GLASTONBURY, Conn. — An early childhood center in Glastonbury is seeing the benefits of teaching hearing infants and toddlers sign language.
“When they’re this young, they’re learning to talk,” said Shanai Smith, a lead teacher with The Learning Experience in Glastonbury. “Before they can talk, they can figure out sign language.”
Smith is in a classroom with 12 to 24-month-old children. Throughout the day, she uses sign language when she speaks to her group of busy and curious toddlers.
The American Academy of Pediatrics approves simple sign language with infants and toddlers. The AAP said it can break down communication barriers and build positive interaction between baby and parent. Research published in the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis has also shown that using sign language with hearing babies and toddlers does not delay speech. In fact, some studies have shown the opposite. Researchers have found it encourages speech.
“We’re not only signing to them, we’re saying it to them as well. I’m saying ‘more’ as I’m using it. I’m saying ‘thank you.’ If anything, it’s growing their vocabulary as well,” said Smith.
At the Learning Experience, teachers introduce new signs each month to the families. Smith said parents will often tell her their child is using sign language at home.
“I had a parent actually ask me, ‘What is this?’” she says while mimicking a sign. “I had to explain to him, ‘more.’ Whatever you gave him, he wanted more.”
The signs are simple and are the same early words a child would naturally use in early speech.
“I’m asking them, ‘do they want more?’” Smith said. "Can you say thank you when I just gave you that? Are you all done with this? I’ll throw it away for you?”
Smith has seen the benefits at home as a parent because her son had a speech delay.
“Before he was actually beginning to make progress and say the words, he was using the sign,” she said.
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