5 Reasons Children Should Learn Sign Language
Visualize with me for a moment and imagine that your child’s brain is the bank and language is the money. When you first open a bank account, you start off with a small sum. In language learning, your child will start off with some basic words. Every so often, just like you make a deposit into the bank, you expose your child to more language. Over time, just as your bank account grows with interest, over time your child begins to use more complex sentences, add vocabulary, better pronunciation, etc. Here are my top 5 reasons children should learn sign language.
1. Money in the Bank
I want to say this first; many times, people are not convinced by an argument or philosophy that outlines the benefits. So instead, let’s first talk about how learning multiple languages can help your child financially. If your child works for the federal government or is active duty military, they will give them a stipend of up to $13,000 per year for each and every language they speak. For overseas jobs on military bases, embassies, etc., the government will give you paid language training. You are again paid to use that language as a part of your job duties. I think those are 13,000 good reasons to become a polyglot.
These jobs can be somewhat difficult to obtain. However, if you already speak multiple languages, the chance of you acquiring one of these positions greatly increases. Many agencies and companies will give the same generous compensation and career opportunities that are not available to a monolingual. Now that I have your attention, let me further convince you the cognitive benefits of language learning.
2. Combine Motor Skills
Secondly, sign language is effective is that speech is a motor movement. If you pair two movements together (word and gesture) it becomes a powerful combination for speech acquisition. A baby’s brain is looking to establish neural pathways for words or speech. Using the sign along with a word effectively models this for your child. Through the repetition of using both auditory speech and visual movements, this will expand your child’s receptive and expressive vocabulary, as well as fine-motor control.
To get you started, grab my favorite resource for teaching baby sign language below!
Baby Sign Language Basics: Early Communication for Hearing Babies and Toddlers by Monta Z. Briant
3. Reduce Frustration
Another huge benefit of using sign language is that it reduces frustration. As a mother, not being able to understand my daughter has led to many moments of frustration. When she was very young, my daughter would adamantly try to communicate. I simply had no clue what she wanted.
The single greatest tool in my parenting tool box was teaching her signs. Instead of resorting to whining, or in some cases screaming, she learned to sign. Teaching signs early and consistently is a gift you can give your child. It will benefit the rest of household as well.
The beauty of sign language is that children start talking at very different timelines, but all children can use signs. Like any language, consistency is necessary. If you find yourself thinking that you are unsuccessful, you just need more time. Just as with other languages, 25 hours of meaningful practice is the goal each week.
Before your child can imitate the sign, you can help them to do it. This is the same principle as teaching them to read. If your child is not imitating you yet, take their hand and perform the sign for them. Your child may resist at first. However, I have found every child happily follows suit when you are gentle in your approach and give encouragement.
4. Learning Languages is a Must
Sign language is often underestimated or undervalued as an actual LANGUAGE. The demand for ASL translators has skyrocketed as more businesses expand their reach to persons with disabilities. I myself used sign language as my daughter’s second language for the first year.
We then chose to switch to Russian as her second language because of the opportunity I had living overseas. We had access to fluent speakers at a fraction of the cost in America, so we began other languages. However, the benefits of sign language are equivalent to learning any language around the world.
First rule of learning languages, there are no rules! Click To Tweet
A multilingual child can keep focused on abstract ideas and reasoning skills. This is due to their exposure as infants to solving language puzzles. Another advantage is that multilingual child have better self-regulatory skills.
For example, being able to take turns and share or managing anger when they do not get their way. This ability to focus and utilize reasoning skills translates to successful reading skills as a child grows.
5. Sign Language is Inclusive
Teaching children how to be empathetic towards others who are different is paramount. Cultivating empathy for those with disabilities can transform a child’s future. Communicating via sign language is something that many consider so very “different”. However, sign language can enable children to see beyond others’ differences and to see people for who they truly are.
Watch below for an inspirational video on the first African-American students to attend Gallaudet University; the world’s only university designed to be barrier-free for deaf and hard of hearing students.
Get started now and click HERE to watch and learn the top 100 ASL signs put together for you from the American Sign Language University!
We know there are many more than 5 Reasons Children Should Learn Sign Language. Be sure to comment below with any resources you find helpful to our tribe.
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07/12/2017 @ 1:49 pm
Thank you for the terrific blog. In it you mentioned that learning ASL is a terrific thing to do because you can use it to easily communicate with your young children. I’d heard that ASL had many uses and I was curious as to what those were. With easy communication with your young one, you could create a great relationship with them and better attend to their needs. I’ll have to find a class I could visit so that I can start on my path to learning ASL.
07/12/2017 @ 2:56 pm
That is wonderful to hear Rachel. Wishing you the best on your ASL language learning journey.
10/06/2017 @ 7:03 am
Hi! There is a great product you can get through Signingtime.com that makes it quite fun to start. I purchased Baby signing Time for my grandchild and started using it when he was 4 months old and now he knows so many words plus is able to communicate without tantrums. He is a year and a half and we are moving to the regular signing course which has about 700 words in each level. There is only two levels so far. This may make it fun to learn at your paste and a convenient time for you.
What is wonderful about this product is that there are lots of songs and Rachel – the teacher in these videos- has a beautiful singing voice plus does not dumb things down. I hope this helps.
10/06/2017 @ 8:49 am
Thanks for listing this resource for everyone Bruni! So amazing to hear your success story! 700 words is a celebration for sure! Amazing how easily our little ones are able to grasp the signs and flourish in their communication skills. I hope you take a minute to look at the other articles I have for toddlers. How to Write with Babies and Encouraging Art and Writing Skills with Young Children would be of interest to you I think. I also have a free eBook for amazing strategies and book lists for reading aloud with children 0-5. Its chalk full of practical information, no fancy curriculum. https://www.biracialbookworms.com/read-aloud-parent-guide/Cheers.
06/28/2017 @ 9:15 pm
I can speak firsthand (sorry, pun!) to how sign language in children reduces frustration. My younger daughter doesn’t speak a lot but she does know quite a few signs. When she communicates in any way—including ASL—she gets her needs met and her thoughts understood. Everyone is happier because of that!
06/29/2017 @ 1:26 am
That is fantastic to hear your success Catherine! I agree, a happier home life is a guarantee when our littles can communicate their needs!
06/11/2017 @ 7:57 pm
What great article, my sister is hearing impaired and reads lips. We are teaching our son sign language so it is easier for us to understand each other but also so he can communicate with her more easily when his speech isn’t strong enough for her to read his lips.
06/11/2017 @ 10:44 pm
That is amazing Victoria! So many layers and facets for sign language skills!
06/11/2017 @ 6:19 pm
This is a such a wonderful post. As a French teacher, and growing up speaking 3 languages, I understand first-hand how important learning languages is.
06/11/2017 @ 10:49 pm
Très magnifique Dawn! I hope my own daughters become polyglots! Thank you for commenting! Merci beaucoup!
06/11/2017 @ 4:53 am
I love this! I learned a bit of sign language when I was younger because I had a hard-of-hearing friend. I think it’s important to communicate non-verbally and this skill was such a big help.
06/11/2017 @ 11:25 am
That is wonderful to hear Olla. Giving credence to non-verbal skills as well as language skills is valid.
06/09/2017 @ 7:21 pm
I’m a huge fan of learning multiple languages and completely agree with you. Learning sign language is something Id never thought about, so gonna look into it – thank you!
06/09/2017 @ 7:44 pm
Wonderful Pooja! I feel like it is such a powerful tool to connect with people through body language and non verbal communication. It’s a language with so many facets. Cheers!
06/09/2017 @ 2:26 pm
Communication is a big part of our everyday lives. I think that there even should be a course on body language. I used to always cross my arms in school and even through college. I am told that this is a communication that says “I don’t care about what you are saying or I don’t understand.” I never knew this before and I was in my thirties before I learned this. Now I try not to do this when people are talking because I want then to know they are important and I care about what they have to say.
06/09/2017 @ 2:35 pm
I agree David. Our body language is a powerful communication tool that can sway a persons attitude towards what we are saying. Body posture can turn a person off in a heartbeat even if what you are saying is valid. Sign language is a wonderful way to really engage your body in what you are saying. Thanks for your comment!!
06/09/2017 @ 1:35 am
Great post! When I was a kid, my sister and I took sign language classes. Unfortunately over the years we didn’t have anyone to continue the communication and I don’t remember anything but the alphabet and a few signs.
06/09/2017 @ 1:55 am
I think it is wonderful you had that foundation and exposure! It pays dividends in so many ways even if you don’t use the language anymore. Thanks for commenting!!
06/08/2017 @ 8:37 pm
I think kids learning sign language is great. It can open many doors for them as you mentioned above and they will be more appreciative of what they can learn and how to communicate with a hearing impaired person.
06/08/2017 @ 8:46 pm
Thanks for commenting Shevoneese! Learning a language can open a whole new world!
06/08/2017 @ 6:01 pm
I think that sign language is beautiful and is something that we should all try and learn. I know some from teaching my foster sister makaton x