Little did I know, one day in 1999, as I stumbled across a book in my local library, that my life would change forever! The book, ‘Baby Signs’ by American authors Susan Goodwyn and Linda Acredelo had me hooked and I couldn’t put it down. It was about a special form of communication called Baby Signing. Using basic hand shapes and gestures as a means of communication with a hearing baby before he/she is able to talk!

Admittedly I was a little sceptical at first, but as a new mother with a young baby, and a recent ex-student of a Primary School Teaching Degree, (I left due to my pregnancy after having successfully completing the first two years) I was especially interested in books about childcare and child development. I decided to give it a go with my daughter Kyra, then aged just six months. I didn’t know anybody else who was using this method of communication with their baby, so I kept it to myself for a few months whilst practising the signs for ALL GONE, EAT, DRINK and FISH with Kyra. Eventually, at about the age of nine or ten months old she signed back. I was over the moon!

Kyra actually made up her own sign for MILK. I was breastfeeding her and I noticed that whenever she was feeding she would clench and unclench her fist, almost in rhythm with her feeding. So this became her sign for MILK. Imagine my surprise when months later I discovered this is actually the proper American sign for MILK!

Kyra and I had so much fun making up signs for things and having ‘conversations’ with each other. One of Kyra’s favourite games was for me to walk around our front room, whilst holding her and point to various objects of interest like ornaments, lights, flowers and pictures and then she would produce the matching sign. She thoroughly enjoyed this interaction and loved being able to draw my attention to things that particularly interested her. I really felt that I had a special insight into her little world of thoughts. I felt I understood her and got to know her personality from a very young age.

When pregnant with Niamh, my second daughter, I had absolutely no doubt in my mind that I would continue with this wonderful concept of communication. By the time she was born, I had seen many of the qualities and benefits of using this method with Kyra.

It wasn’t until after Niamh’s birth, that I purchased a PC, and became aware of others on the net, also using Baby Signs with their babies across America and the UK. I was very excited as I had just started a new teaching course and was planning to use Baby Signing as my subject. I came across the site of Joseph Garcia’s ‘Sign With Your Baby’ and quickly ordered his ‘Complete Learning Kit’. And I haven’t looked back since!

Instead of Acredelo and Goodwyn’s idea of making up your own Baby Signs, Garcia advocates using simple signs borrowed from the vocabulary of genuine sign language. This seemed to make more sense to me as I thought about how in the future my girls might be able to communicate with other signers on a basic level with this form of ‘common language’.

Garcia points out that, as a baby is able to make hand movements and gestures much sooner than the complex mouth shapes necessary for speech, signing is a successful form of communication until speech develops fully, when of course the child will drop the signs in place of speech. Signing is not used as a substitute for speech; in fact it is extremely important to say the word as well as signing it. That way your baby has a choice of two forms of communication: speech or sign. Inevitably, the sign will be the easier option, until the baby’s speech begins to develop.

By the age of just 14 months old, Niamh was able to use over 40 signs, as well as making sounds for a variety of words like mum, dad, down, look and gone. She was able to communicate to me when she was hungry, thirsty, if she’d heard a plane or seen a cat. She could even tell me if something was hot or cold, if she needed my help or if she needed her nappy to be changed, all via signs!

It has been so wonderful to have access into her world of thoughts. How else could I have known what she was thinking if she hadn’t been able to sign these things to me? I was astounded by her intelligence and her ability to remember things. I really hadn’t realised quite how much babies know about the world. Just because they can’t tell us what they are thinking through speech doesn’t mean they don’t know or understand what is going on around them. Through signing, we are giving them a way of communicating these thoughts, feelings and needs much sooner than they would be able to without them!

Research suggests that some of the benefits of signing with a baby include reduced frustration for both the baby and the parent by being able to pinpoint a need quickly and effectively, an increased bond between parent and baby and better understanding of baby’s needs, desires and thoughts.

Some people worry that using signs will delay their baby’s speech development but on the contrary, there is research to suggest that it can actually encourage early speech development and a sophisticated understanding of language from a very early age. Obviously, this should not be the sole or main reason for teaching a baby to sign. Baby signing is not about creating super intelligent babies, nor is it about using signs in place of the spoken word, rather it is a tool for communication before a baby is able to verbalise his or her needs through speech.

Recently, Kyra’s nursery teacher told me that she has very advanced speech development for her age (3 years) and pointed out that you can hold quite complex conversations with her. I totally believe that signing has played a part in this. She has been understood from an early age through the use of signs and has consequently gained confidence in her ability to communicate, therefore never worrying about attempting to say new and different words. She has gained a more sophisticated understanding of language from a very early age.

As Joseph Garcia (1999) points out ‘children exposed to several languages early in life achieve higher levels of language competency later on.’ Through his own studies, he discovered that children exposed to signs as babies were more advanced in their ability to communicate, than those who had not. He says, ‘Children who had not learned signing were just starting to identify objects with words, while the children in our study were already talking about those objects. The signing children had the advantage of previously learning how to identify objects, feelings and needs through signs. The important thing is that using signs to communicate before speech develops can enhance the overall communication process.’ (1999, p: 24/25). Garcia goes on to say, ‘In my observations, the children who used signs in their early language showed above-average understanding of English syntax earlier than those who did not use signs.’

It is, however, essential to remember to say the word at the same time as you use a sign. That way your baby is repeatedly exposed to the sound of the word in relation to its sign and meaning. Acredelo and Goodwyn point out that you will actually talk more to your baby when using signs than if you didn’t use them. They actually refer to babies who are exposed to Baby Signs as being ‘bathed in words’. In order to learn the correct form and sounds of words, babies need to hear them repeatedly and by using Baby Signs the parent/carer is encouraged to do this, which in turn, encourages further interaction and conversation between themselves and their babies. They will find themselves asking more questions and labelling objects in their search for opportunities to use signs. This encourages a lot of speech, which the baby will store away in his/her memory, for when ‘his mouth catches up with his mind.’ (1996, p: 49).

Acredelo and Goodwyn continue, ‘Not only are you using words right along with the signs as you teach them, but once your baby is a full-fledged signer, you will be responding to her own attempts to get conversations started. When she begins to look at you and “sniff” while strolling through the park, you are likely to respond, ‘Oh, yes, those are pretty flowers.” (1996, p: 117).

This leads onto the most fascinating and possibly, most enjoyable stage of Baby Signing. With the ability to sign, your baby is able to initiate a conversation his/herself! Your baby is able to communicate his/her thoughts and feelings about the world! ‘...your baby is calling your attention to things that she wants to talk about. This is an exciting change, and like most parents, you will find it impossible to resist continuing the conversation. And when you do respond to her efforts, the information you provide includes many samples of what speech is like and how sentences are formed...At the same time you are responding to conversations she initiates, you will also notice yourself looking more enthusiastically for things to talk about. The result, again, is that you provide lots of exposure to her final goal - words and sentences. Once we noticed that the parents in our research studies who taught Baby Signs to their babies also started talking more, it came as no surprise that the Baby Sign babies understood language better than other babies and even developed words faster.’

When I began signing with Kyra, I felt very isolated, as I had no contact with anyone else who used this method of communication with his or her baby. Therefore, I decided I would run Workshops in my area of Devon, and have been doing so since May 2001, to support others already using this concept and to spread the word to those who have not had the opportunity of being introduced to it. It is so wonderful to be meeting regularly with others using the signing method and to be sharing our advice, ideas and experiences over time. Word is certainly spreading, especially around Devon and Cornwall and using signs with babies is becoming increasingly popular across the UK. I am happily welcoming more and more child carers to my sessions as they begin to realise how beneficial this concept will be to them and the children in their care. It is my hope that one day signing will be so widely recognised that all children will be able to communicate with each other to some degree, be they hearing, deaf or of special needs.

I am learning so much more about signing all of the time, thanks to my members and their enthusiasm for the subject. I can honestly say it has been the most enriching and rewarding experience ever, apart from being a parent, of course!

In support of my work, I am studying for a Certificate of Education at Plymouth University in order to teach adults, as well as studying for my British Sign Language, Stage 1 qualification.

I am currently pregnant with my third child and will of course be signing with this one too. It is wonderful to know that my daughters will be able to communicate with the baby as well, using the signs, and this well help them to feel more involved with their new sibling.

In my view, signing definitely helps to make language more interesting to babies, as it becomes more meaningful to them, and in a sense, more exciting and colourful. It brings language to life! You are able to have a two-way conversation with your baby before she can even talk. And that really is amazing! I only wish every parent could have the opportunity to experience the wonderful benefits of using sign with their babies.

For anyone wanting to know more about the Signing Babes Workshops which are currently being held in Plymouth and Devon, please ring Jill Manley of Virginia House Settlement, Plymouth on or send an e-mail to me at signingbabes.

For more information check out the Signing Babes Website: www.signingbabes.co.uk and the official 'Sign with your Baby' website at www.sign2me.com.

Adele Marshall

References:

1)     Acredelo L, and Goodwyn S, (1996) Baby Signs, Chicago: Contemporary Books.

2)     2) Garcia J, (1999) Sign With Your Baby, United States of America: Stratton Kehl publications, Inc.