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Sign language may ease toddler communication frustrations
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| By: Rachel Westberg |
March 18, 2009 |
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Pictured is Cheyenne Clark, of Cameron, left, working with her twin sisters Ella and Jera Clark, 3-1/2. The twins, children of Karen and Dan Clark, of Cameron, have been learning to sign before they were 8-months old.
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Frustration abounds when parents cannot communicate with their young children, but the power of sign language has become one way in which families can lessen that frustration and possibly enhance a child's speaking abilities in the process.
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Although parents and guardians have been signing with children for years, over the last six years the idea has really come to the forefront as one way for parents of children who have not developed speaking ability to understand what their child wants and/or needs.
Ann Krance, of Barron, is a trained American Sign Language interpreter and has facilitated an area sign-language play group and taught a course at WITC-Rice Lake in infant/toddler signing. For her, the biggest benefit to signing with young children is that reduction of frustration when parents do not know what their children want.
"[Signing] makes life for the parent and child more enjoyable," says Krance. "You can understand each other."
At Chetek Kids' Club, Director Connie Weis reports they have been using a Chetek High School senior, Hannah Lambert, who comes over to the child care facility and works with the children on signing. Weis explains that there were already some 2-year-olds at the day care who knew some signs. A teacher at the high school contacted Weis about having Lambert, who wants to pursue infant signing as a career, volunteer with the students as a class project. Weis agreed, and Lambert has worked a couple of times with both the infants and toddlers at the day care. Like Krance, Weis sees the benefits of signing at a young age.
"It is really a great way for children who don't have the ability to talk yet to be able to sign what they need," she says. "And to see the little ones put together the words and signs is just so cool.
Many parents are taking onto the idea, as well. Krance believed in the idea enough to work with her own children in signing. Cameron mother Karen Clark began signing with her twin girls Jera and Ella just before they were eight months old. Now at 3-1/2 years, the girls continue to sign frequently. Clark says she didn't sign with her other children, but when the twins came, she knew she needed something to make communication easier.
"I'd definitely recommend it, just for the communication aspect," says Clark. "When they're trying to express themselves, throw a tantrum or even when they are hurt, even if it is just one word, you can pinpoint what is going on. If they can get it out and express it with their hands, it calms the anger."
Beyond relieving frustration, Krance, Weis and Clark agree that signing helps reinforce communication skills, adding that it is easiest to teach children when their brain is fertile for language. Krance says there are some who feel that signing will hinder a child's ability to speak. That is not the case, however.
"When you sign with children and you signing what they want, you repeat what they want to them, so they get the speech reinforced," Krance says. "You are repeating what is needed to hear it. Signing usually doesn't slow speech down. Studies show that it does not do that, and actually increases vocabulary and begins an earlier onset of speech."
"I think [signing] does help [the onset of speech] because children can begin to formulate words and make connections earlier than others," adds Weis.
Clark, too, feels her girls learned to speak more quickly with the help of sign language. They've learned to sign close to 400 words, and Clark believes it has helped their vocabulary. The twins do not depend on it any longer, but they do still frequently use signs in everyday conversations.
"When they're toddlers, children are so interested in learning with their hands, and they get so excited," Clark says. "But when using your hands, you are saying the words you are using, so they have to hear it."
Clark says she took a class with Krance, but the girls were also taught using "Signing Time" videos series. Even though the girls can now speak, Clark says she hopes that they can continue teaching sentences and further the language with the girls.
"It really helped with their level of emotions," remembers Clark. "If they can communicate and express themselves, it helps, not to mention they have a second language."
Even though there are no infant signing classes right now, Krance says there are still a lot of items, like books and videos, that are devoted to helping parents teach children sign language. She cautions, however, that there are a lot of questionable materials out there. She adds that if there are enough people interested, it would not be difficult to start another class with WITC. Many day cares have trained interpreters, she says, that may have the ability to help kids learn signing. Weis notes that at Chetek Kids' Club, she hopes to continue signing in their programming with the children, as well.
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©The Chetek Alert 2009
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