Friday, February 25, 2011
Sign Language
I have a niece that teaches her children to use sign language instead of actually talking; they do not have any kind of disoreders, but yet she makes them sign what they are wanting or more of something. I understand wanting them to learn, but her son is almost three and he signs more than he talks. They are not around anyone that needs to be signed to. I was wanting to see if I could get a little input and thoughts on this!
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I think it's awesome that the child is learning to sign, but I think it's really important for the kid to also know how to talk. If the parents don't ever talk to the child, there is a good chance he or she will fall behind when it comes to entering school.
ReplyDeleteDo you know their motives behind all of this?
I think signing is amazing, and I plan to teach my children to sign, but I also plan on teaching them to speak verbally. This seems strange to me that she would choose not to use their verbal abilities when they are fully capable. I am very curious about this now. I wonder if anyone else has ever done this, and she maybe got the idea from that?
ReplyDeleteI think it's great that she is teaching her child sign language, that's something I wish my parents would have taught me when I was younger.
ReplyDeleteHowever I think that it is also important to develop strong language skills as well.
My cousin has a little boy and they have taught him a couple things in sign. I think its a great idea for young children to know sign but I feel that when they get to the age of oral language than the parents should be working on language and getting them to communicate that way.
ReplyDeleteI agree with all of these comments. Teaching children to sign is awesome and it's awesome that the parents are willing to take the time to teach their children to sign, but at the same time it's very important to teach a child to communicate verbally if they are capable. Communication is very important when it comes to succeeding in life and although their are several ways to communicate, verbally and non-verbally, if a child is capable of verbal communication, they should be taught to verbally communicate. People can get through life without verbal communication but I do believe it will make things harder on the children throughout their entire lives. I know people who teach their children to sign some things, such as if they want more of something or the signs for different colors, girl, boy and so on, but they also focus on verbal communication. It's hard to believe that parents would keep their children from doing something they are perfectly capable of doing! If you find out more about this from the parents, please post and keep us updated. This is a very interesting topic.
ReplyDeleteUnless the community you are a part of uses sign-language a lot, I think it is more important for a child to develop their speech language skills. It is vital to be able to effectively communicate with the public, which the vast majority uses speech to do so on an every day basis. Although sign-language is great, when the use of it become so much that is is potentially preventing a child from developing in another aspect of their language is when I would draw the line.
ReplyDeleteI think it is neat that she is teaching the child sign, but i think speech should come first for the child. If the child is able to speak then i believe that they should be learning to speak before learning sign. Then after they master speaking, then move on to sign language.
ReplyDeleteLike everyone else has stated I think it is GREAT that they are teaching their son to sign, but I think that they need to work on his verbal skills equally. My aunt taught all 5 of her children to sign, but also actively encouraged them to work on their verbal skills. I don't think it is neccesarily a problem, but it could develop into one.
ReplyDeleteI pretty much agree with everyone.. i think it is awesome that she is teaching them sign because it allows them communicate in many ways... however, i think that it is important for her to encourage them to use their verbal skills.
ReplyDeleteI have a severely hearing impaired niece and nephew and the hearing commission explained to the family that sign language may teach the children to rely too often on sign language instead of using what hearing they have. My family and I know some sign language but are eager to learn in case we ever need to rely on it. I think that sign language is basically a second language that anyone should know and have some knowledge of, but I believe that children at such a young age should be taught to develop language through speech first so they can communicate more properly to people who don't sign.
ReplyDeleteRobin, the only reason that I have heard them say they were using the sign language for was in Sunday school class, so the children would not be noisy and by keeping them quite they teach them to use sign language which escelated from that; the mother and father love it.
ReplyDeleteI agree signing is GREAT, I plan on taking the ASL classes, but I worry about this child starting school. Like many have said and I agree he needs to verbally speak before using sighn language. They are not in a comminuity or enviroment where this is actually needed.
I can see problems simply because he doesn't want to communicate by verbally speaking. She is family, I have ask her about this and it doesn't bother her that he is using sign language, but I make him talk to me, and if he doesn't I do not give in.
She has 2 other chldren and one still wears a pullup and in 1st grade and takes medication for ADHD,she will tell you she is too lazy to go use the bathroom, the other is 11 and on medication for ADHD, she was never a problem before the medication and stays zoned out.
My thought is she and her husband both doesn't want the responsibility of being parents and uses all of these things as a quick fix.