Has anyone tried teaching their baby sign language?

Question

Did you know sign language before teaching your baby or did you learn along with your baby? What age did you start? What age did they start signing back? Would you recommend it? Do you think it helped your baby? Did they speak later than normal? Did you see less tantrums? What products can you recommend? Did you teach American Sign Language or did you teach a "baby" form of sign language that has some different signs than ASL? Thanks.

I was talking to a woman who uses sign language as her first language and she said that she was looking through a baby sign language book that didn't follow ASL exactly and used some of their own signs to make words easier for babies to sign. And she said that some of the signs that they created for words were actually offensive words in ASL.

Answer 1

I have been teaching my daughter sign language (ASL, not the dumb baby stuff, some of them seem harder). I did it very lazily for about a month, just using signs like more, eat, milk, drink. Then, just before she turned 9 months old, she signed "more". I was so excited, I really didn't think it would work! lol. She has only been doing signs for a couple of weeks and is picking them up like crazy. She can say "milk", "gentle", "mommy", "daddy", and has attempted eat and drink, though it lacks her confidence still. I have noticed she always "yells" at me to get her attention before she does a sign, and I always say the word to her as she signs, and when I do the signs. She talks too, and can say mommy, daddy, baby, puppy, bye-bye, and "ny-ny" (her word for nursing). So I don't think it is detrimental to her verbal language development.

Answer 2

I started teaching my daughter sign at 6 months. Although, she did not start really signing back until she was 12-14 months. I always say the sign while I sign the word. Yes, I recommend it because I would not know what she wants. My daughter is 17 months and can say mom, dad, nana, dog, more, book and whose to say if she is behind in her speech. She is just starting to try to say many more words. I only taught her the basic signs such as; eat, more, drink, bath, dog, play & all done. I think I see less tantrums due to this. I purchased an expensive ASL sign flash card kit on the internet. Honestly, it was a waste. Go to an ASL website and you can learn the signs you want to teach to your child. I am a Kindergarten teacher & I believe the more languages you expose your child to at an early age the better off they will be because of it. I also, use basic spanish in my home too w/ my daughters. I hope my info. helps. If you should have any further questions about sign pls. ask.

Answer 3

I've actually answered this question before.

I started teaching my daughter to sign when she was 4 months old. I taught her ASL. Most of the signs a baby needs to use are easy enough.

Start with the easy ones. There are plenty of baby sign language books out there that can help. Don't worry about it stunting his/her verbal language development. I feel it actually helped my daughter communicate. By the time she was one, she had a verbal vocabulary of over 100 words as well as the signs she was already using. Just make sure you're speaking the words when you sign them. This will--hopefully--prompt your child to try to speak them while signing, also.

The Baby Einstein video called "Baby Wordsworth" is also an excellent tool. It stars Marlee Matlin.

I LOVED signing with my daughter. It really clarified things and eased her frustration. I plan to teach my son to sign in a couple of months.

Answer 4

I taught my son a little sign language, mostly the important stuff like eat, diaper, sleep, hurt, and more. I start it with him when he was 2 months knowing it was still early, he didn't start copying it until 8 or 9 months but didn't understand what the signs meant until 12 months or so. You can make up your own signs for things as long as any other care givers understand them as your child uses them. I think its very helpful and because of it my son was able to tell me is ear hurt and he had an ear infection. I think it's great, if you have the resources I totally recommend it. Look up signs on www.americanbaby.com. Or get the baby Einsteins Signs video.

Answer 5

I have a friend who has taught her daughter sign language from birth. My friend is not fluent but does well in the language. She taught her daughter by using signs along with any spoken words, and by signing while reading to her. There is a problem - the baby is now two years old, and refuses to speak verbally, although she does recognize the words. She prefers to sign when she has to communicate. Lately, however, since the baby has had more interaction with the outside world, she has been talking more.

Good luck! Languages are much easier to learn from birth!

Answer 6

Hi, I knew signs before teaching our son, but you don't have to know a lot of signs - just the basic ones, as well as favorite ones that your baby prefers.

We started using sign with our son from birth. His first sign was 'doggy' at 5 months, 'more' at 6 months, and after that he just started signing and signing! Had about 70 signs and 20+ spoken words by about age 14 months.

Most of the time though, babies start signing back around age 8mos and up. It depends on many factors such as how consistent you are with the signing, making sure that baby's eyes are on you, etc.

Totally recommend it! See full list of benefits for baby's learning sign language here: http://www.babies-and-sign-language.com/baby-sign-benefits.html

And yes it completely lessened frustration for our son because he didn't have to point and grunt for things he wanted. It also lets you see what your baby is thinking! Our son signed "I love you" all the time and wow did that melt our hearts!

Our son is now 6 years old and reads a whole grade ahead of his class. I tribute this to his early cognitive learning.

For books to read, try Joseph Garcia's book, and try eBay for some lower cost books, and/or DVD's.

But you can wait a few weeks/months for the DVD's. Try these free online sign language browswers:
http://www.babies-and-sign-language.com/browsers-free-sign-language-asl-bsl-auslan.html

I do not recommend using made up signs, such as the book "Baby Signs" recommends. If you want to know more reasons why it's good to use ASL instead of made up signs, here is an excellent article: http://www.babies-and-sign-language.com/baby-signs-which-style.html

I never understood the need to modify signs for babies. I mean, we don't make them say 'ga ga goo goo' because it's easier to say. And think of all the babies born to Deaf parents who have been signing ASL since a mere few months old. If they can do it.... :-)

Good luck and I hope you go for it!

Answer 7

that's what my family and I are learning how to do right now. I have a 6 month old and we plan on signing with him. Yes I think it is a great idea. When my daughter was first learning how to talk she would get really frustrated and have a fit cuz I couldn't understand what she was tryin to say but with my son I hope signing will take away alot of the frustration. I'm gonna teach him American sign. I also heard that it helps baby learn more words faster.

Answer 8

I am using sign language with both of my children.

My older child is now about 2 yrs, 10 months old and she uses complex sentences and rarely uses the signs anymore. Mostly she does them to be part of the fun when I'm teaching my younger child to sign. I started teaching her sign when she was way too young to actually use it -- newborn, even -- and I tried to stick mostly with ASL, just because I think it's more useful in case she remembers it when she gets older. She adapted the harder signs and even created a few of her own, which is fine because after all the idea is to be able to communicate, not to perfect the language for communication with deaf people!

My son is 14 months old and he uses several signs already (more, all done, please, dog, bath, ball, hot, bye-bye, outside, and name signs for each member of the family). He is eager to learn more at this point and started using signs (with meaning) at around 9 or 10 months of age. He even puts his hand inside mine to urge me to form his hands into signs sometimes! He also talks and says plenty of words (bye bye, night-night, bath, mama, ball, car, Juju (a little girl we know), joo (for juice), dada, nana (for food, drink, or nursing), and even "cracker").

I already knew some ASL when I started, but I also have a book that I can reference when I want to find new signs. There are also lots of great websites (I posted some for you below) which show you how to make the signs and explain the benefits of signing and how to get started if you are interested. It really isn't that hard or time-consuming. You don't sign every word you say, just the ones you want your baby to learn. Start off with one or two (I started with "more" and "all done"), use them every time you say the words, and then add more as your baby learns.

Some of the ASL signs are a little difficult for babies to sign than the Baby Signs, (baby signs are just simplified for easier use), but your baby will attempt whatever you show them, and really the signing is all about communication. Usually children stop using them so much after their language has developed enough to take its place. The idea is to give them a way to communicate with you before their language develops, since the fine motor skills required for signing typically develop at an earlier age than their physical ability to develop speech. Studies have shown that babies who use sign DO develop speech faster (contrary to popular belief that it will delay their speech), have fewer temper tantrums, and even bite less (sometimes biting is caused by frustration when a child can't communicate and this tension is relieved when the child is given the tools to communicate earlier). I highly recommend signing with your baby!

Answer 9

My sister taught her son sign language because several of her inlaws are deaf. I can't say that it cut down on trantums or that it impeded his speech development. I can say that it did allow him another way to communicate, and I'm all for that. She taught him ASL b/c that's what her inlaws used. However, a child will learn whatever you teach them. You just have to be dedicated and stick to it.

I should note that he was about 1 yr old when he learned most of the signs, but I don't necessarily think there's a correct or incorrect starting age. You just have to be very repetitive and PATIENT.

Answer 10

I tried teaching my daughter sign language and honestly it kinda tired me out and it just kinda felt weird to me. I did ASL. My mom does it with her infants where she works and swears that it works and helps them communicate. She said she has seen them start as early as 10 months signing milk.