Fantastic Phonics

Baby signing is becoming a more familiar practice with young babies, and is no longer reserved for children with hearing difficulties. The value of signing with a baby can still be a strongly debated issue. Some believe that signing can delay and interfere with speech development, whist others think that signing has many benefits enhancing vocabulary and understanding whilst strengthening the bond between baby and carer as they communicate more and more.

Jenn believes that baby signing provides an early and essential method of communication for a baby, who could become extremely frustrated if they are not able to make themselves understood. A baby relies on cries to verbally communicate before it can talk, signing bridges the gap of time when the young child can understand words, simple instructions and questions but is unable to verbalise their opinion or answer.

Signing allows the baby / young child a means of communicating and to use language in a physical, practical manner, before they have the ability to form and say recognisable words. Most signing is based on ‘Makaton’ and British / American Sign Language, with some adaptations to make some of the signs easier for a baby’s small hands that are still learning to control and move them.

Consider perhaps visiting a foreign country which you have no understanding of the local language and the locals cannot speak your language. You are on your own with no translator, friend or phrase book. Sooner or later you will need to ask someone where to get a drink, something to eat or where the nearest convenience is. Adults in this situation have two options, drawing a picture or signalling and gesturing with their hands, babies are unable to draw to express a need, but are able and extremely adept at using their hands to sign for communication.

There are a growing number of baby signing classes that tend to teach a few signs a week through rhymes and songs. These are ideal if you want to learn only a few signs and concentrate on these in a social environment with other parents / carers of young babies all learning at the same pace.

Other parents / carers (perhaps with older siblings and less time to attend classes) may choose to teach signing with a ‘Do It Yourself’ approach. There are many books, programmes, videos and DVDs to teach signing. These can be used alone or as a support and extension to classes in order to teach the signs that you feel are relevant to your situation or you feel that your baby would benefit from.

Signing requires a consistent approach for several minutes every day over many weeks and sometimes months. (The younger your baby is the longer time gap there will be before they start sign to you). Try not to feel too despondent about a baby that looks at you modelling signs, yet makes no attempt to copy you. Babies need time to process the action and link it to a meaning or word, once they have made this connection they will try to use the sign themselves.

The next sections within Baby Signing give you a step by step detailed account about how to start signing with your baby, then develop it, and finally the transition to talking. Be patient, the rewards are worth the wait when your baby starts to tell you that they would like ‘more’ (food, tickles etc.) or a ‘drink’ before they are able to talk.

Case Study

Baby signing was a relatively new initiative when our daughter was born, but I started signing to her when she was about 4 ½ months old, after it was recommended to me by my cousin who had signed with her daughter. I was determined to continue signing even though she showed no signs of attempting signing herself for many weeks, as I was sure that she would understand and use signs when she was ready.

My father was quite sceptical and expressed concern that if she signed she wouldn’t bother to talk, or talk later than other children. Undeterred I continued for several weeks until one day, to my delight, she signed ‘more’ asking for more yoghurt one mealtime.

Once she knew she could communicate her wishes she quickly looked for and learnt many, many more signs. I did not attend a signing class (as there wasn’t a local one at the time) but purchased a video and hand book by Joseph Garcia and taught myself.

I can see the virtues of going to a class, but for me at the time I did not have the option. By self teaching myself I could go at the pace my daughter learnt and also choose the signs that were relevant to her and our family. Once I had taught all the signs from Joseph Garcia’s video, I had the confidence to buy a very basic baby signing dictionary to extend the number and range of signs we were using.

Once our daughter began to speak, she already had a good vocabulary that she used and understood, and seamlessly stopped signing a word as she learnt to say it. As a nursery school child she used a wide and varied vocabulary and enjoyed the sound of words and playing with rhymes, all of which I believe started from her signing and using language as a young baby.

My father’s fears were allayed and he too became a convert to the benefits of baby signing, and as any proud grandparent he recounts stories if how she talked before she could speak!