What Is Baby Sign Language?

Baby Sign

Communication cannot be bound by the barriers of age or language. Even babies can communicate their needs to their parents through sign language. It is the way of communicating with infants through signs and simple words to comprehend their needs. Have you thought how a newly born feels when he or she is unable to communicate what they want? To ease this problem, baby sign language has been developed. We have discussed it in the previous article, how to talk to your baby in his first year.

When one is unable to give words to expressions, then one takes the help of signs. Through the movement of the hands and other organs, a message is communicated to its receiver. This unspoken communication through signs is termed as sign language.

The concept of baby sign language was developed after the concept of sign language for the deaf. With the passage of time, it was discovered that the same technique could be adopted to deal with the kids. New born babies were in a position to listen and understand but what they lacked was the ability to speak.

The kids cannot give words to their expressions. They generally speak or start using words only after they reach twelve or eighteen months of age. This technique includes usage of small and simple words used at home or in day to day life.

Baby sign language is beneficial to both child and the parents. It becomes an instrument to build a communicating link between them. It also helps the child to improve his intelligence.

Experiencing and Teaching Sign Language To Your Baby

What is he trying to say?

It is smart to plan to develop a positive and easy method of baby sign language early. Baby sign language enables your baby is able to tell others exactly what they want and need. As a result the amount fits and tantrums will definitely be reduced.

Every parent has witnessed the familiar signs of frustration in their baby before baby communication skills are developed and baby is unable to let others know what they are feeling and what they may need. You should start teaching your baby sign language or, more accurately, basic gestures, by example. Because these gestures are visual in nature they are much easier for your baby to learn than spoken words.Gestures are certainly within the range of a baby’s repertoire long before the ability to articulate words is developed. Now, no one is suggesting that you sit down and attempt to teach your baby using the American Sign Language system. All is needed is a small range of gestures that mean “I want”, “Help me please”, “I’m sleepy” and others. If these gestures are understood by both baby and parent, they will serve the purpose of improving communication.

You need to get to the stage where your baby begins to connect a basic gesture with an action, activity or object. You can also accompany the gesture with the word so that, eventually, your baby will graduate to using the spoken form.

Babies learn easy by imitating what they see everyone do, therefore if you are consistent and basic with using some basic gestures for certain activities and objects , you’ll be notice how quickly your baby picks them up. The most important thing is to keep it fun and busy. Each turn the activity of learning sign language into a game and you will see the best results.

How to Teach Your Baby Sign Language

Here are some tips to get you started:

Understanding the gestures

1. Begin with basic signs. Teach signs you know will be used on a day to day basis. (i.e. eat, drink, sleep, bath, the name of a favorite toy, etc.)
2. Introduce one sign a week. Use it every time you have an opportunity.
3. In order to teach the sign, ideally, one person will demonstrate the sign and the other will help the child from behind to guide his hands in forming the sign.
4. Another important thing to remember is to say the sign as it is demonstrated and as you help him make it. This way he will also learn the spoken word. (The proverbial two birds with one stone.)
5. Some signs are a bit more complicated than others so it’s okay to adapt a little. Don’t worry if the sign your baby makes is not perfect. As long as you know what he is trying to say –it’s all good!
   Researchers have shown babies have the ability to learn to sign adequately enough to communicate their needs long before they can speak the words. So why not save yourself a bit of stress and frustration by teaching your baby some basic signs.

So now, I hope you have better understanding on how to communicate with your babies. And also, check other article in this Infant Learning site about Baby Einstein. Maybe it will help you to increase your baby’s intelligence.

One month. Your baby will be able to understand speech long before actually talking. From birth he will look at your face and listen to your voice. He may make a small range of noises that will start to mean something to you. The way that your baby cries is an important communication method while he is actually unable to talk. Through responding to this crying you let your baby know that she is important to you – and this can really be reassuring for a young infant.

Talk to Baby

Two months. As a child enters his second month he is far more aware of the world – things such as sounds, even that of your voice, will amuse and fascinate your child. Your baby will respond with a variety of cooing sounds, vowel-like sounds, and sometimes some consonant sounds such as a “k”. During this time, try and talk with your baby. By looking into your baby’s eyes you are communicating an important thing to her – that you are listening.

Three months. By now you will find that your baby is able to recognize your voice and may come to you or face you when your voice is heard. You may notice him laugh out aloud and may even scare himself by doing this. At this stage you should not only talk to your baby but also introduce other communication forms such as singing and story telling. The greater your effort in trying to talk with him, the better his response is likely to be.

Four months. By now more and more communication should be taking place with your baby. There will be lots of repetition to the sounds that your baby makes. It is important that you always respond to your baby’s “oohs” and “ahhs” and whatever other communication methods she is using. There will also be certain times when your baby may also not be in the mood for talking. He will turn his head in the other direction and may put his arm over his face.

Five months. As each month progresses you will find that your baby is becoming better at communicating. By now he’ll most likely be able to let you know if he’s happy or sad. Interestingly, if you always respond to his communication efforts (whatever these may be) he’ll repeat them whenever he wants your attention this way. During this month it’s likely that your baby will be looking at your mouth moving while you talk. Talk to him from across the room and he’ll be able to find you with ease.

Six months. Your baby may now be using consonant-vowel combinations. It’s quite possible that he has discovered his mirror reflection and is probably having conversations with himself.

Communicate with Baby

Seven months. Your baby is now continuing to learn how to use his newfound language skills. He may be able to do things such as wave goodbye and may accompany his wave with babbling sounds. He can say “mama” or “dada”.

Eight months. Your baby is playing games such as pat a cake and peek-a-boo. Even though he can’t speak the words that belong to these games, he can babble and talk to himself. It’s likely that your baby knows what the word “No” means by now as well.

Nine to twelve months. It’s possible that by now your baby understands requests and commands such as “give it” or “don’t touch that”. At this time you should be encouraging your baby to use gestures (and you should respond to them). For example if your baby indicates she wants to be picked up then say “you want to be picked up?” while picking her up. This helps the learning process.

Check out other article in the previous post about How Baby Einstein Works in this Infant Learning site.