Why Use Sign Language With Hearing Children?

Why would a hearing child ever need to use sign language? Researchers at Ohio State University have found that sign language is not only useful for babies with normal hearing, but it may also enhance their IQs.

Sign language has traditionally been used with deaf and other special-needs children who cannot easily express their thoughts any other way. It works for very young hearing children for the same reason. The fine motor skills necessary for speech develop later than those necessary for signing. Babies at nine months are unable to tell their caregivers what they need through speech, but they are quite able to do so with simple signs.

Teachers in one toddler classroom in an Ohio State laboratory school began teaching sign language to reduce the frequent physical conflicts among the children. The program significantly improved communication among infants and teachers. As the primary researcher, Dr. Kimberlee Whaley, put it, "It is so much easier for our teachers to work with 12-month-olds who can sign that they want heir bottle, rather than just cry and have us try to figure out what they want.

Parents who taught their children signing in another study noted less frustration,increased communication, a closer parent-child bond, more confidence from the baby, and a greater interest in books from the baby. These babies also understood more words, had larger vocabularies, and engaged in more sophisticated play. At seven and eight years old, the children who had signed as babies had an average IQ of 114, compared to an average of 102 for non-signing children.

Improved cognitive skills, reduced classroom conflict, and improved communication between parents and babies may make sign language an important part of early education
in the future.

Reference: "Scientific research that supports 'SIGN with your BABY."' Robert Berg, Northlight Communications, 2000.

Debbie Wilburn is County Agent/Family and Consumer Science Agent with the Hall (770)535-8290 and the Forsyth (770)887-2418 County Extension Service.