THE staff of Junior Colleges Castillian had the honour to be part of the baby sign language training that was held at BubHub in Broadacres on January 17.
This was a fun-filled morning.
“We learnt that by using just a few hand signs when you talk to your baby, you give him/her the tools to communicate with you before they learn how to speak. From the age of six months, babies are cognitively ready to communicate, but because speech only develops between 12 and 24 months of age, they need an additional way to communicate.
“That is why we need to teach our little ones sign language. With signing, you are giving your baby a tool in hand (literally) that is easy enough for their little hands to use,” said Elizabeth Steenkamp, prinicpal.
According to Elizabeth, your baby will benefit from sign language because:
*It enhances your child’s verbal language development and enables children to communicate their wants and needs much earlier in life.
*It enhances language and listening skills as well as cognitive development, and research shows an increase in IQ level.
*It boosts self-esteem and reduces frustration for babies, toddlers and their parents, which in turn leads to fewer tantrums.
*Parents are provided with a window into their infant’s world, which strengthens the bond between parent and child.
*It improves vocabulary, promotes bilingualism and encourages an early interest in literature.
Baby sign language is best started around six months. Always speak as you sign, as your baby needs to hear the word each sign represents.
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