Recently, we wrote an article examining some tips for signing with your baby. In this article, we cover more keys to succeed with baby sign language to ensure you succeed in teaching your child to sign.

Pay Attention to Baby's Perception

A baby is always perceiving new things. For better success in teaching your baby to sign, be alert to what your child is perceiving. If you are aware of what your child is perceiving, you will know what to sign when. By the time your baby's eyes and gazes start to connect with yours, he is ready to start the learning process. Get down on your baby’s level, literally and figuratively. When we are aware of what our children perceive, we are better communicators and teachers.

Babies have different types of perceptions, each presenting a new chance to teach a new sign. Your child may have a need or express a feeling or desire. For example, if your child finishes drinking his milk, he may express that he wants "more." The very moment you notice this expression would be an opportune time to make the sign for "more." Often, it is clear that you and your baby are making a connection. You may look at each other at the same time. When you make this type of connection, your child is receptive to what you have to say. Be sure to recognize this as an an opportunity to introduce a sign. Other times, you and your baby will perceive the same object, like the family dog. This is obviously a great time to sign "dog." One technique to help direct your child's attention is to make the sign in front of the thing you are signing about. Or, You can sign with that object on your child’s body!

All in the Family

One of the key factors for success in in teaching baby sign language is to get others involved in the process. It is extremely important for your friends and family to take part in the process. If you are like most parents, lots of people participate in caring for your child. These people play a key role in the development of your child. Most children have regular contact with other family members. In our family, we could not get by without help from wonderful grandparents. So, keep signing "all in the family" and get the entire family involved in the process (especially Grandaddy and Grandmother).

In lots of households today, both mom and dad work full time and leave the baby at daycare. Such children will have a huge advantage in learning to sign if their daycare workers are involved in the process. A baby’s daycare workers and baby sitters are part of his extended family. Make sure your child's extended family knows you are teaching him to sign and show them the signs you are working on at any given time. At the very least, they should know some basic signs that your child uses on a regular basis and participate in teaching those signs. If they refuse to participate with signing, you should find another daycare.

Attitude is Everything!

We think that attitude is important for all aspects of life. As the heading says, "attitutude is everything." One of the most important tips for success in baby sign language is for you to HAVE FUN! Get excited and have a good time when teaching your baby a new word. Signing with your baby is more about attitude and persistence than any specific technique. If you recognize teaching opportunities, and stick with it, your baby will be signing back to you in no time. Please don’t give up if your child does not sign back to you right away. Every child is unique and every child develops at his own pace.

Communicating with your baby should be natural and intuitive. You don’t need to be taught to communicate with your child. Trust your instincts and be expressive when you talk to your child. Your expressions should match your signs. Your child will respond as much to facial expressions and emotions as to most things that are verbalized. Also, don’t get frustrated if your baby does not use perfect technique when he signs. Instead, recognize what he is trying to say and praise him for it. The process should be fun for you and your child. And your child will refine his technique as he continues to develop.

Sign language is most often thought of in the context of the deaf community. But, as research demonstrates, teaching baby sign language has numerous benefits for parent and child. Data also shows that sign language is often beneficial for children with special needs which effect their speech and/or social development, such as autism, apraxia or downs syndrome.
Sign Language and Special Needs

If you teach your baby sign language, it will have significant academic benefits, especially for children with special needs. Some children have an impairment that affects their ability to make auditory and visual connections. Sign language helps trigger that area of the brain linked to language and speech development, thus helping to expand the child’s vocabulary and enhancing speech development.

When a child’s speech development is furthered, so are his social and emotional skills. Children with special needs can be very frustrated when communication becomes difficult. This frustration may manifest itself in the form of depression or tantrums and aggression. Sign language can help remove communication barriers and eliminate much of the frustration associated with the same. By expanding his vocabulary, and eliminating communication barriers, the child will have greater self esteem and more independence and behave in a more socially accepted manner.

Sign Language and Autism

Autism is a developmental disability that often involves a delay and impairment in social and language skills and behavior. It is a spectrum disorder, meaning that all cases are different and they vary in severity. Some children will be able to speak, while some will have no speech at all. Less severe cases include Pervasive Development Disorder or Asperger’s Syndrome. These children typically have normal speech, but have many of the social problems associated with autism.

The use of signing with autistic children has been growing consistently since the 1970’s. The primary purpose ofsigning with children with autism, or similar disorders, is to give them an alternative means of communication. Numerous studies have demonstrated that autistic children can be taught signing as a means of communication. Furthermore, through the use of sign language, a portion of otherwise mute children acquire speech. Thus, sign language can also be used as an augment to communication with the ultimate goal of developing speech.

There are many benefits to teaching sign language to otherwise mute and special needs children. Even if she only acquires a few basic signs, this gives the child a way of expressing her needs in an understanding and socially acceptable way. And by learning a conventional language, the child is made to take account and interact with others. All of the studies show that social awareness increases and tantrums decrease following sign language acquisition. Moreover, by acquiring a language as soon as possible, the child may acquire cognitive skills that provide a basis for continued learning and lessen the overall impact of her development disability. Visit our website for more information about sign langauge and autism