There are many benefits for a child that is taught to use Sign Language.
* Signing allows children to clearly communicate their thoughts, needs and desires.
* Signing helps reduce frustration and tantrums.
* Signing helps build stronger bonds and trust between you and your baby.
* Signing is a fun activity/special time to share w/your child.
* Signing increases confidence and self esteem.
* Sign language can help toddlers identify their emotions.
* Signing may accelerate verbal language development.
* Signing babies have larger vocabularies.
* Older children that were signing babies often score higher on IQ tests.
* Signing children tend to be more interested in books.
* Sign language can helps children with special needs such as speech delays and autism.
* Signing also provides a way to talk to your children discreetly in public when they get older or when the situation may be embarrassing.
* Signing helps strengthen and develop fine motor skills, which can help with writing (which is another key component in language development).
* Signing provides a multisensory teaching tool to assist your child with other cognitive and language development skills such as reading and vocabulary building.
* Sign language and finger spelling can help your child improve their reading writing and spelling skills.
By Monika Mira
Monika Mira is an author, educator and advisor to childcare professionals and moms. She believes that a multisensory approach is the key to making learning more efficient and enhancing memory. Monika uses sign language as a multi-sensory teaching tool, which she believes is especially helpful for teaching reading. She also uses baby sign language to help parents as well as daycare and preschool staff communicate with infants and toddlers before they have developed speech. Monika is the author of The Complete Hawaiian Reef Fish Coloring Book which features over 80 species of fish. www.blossominglittleminds.com Book link: www.lucid-hawaii.com
