Saturday, January 19, 2008

Teaching A Baby To Learn Sign Language

The human brain is an amazing thing. Even before a child is born they will begin to recognize things such as the sound of his mother's voice and a touch of her hand. Once the baby is born it is quite some time before they are able to effectively communicate with you. They will let you know what they need, usually by crying whenever they are hungry or need changed. Just because they are not able to verbally communicate does not mean that it is not possible for a baby to communicate with you at all.

Something that has been gaining popularity lately is baby sign language. This isn't the same type of sign language that you and I are familiar with, where we see deaf people communicating with each other, although this can easily be implemented between the parent and a child to some extent. Baby sign language is generally movements of the eyes or gestures with the hand that would signify what they want. For example, a baby could easily be taught that when they are ready to be fed they would do a particular hand gesture in order to let the parents know what they want. Since the baby is not able to verbally communicate until they are a year or a year and a half old, using baby sign language will help them to be able to enjoy a two way communication with the parent that might not otherwise be possible.

One of the best things about baby sign language is it can develop into something that the child will carry with them for the rest of their lives. It is not unreasonable for a baby that learns simple gestures in order to communicate with their parent to learn more advanced signs before they are even able to talk. If a parent learns some American sign language and begins to teach it to their child at an early age it will put the child in a better position in life. Many parents choose to teach their children languages at a very young age, such as French or perhaps Spanish but many parents overlook the possibility of teaching their child sign language. By doing so they will be able to effectively communicate with the deaf when they are older. In this way it becomes more than just communication between the child and the parent, it becomes a useful resource that they can use for a lifetime.

No parent wants to limit their child in their abilities, or to hamper them from being able to enjoy a full adult life. If you take the time to teach your Child sign language as a way for them to communicate with you at a very young age, and then helping them to advance into learning American Sign Language, they will be able to use this tool throughout their life. I know many people that taught their child simple signs at a young age such as hungry, thirsty, and stop playing (great for use in a quiet environment). That child has since grown up and still remembers the signs that they were taught when they were just a baby.

If you or your baby want to get started learning Sign Language right away, the best resource to get started are the 5 FREE Sign Language lessons at Learn Sign Language Fast . COM Log on now to get started immediately.

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