Benefits of Sign Language for Special Needs Kids
Promoting the Use of ASL to Enhance Early Language Acquisition
May 22, 2009
“Sign language instruction greatly improves communication and literacy skills for children who have special language needs associated with autism, Down syndrome and developmental delays. Many behaviours related with autism and other developmental disabilities, such as aggression, tantrumming, self-injury, anxiety, and depression, are often attributed to an inability to communicate to others,” says a August 2000 Business Week Online article entitled: “Look who’s talking—with their hands.”
Although teaching sign language to children with autism and other developmental disabilities does not interfere with learning to talk, teaching sign language along with speech has proven to speed up spoken communication.
Sign language's Benefits to Children
Sign Language is very interesting to young children and is a highly motivating form of instruction. ASL allows a teacher to present information visually through hand and body movements.
Sign language hastens speech development, reduces frustration in young children by giving them a means to express themselves before they know how to talk, increases parent-child bonding, and lets babies communicate vital information, such as if they are hurt, or hungry.
Research shows that using sign language in an early childhood literacy program increases vocabulary, improves letter and word recognition, helps young children focus on learning, and enhances communication between children, parents and teachers (Business Week Online)
Expressive and receptive language skills are the building blocks for social interactions. Children that are able to express themselves are more likely to seek out social interactions.
Sign language supports development of cognitive structures that are important for speech and language. Communication through sign helps to establish connections in the brain that are necessary for encoding language. Encoding language early is the key to learning, and learning is the key to success.
A child’s enthusiasm for learning language often increases along with their understanding of letters and sounds, their desire to explore writing, and their enjoyment of books.
Sign language allows the child to communicate using signs and may motivate the verbal language process. Another possible benefit of teaching a child to sign may be the facilitation of their attentiveness to social gestures of others as well as of themselves.
Ways in Which Parents can Promote the Use of ASL to Enhance Early Language Acquisition
- Point to people, pictures and common objects, sign their names and use simple ASL grammar
- Watch signed children’s videotapes with your baby
- Look at books, point to the pictures and name them in ASL
- Play games such as peek-a-boo with signs
- Show interest in the signs your baby makes and repeat them back
- Do ASL nursery rhymes with your baby
- Comment on things you and your child are doing by signing about them
- Share ASL children’s literature with your child
- Play with your child using ASL rhymes and rhythms and have fun
- Respond to what your child is signing rather than how he or she signs it
- Show your child sign story videotapes and ASL poetry videotapes for children
- Have a conversation by signing back when your child signs to you
- Play games using toys and objects that your child enjoys
- Use a variety of signs and facial expressions when you have a conversation with your child
- Act out stories with your child
Using sign language during reading and writing activities helps hook children into your instruction. Whether you are singing the ABC song and signing the letters or you are signing various words from a children's book, your students will be watching you intently, focusing on your every move. This intense engagement and focus helps young children learn new skills and information.
