| Most parents have heard of this recent parenting | | | | communicate through their body language but |
| craze but not a lot of parents actually know what | | | | keyword signing provides a more effective |
| baby sign language involves. Many would naturally | | | | means of communication to help them get their |
| assume that you teach adult sign language to | | | | point across. They can easily communicate |
| your baby, but this is not entirely correct. Let me | | | | through the use of keyword signing well before |
| explain why baby signing is very different to adult | | | | their vocal chords are developed enough for |
| signing. | | | | speech. Through this communication method, they |
| Sign language for people with hearing difficulties is | | | | suffer less frustration because they are able to |
| dramatically different from our spoken language; it | | | | let you know what they think and want without |
| isn't just a matter of substituting words with signs | | | | the usual guessing games. |
| in the same sequence. To learn this language | | | | A baby that is less than 12 months old will have |
| effectively, it takes as much effort as it would to | | | | the ability to copy hand signals. If your baby is |
| learn any new language as it follows its own | | | | already waving hello or goodbye, they are |
| rhythm and structure. If you were to attempt to | | | | certainly able to add more gestures to their |
| learn sign language in order to teach your baby, it | | | | vocabulary. Being understood is very empowering |
| is likely that your baby would be talking way | | | | for the child and they recognize early how |
| before you even get started. This is probably | | | | rewarding it is to have communication skills. |
| what puts most people off teaching baby signing | | | | They are able to produce these hand signals at an |
| to their little ones as they feel they need to learn | | | | age far younger than they are able to talk. Most |
| a second language. | | | | babies are ready to use these signs by the age |
| Baby signing is different to adult signing. It doesn't | | | | of 6-9 months whereas some babies may not |
| even follow the same structure. Signing for babies | | | | speak until 12 months. For others who follow a |
| is based on the concept of keyword signing. | | | | slightly delayed speech development, they may |
| Keyword signing is used in conjunction with | | | | not be able to communicate with words until they |
| speech and is usually used with hearing children | | | | are over 2 years old. In this case, Baby Sign |
| and adults. Generally, keyword signing will be used | | | | Language can be an invaluable tool, allowing them |
| for communication when one person can speak | | | | to express themselves almost a year before |
| and the other one can't. Keyword signs are used | | | | they would have naturally been afforded that |
| to compliment the spoken conversation and are | | | | opportunity. |
| used by the non-verbal child or adult to | | | | Parent's who take the time to nurture their child's |
| communicate back and respond. Some of the | | | | development by teaching Baby Sign Language are |
| gestures used are often borrowed from sign | | | | also more likely to spend quality time with their |
| language or may be modified to be more easily | | | | baby. They are more likely to seek out ways to |
| understood or performed. | | | | improve their child's development which flows on |
| Babies can understand most of what you are | | | | to have many positive benefits other than just |
| saying from the age of 6 months but they are | | | | the accelerated speech development. |
| unable to respond. They try their hardest to | | | | |