Crib Notes: Effects of Sign Language on Hearing Children's Language Development

Recently, we started pushing sign language with our 4-year old who continues to struggle with language. Noe's therapists and I have been doing a lot of research to facilitate this transition into his therapy and at home (we had previously been doing a picture exchange program to teach Noe language). I am AMAZED by some of the research out there. It is fairly common knowledge these days that teaching babies signs will help facilitate their language development. The thing that impressed me was how it continues to positively affect children's language skills throughout childhood.

With our typically developing 2-year old, I considered teaching him sign language but decided against it because DH is teaching him Spanish. I was afraid that two languages plus sign would be too confusing. After reading the study below, I am rethinking my decision. Have any of you taught sign to your hearing children? If so, what has your experience been?

I thought I would share a few notes on this study:

Effect of Sign Language on Hearing Children’s Language Development (Daniels, 1994 and follow-up study 1996)

This study compared the vocabulary of typically developing, hearing, preschool students who received simultaneous instruction in American Sign Language (ASL) and English to students who received instruction only in English. Participants were 60 students, equally divided into four classes who remained in the school program for the entire academic year. Two classes received ASL and English instruction, and two classes were taught only in English. All participants were African American, from the same neighborhood with the same socioeconomic status and parental income. Before treatment, all students received similar scores on kindergarten placement measures.

For the classes that used sign language concurrently with spoken English, there was a dramatic increase in the students’ vocabulary. This increase in vocabulary may be attributed to the additional visual, kinesthetic modality used when signing. Additionally, they had better recognition of letters and sounds. A message received both with the eyes (signing) and the ears (spoken English) uses a combination of visual, kinesic, aural, and physical modes, creating “the probability of a multiple imprint on the learner’s memory…[and providing a] more natural code than English for language acquisition in children” (Daniels, 1994, p. 296). Other teachers who used sign in the program believe that it increases children’s focus, concentration, attention, while encouraging them to become active participants in learning.

Additionally, the gains in receptive English vocabulary that the children achieved in the preschool year continued throughout the following kindergarten year. Results found that the benefits attained from receiving both sign language and verbal English instruction simultaneously were maintained one year later.

The author provides various explanations for this continued vocabulary growth, even though sign language was no longer utilized in the classroom. Sign language indirectly increases eye contact and attending to the speaker. In order to obtain the entire message, the child is conditioned to look and focus on the communicator so he can see the signs while listening to the spoken language.

Teachers involved in the program reported that, since children can feel the language with signs, the additional sensory input allows them to become more active learners of language. This engagement also stimulates the ability to learn from play, since play is correlated with cognition, social growth, and language capability.

Other Research About Sign Language Has Found:

*Teaching signs and speech simultaneously leads to improved communication for children with autism (Konstantantareas, 1984), Down syndrome (Weller & Mahoney, 1983), and other developmental disabilities (Brady & Smouse, 1978; Musselwhite, 1986).
*Learning languages in 2 different modalities (i.e. aural and visual-spatial) enhances semantic development (Prinz & Prinz, 1981).
*When young children learn ASL and spoken English concurrently, the results are earlier language acquisition and accelerated language development, in comparison to children learning only spoken English (Holmes & Holmes, 1980; Griffith, 1985; Goodwyn & Acredolo, 2000).
*Sign language, in combination with drama activities, results in significantly higher expressive and receptive language measures for preschoolers than those taught a standard curriculum (Brown, 1990).
*Sign language consisting of adverbs and adjectives taught to kindergarteners to enhances appropriate use of these descriptive words (DeViveiros & McLaughlin, 1982).
*Sign language instruction to first and second graders provided greater retention of vocabulary words than with only spoken English (Wilson & Hoyer, 1985)


More Helpful Resources for Parents:

Briant, M.Z. (2004). Baby sign language basics. Carlsbad, CA: Hay House, Inc.
Garcia, J. (1999). Sign with Your Baby: How to Communicate with Infants Before They Can
Speak. Seattle: Northlight Communications.
Ryan, D. (2006). Complete Idiot’s Guide Baby Sign Language. NY: Penguin Group.
Sign language dictionary with animated signs:
http://commtechlab.msu.edu/sites/aslweb/browser.htm
Free resource for students, teachers, and parents: www.lifeprint.com

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