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• Will baby signing
discourage my baby from talking?
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When should
I start teaching my baby Infant Sign Language?
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When can I expect
my baby to start signing back?
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We are already
speaking two languages with our baby. Will teaching signs confuse
him?
•
My baby is 20
months old and has quite a few words. Is it too late to start
the Baby Signs® Program?
•
How do I get
started?
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1.
Will baby signing discourage my baby from talking?
Absolutely not! Findings from 20 years of government-funded
research have shown that learning infant sign language actually
makes learning to talk easier. Click
here for more information about Baby Signs® research.
My son, at 13 months, was saying over 45 words --some he would
say in conjunction with signs (e.g. Star, Ball, Tree); other
words he would say without signing (e.g. Bus, Yes, Down). |
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2.
When should I start teaching my baby Infant Sign Language?
Whenever you'd like, but certainly by 8 or 9 months. Some
families start as soon as when their baby is born, just to
get into the habit, and that's fine. After all, we talk to
babies from the day they're born (or even earlier); we just
don't worry when they don't answer!
We began modeling signs with my son when he was 8 months old. |
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3.
When can I expect my baby to start signing back?
Depending
on when you start, you may expect your baby to sign back as
early as 8-9 months. When babies actually sign back varies
greatly from baby to baby, depending on the child's interest
in communicating (some babies prefer climbing bookshelves
to reading books), development of related skills (e.g., memory,
imitation, attention), how frequently and consistently the
parents/caregivers model the signs. A typical range for first
signs would be between 10-14 months.
My son surprised us with his first sign when he was 9 months.
We were reading Goodnight Moon to him and he decided to sign
along to “Moon.” We were all SO excited, and you
know what, the excitement just builds and builds with each
new sign! |
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4.
We are already speaking two languages with our baby. Will
teaching signs confuse him?
The beauty of teaching your baby to sign is that the signs
can act as a “bridge” between the two languages
that you are speaking with him—one sign for the same
concept. For example, your child will learn to associate that
“ping guo” is “apple” if you consistently
model the sign and say the word together. |
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5.
My baby is 20 months old and has quite a few words. Is it
too late to start the Baby Signs® Program?
Even babies with 50 to 100 word vocabularies still find some
words too hard to say (e.g., caterpillar, crocodile). As long
as that's the case - no matter what the child's age - we've
found that sign equivalents are welcomed. |
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6.
How do I get started?
Easy! Just attend a Baby Signs® Parent Workshop and you will get tools, tips and guidance
on how to get started on your amazing Baby Signs® adventure. Contact us today. |
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