The “theory” that signing supresses the spoken language is bull. Deaf people are deaf, and no amount of technology or medications can improve their speech to even near that of a hearing person nor fix their ears.

Hearing children with deaf parents learn ASL first, but they also are sponges. They listen. They memorize the words they hear. Problem here is that they KNOW their parents are deaf, so what use is there for them to speak the words they learned? They merely bide their time until they go to school, or have a couple of kids to hang out often in the neighborhood, then suddenly you have a chatterbox and you wonder where that kid learned so much words from. Younger hearing children are a bit more difficult. They’re born to deaf parents, therefore they believe that everyone else is the same. So they point, tap shoulders, and tug on pants to get attention. They just need to be taught and reminded that there are many different kinds of people, including the hearing.

Deaf children – beware of putting them into hearing school where they’re the only deaf student or there’s only one or two others. That is detrimental to their grades, fellowship practices, and confidence. It makes them feel like a freak, like they’re certainly not normal. Put them into schools that actually have an established deaf program, or research into state schools for the deaf. I’ve been to the Illinois School for the Deaf, and have not regretted it since.

Also, beware of speech therapists who hold down or tie the children’s hands to force them to talk. Oh yeah, they do still exist nowadays, and I had a nasty run in with one for my oldest son’s speech practices. She was promptly fired the first day after I walked in on her doing that. Those kinds of people have the very least consideration for anyone who’s different. And, for you parents of deaf children, watch out for those evils and disregard anyone saying “your child won’t amount to much”. Another truckload of bull.

If any of you thinks that signing is detrimental to speech, you’re wrong. Even die-hard deaf people make sounds and lip movement in accordance to each sign they use.

Last note before I leave – feel sorry for the deaf oralists. They can’t even communicate with their fellow deaf people, and when they have deaf children, it’ll be worse. There’s NO communication BOTH ways with them. Strangers can’t understand them, and friends have a hard time. Don’t turn your children into one.

My son is hearing and is taught sign language, as myself and my husband are deaf as well as our oldest son. BSL is the primary communication at home and I have had so called professionals on my back complaining about his lack of speech, as he is 2 1/2 years old, then one day a few weeks later he came out as a chatter box. He knows how to communicate with us, he knows he is understood and understands others, so why improvise on one method on the basis of using another to suit someone else who does not sign nor interacts with him on a daily basis.

I can appreciate people being concerned due to the lack of speech progress, but once he has mastered the art of grammar in language via signing first, he will come out talking as if there is no tomorrow.

Children do not sign at the expenses of other things, just as a child with english speaking father and a russian speaking mother. They adapt to speak both language with ease and suffer nothing for it.

Dorothy

It’s SignTyme (http://www.signtyme.com).

:)

The product uses lenticular printing (that ‘plastic’ printing technique that when you ’tilt’ it switches between two images) to show how the signs are executed.

My wife liked the idea of these because they were an alternative to videos (spending time in front of the TV).

Thanks.

i love your no-fuss description of a child saying ‘hungry’ at 12 months! (Always found that a little bit of Auslan helped my teaching English enormously – being able to say something with a gesture, or a facial expression is invaluable.)

Yes, it’s funny, that assumption that because American and Australian hearing people can understand each other, the respective Deaf communities also can – i remember the worst example of this was when the stage version of “Children of a Lesser God” was performed in American Sign – and the local Deaf community couldn’t understand a word :(

regards, micahel

As far as I know, almost every country has their own sign language – even if it is very similar to the sign language of another country. (Auslan, for instance, is based on BSL, or British Sign Language, while ASL comes from the French Sign Language (FSL, or LSF). I belive Thai sign language is also similar to ASL/LSF).

Anyway, my point is, that you’ll probably find the Deaf community in most countries will have information and resources for signing with your baby in your own local sign language. VicDeaf (www.vicdeaf.com.au) is one example in Australia – they run baby sign classes in Auslan (AUstralian Sign LANguage). Have a look into it – I can’t imagine you’d be disappointed.

And there seems to be no connection between signing and delaying audible, verbal speech?

I can see where it would be nice to not have to struggle with saying, “Honey, I’m so sorry – I have no idea what you want” when a kid is upset and in need.

But, being old school, and a social worker, and a sociologist, I have to really think about this. My kids all spoke early – before one year old. And even at age 5 and age 8 (my oldest is almost 12), there are still times when those two younger ones can’t express themselves well enough to tell me what they really want to. Signing would serve no purpose at that point.

I’ve not read the literature on this development, I’ve only heard about it. I’m not skeptical, I’d like to know more. Where does it get the child, where does it get the family? And what, if anything, is given up by using the tool?

You don’t have to answer – almost more rhetorical. The best part: you obviously have a deep relationship with your wife and daughter.

~Grauw

Very interesting! Last thing I would have expected to read on your blog. I have an interest in signing since I started learning Auslan (Australian Sign Language) at high school, and have since made many Deaf friends.

I’d have to agree with your desision to use ASL over simplified/made up “Baby Signs” – it’s one thing the Deaf community here seems to agree with, too. If you’re going to teach your child to sign, you might as well use a real language! Your justification makes sense, too (“The child may not get every sign exactly, but they”ll get close and we”ll know what they mean.”).

Good work, keep it up, and keep us posted on how it all goes!