This is for my American Sign Language (ASL) class at California State University of Sacramento. Anyone can access the university ASL website at http://lifeprint.com/
How ASL improves language development in children. Studies have proven that teaching babies how to sign before they can talk improves language development at an early age. In the book, “Baby Signs,” according to child development experts Linda Acredolo, and Susan Goodwyn, “After two decades of research…found that babies whose parents introduce them to baby signs learn to talk sooner, have fewer tantrums, get a jump start on their intellectual development, express emotions effectively, and develop stronger bonds with their parents” (Acredolo, 7). ASL is a great tool to stop those language barriers between adults and children.
ASL can benefit both parent and child because they overcome language barriers. Children and parent can easily communicate with ASL, and babies can learn ASL before they can talk. It has been proven according to Sharon Begley Newsweek article, “Talking from hand to Mouth,” she writes, “The idea that the brain harbors ancient systems for grammatical, gestural language comes as no surprise to scientists who study language development in children” (Begley, 56). Babies can make gestures with their hands before they can speak. If they are taught ASL they can communicate what they want. For example, if a baby wants to be fed they can simply be taught the hand to their mouth. This can eliminate the screaming child and the parent from running around trying to guess what the child wants. I have a friend who taught her little girls ASL before they could talk. She told me that her girls could tell her: eat, drink, thank you, please, and other simple signs. This helped her frustration to go down because she wasn’t running around trying to figure out what her babies needed.
Not only can deaf children benefit from learning ASL early, but so can hearing kids. According to Kirsten Dennis, “Sign to Learn,” states, “Many teachers have discovered that the use of sign language in a classroom setting can lead to benefits not only for children who are deaf but also for hearing children” (Dennis, 9). Preschool children can increase their vocabulary by learning sign language and improve social interaction with deaf and hearing children. Since both hearing and deaf can communicate in the same language it allows the barriers of communication to break-down. Therefore, ASL improves social relationships among children and aids in further language development between classmates.
In addition to social interaction, ASL can improve reading and vocabulary skills in students from a young age. According to Dr. Jan C. Hafer book, “Come sign with Us,” states, “Some hearing educators also use sign language to help their students learn sight vocabulary and reading... and profit greatly from signing instruction” (Hafer, 8). When the students were taught the vocabulary without sign compared to the words that were taught with sign, the students were most likely to remember the words that are taught using ASL. Therefore, if a teacher uses ASL as part of the curriculum the students are more likely to retain what has been taught.
ASL is a great language to start young children to learn. It has many benefits: parent to child relationships, teaching skills, and social interactions between hearing and deaf children. Once ASL is taught early it is easy to remember since some of the signs are easy to communicate.
Sources
Acredolo, L., and Goodwyn, S. (2002). Baby Signs how to Talk with Your Baby Befor Your Baby can Talk. New York: Contemporary Books.
Begley, S. (1999, March 15). Talking from Hand to Mouth. Newsweek, 133, 56-59.
Dennis, D., Azpiri, T. (2005). Sign to Learn American Sign Language in the Early Childhood Classroom. St. Paul Minnesota: Redleaf Press.
Hafer, J.C., Wilson, R.M. (1996). Come Sign With Us. Washington, DC. Gallaudet University Press.
How ASL improves language development in children. Studies have proven that teaching babies how to sign before they can talk improves language development at an early age. In the book, “Baby Signs,” according to child development experts Linda Acredolo, and Susan Goodwyn, “After two decades of research…found that babies whose parents introduce them to baby signs learn to talk sooner, have fewer tantrums, get a jump start on their intellectual development, express emotions effectively, and develop stronger bonds with their parents” (Acredolo, 7). ASL is a great tool to stop those language barriers between adults and children.
ASL can benefit both parent and child because they overcome language barriers. Children and parent can easily communicate with ASL, and babies can learn ASL before they can talk. It has been proven according to Sharon Begley Newsweek article, “Talking from hand to Mouth,” she writes, “The idea that the brain harbors ancient systems for grammatical, gestural language comes as no surprise to scientists who study language development in children” (Begley, 56). Babies can make gestures with their hands before they can speak. If they are taught ASL they can communicate what they want. For example, if a baby wants to be fed they can simply be taught the hand to their mouth. This can eliminate the screaming child and the parent from running around trying to guess what the child wants. I have a friend who taught her little girls ASL before they could talk. She told me that her girls could tell her: eat, drink, thank you, please, and other simple signs. This helped her frustration to go down because she wasn’t running around trying to figure out what her babies needed.
Not only can deaf children benefit from learning ASL early, but so can hearing kids. According to Kirsten Dennis, “Sign to Learn,” states, “Many teachers have discovered that the use of sign language in a classroom setting can lead to benefits not only for children who are deaf but also for hearing children” (Dennis, 9). Preschool children can increase their vocabulary by learning sign language and improve social interaction with deaf and hearing children. Since both hearing and deaf can communicate in the same language it allows the barriers of communication to break-down. Therefore, ASL improves social relationships among children and aids in further language development between classmates.
In addition to social interaction, ASL can improve reading and vocabulary skills in students from a young age. According to Dr. Jan C. Hafer book, “Come sign with Us,” states, “Some hearing educators also use sign language to help their students learn sight vocabulary and reading... and profit greatly from signing instruction” (Hafer, 8). When the students were taught the vocabulary without sign compared to the words that were taught with sign, the students were most likely to remember the words that are taught using ASL. Therefore, if a teacher uses ASL as part of the curriculum the students are more likely to retain what has been taught.
ASL is a great language to start young children to learn. It has many benefits: parent to child relationships, teaching skills, and social interactions between hearing and deaf children. Once ASL is taught early it is easy to remember since some of the signs are easy to communicate.
Sources
Acredolo, L., and Goodwyn, S. (2002). Baby Signs how to Talk with Your Baby Befor Your Baby can Talk. New York: Contemporary Books.
Begley, S. (1999, March 15). Talking from Hand to Mouth. Newsweek, 133, 56-59.
Dennis, D., Azpiri, T. (2005). Sign to Learn American Sign Language in the Early Childhood Classroom. St. Paul Minnesota: Redleaf Press.
Hafer, J.C., Wilson, R.M. (1996). Come Sign With Us. Washington, DC. Gallaudet University Press.
posted by Amber Cole at 4:21 PM
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