is feeding.
Eat: To make the sign for Eat: Take one hand and bunch your fingers towards your thumb and bring your hand up to your mouth and touch your lips with the tips of your fingers and thumb.
Top Tip: This sign is for when your baby starts solids. You can ask you baby if he is ready for his dinner and make the sign for eat, take him to his highchair and make the sign again as you feed him. More:To make the sign for More: Tap the back of one hand with the other hand. Top Tip: This is a sign that gets really good responses as it is so easy to do and baby will quickly realize that she can ask for 'more food', 'more game', 'more book', 'more tickle'. Try it when you are feeding your baby, pause in between spoonfuls and wait for baby to look at you, then ask 'Do you want more?' and make the sign. Obviously it is easier to learn the signs when you can look at a picture or even better still a video dictionary! A lot of Baby Sign companies offer local classes which are a great way to meet other parents and join a group, but if you are too busy or there is no local class near you, you might find learning online is a good option for you.
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