Why Sign Language?

We have taught each of our children a little bit of sign language from the time they were babies.  Their mental ability to process language develops sooner than their ability to verbalize.  This means that if you teach them sign language (even if it’s just a handful of signs for favorite items, etc.), they are able to communicate their needs effectively at a younger age, preventing a good deal of frustration (on their part and mama’s!) and, sometimes, screaming!

We haven’t taught much – please and thank you, finished, more, milk, and other simple needs that the little ones ask for again and again.  Of course, with a child who becomes verbal very young, fewer signs are necessary.  Our current toddler is a bit slower, though, than her sisters were, in learning to speak clearly, so there’s a wider range of concepts she needs to communicate.

The Baby Signing Book

This is where The Baby Signing Book (second edition) is very helpful!  Robert Rose (the publisher) sent us a copy to review, and I was very impressed with both the content and the layout.  The big challenge for parents who want to teach their children to sign is that you have to know a language to teach/use it!  So if you don’t already sign, you will need to learn some vocabulary yourself.  The Baby Signing Book is divided into three sections: Baby Signing Basics, Baby Sign Dictionary, and Songs for Signing.

Baby Signing Basics

This first section of the book covers a lot of ground.  There is a brief history of American Sign Language (ASL), the rationale for using it (as opposed to made-up signs, etc.), and brief explanations of ASL dialects, why the syntax (word order within a sentence) is different than spoken English, and why it isn’t necessary to modify signs for babies or toddlers.  These are all simple, understandable explanations, without a lot of intellectual rambling.  There are tips for beginning to sign with a young child – for instance, the fact that, as hearing parents signing with hearing children, we don’t typically sign the entire sentence, only the keywords.  (For a deaf child who will find ASL to be his primary language, the approach would be different.)  Instruction is offered for learning to make the signs properly, and recognizing approximations produced by little ones.  (They may “mispronounce” their signs, as it were, just as they do when learning to speak verbally.)

This information is followed by a chapter about “sign language development.”  I found this information interesting – and it is beneficial – but it isn’t strictly necessary, and some readers may find it a little dull.  It addresses the origins of signing with hearing children, benefits of signing, the sequence of language development, etc.  It’s only ten pages long, so I encourage you to try to read it even if you don’t think you have any interest.

Chapters 3-8 are about signing with babies of various ages: 0-6-month olds, 6-12-month-olds, 12-18-month-olds, 18-24-month-olds, 2-2-1/2 years, and 2-1/2 – 3 years.  Each of these chapters discusses language milestones, as well as issues or questions that parents of children at that stage are likely to have.

Finally, there’s a chapter about signing with special needs children, such as those with autism or Down Syndrome.

Baby Sign Dictionary

The Baby sign dictionary comprises the bulk of the book, and is my favorite part.  In alphabetical order (of course), the baby sign dictionary presents a variety of signs that would be relevant to little one.  This emphasis is nice, because it makes the collection more appropriate/useful than what you’d find in an average sign language dictionary.  Most babies, for instance, probably don’t need to know how to sign “dating,” but do need to know “diaper.”

Each of the 450 signs includes an illustration, the word in English, and an explanation of the hand shape, body space (where you would make the sign), movement, and a memory aid.  This way even if you can’t follow the illustration alone (which is often the case if the sign includes a good deal of movement), you can put it together with the descriptions and understand exactly what to do.

There are even spaces with each sign to fill in the date you introduced the sign to your child and the date he first produced the sign himself.

Songs to Sign

The final section, songs for signing, is a short collection of songs and rhymes that utilize words provided in the dictionary.  The signs aren’t shown here (because they’re in the dictionary).  However, they’re all written out, and the words to be signed are in all caps so you can readily know what to sign – and to look up, if necessary.

My Take

I found this book very useful.  The content is good, and the presentation is clear, logical, and easy to use.  It would be a great addition to any parenting library, and a great baby gift.

Disclosure: Robert Rose provided me with a copy of this book to facilitate my review.  As always, all opinions expressed here are entirely my own.