By Emily and Megan

• Greatest human need is to be understood
• First natural forms of communication
• All babies use their hands to communicate before they can speak
• Babies no longer have to cry for what they want or need
• Signing is a bridge to speech
• Fine motor skills in hands develop faster than their muscles required for speech

• Learn more about the world at an early age
• Babies that can sign are less frustrated because they can communicate exactly what they want and influence their word before being able to talk
• Less frustration for parents because they don’t have to guess what their child needs or wants
• More time interacting in a positive way

• Signing babies speak sooner and more likely will have a higher vocabulary once they begin to speak
• Babies that used signs proverbially have scored higher on IQ test
• 9 year olds will typically score 12 points higher one IQ test

What babies need to be able to do before learning Sign Language
• If baby can wave, point, clap hands baby can learn to sign
• Parents should start doing the signs before baby can imitate them because it helps to become familiar with it

• Start off with a few signs and use the sign in daily routines
• Make the sign every time you say the word
• Once the infant mastered a sign add a new sign
• Say the word every time you make the sign to keep the strong connection between sign and word

• Sleep
• Bed
• Milk
• All done
• Change
• Food/Eat
• Thirsty
• Bath
• More

• Come here
• Wait
• No
• Yes
• Stop

• Thank you
• Your Welcome
• Please
• Sorry

• Mom
• Dad
• Sister
• Brother
• Baby
• Girl
• Boy

• Phone
• Book
• Cookie
• Hug
• Kiss
• I love you

1. Which develops first fine motor skills in hands or muscles in mouth? Fine Motor Skills
2. What is one benefit for teaching signs to babies?
See Slide 3
3. What should a parent do to help their child learn the signs? See Slide 6
4. How many signs was the child in the video able to do? 30
5. Cookie
6. Book
7. Please more milk
8. No thank