Signing Family

Frequently Asked Questions

Will signing cause my child to stop talking?

No. In fact, our experience with our children has shown just the opposite. Our girls’ vocabulary has grown significantly since learning sign. They are eager to learn new vocabulary words. In fact, an Ohio State University Study showed children who learn sign have a stronger ability to learn language than those that didn’t.[1]

Why should I teach my child ASL instead of using made-up signs?

There are a few answers to this question. If you’re going to take the time to make up and remember signs, why not use real signs? Signing with children has been shown to make kids more open to learning languages later in life. Why not give them the basics of a real language now? The Washington, DC area is home to one of the nation’s largest deaf communities. Your chances of meeting deaf parents and kids at a playground or at school are quite good. Knowing at least some sign language will help you and your children interact with Deaf people more easily. Also, a University of Washington study shows “hearing infants exposed to American Sign Language (ASL) for the first time prefer it to pantomime, lending new evidence that humans show a broad preference for languages over non-languages.[2]

My child isn’t making the signs correctly. Why?

Just like in speech, there is baby talk in sign. I was fascinated to learn that my children modified the signs for Mommy and Daddy just as they did in speech. Instead of saying Mommy and Daddy immediately, they said Momma and Dadda – and did the same in sign. As they become more comfortable with making the actual hand shapes, the signs will become clearer.

Do I need to be fluent in ASL before my kids can learn?

No. My husband didn’t know many signs before having children and learned as we taught our girls. One key to successfully teaching kids sign is repetition. As you learn a sign and use it with your kids, you’ll be modeling and teaching your children. You’ll be learning at the same time.

Are we talking about a large commitment of time?

No. The goal here isn’t to become fluent or to be an interpreter. You want to be able to communicate with your baby. With just a few classes, you can learn enough to have basic communication with your child. If you want to learn more, we’re happy to provide you with community resources to continue your education.