Baby sign research
Does it improve language skills and IQ?
American professors Acredelo and Goodwyn carried out studies which suggest that babies who sign talk sooner than non-signing babies, have larger vocabularies and higher IQ's at the age of three.
They even claim that signing babies tested at eight years old had an IQ more than 10% higher than those who had not signed. You can read more about their research here.
However, a note of caution. Prof Acredelo advises against signing simply being used by parents to fast track their kids.
She says:
'The reason to do 'Baby Signs' is not to raise IQ. The main reason to do it is for the social and emotional benefits - for the sense of connection between parent and child.'
Marilyn Daniels, a Professor of Speech Communication at Pennsylvania State University and author of 'Dancing with Words: Signing for Children's Literacy', believes that baby sign helps children to learn to read and write by improving their language and literacy skills. She found that pre-schoolers who were taught sign language scored significantly higher on the Peabody Vocabulary Test than other children. Her conclusion? Vocabulary can be improved if words are presented visually as well as verbally.
Dr Gwyneth Doherty-Sneddon, of Stirling University, told a conference on baby sign in 2007 that signing helped very young children to communicate, eased child and parent frustration and helped toddlers to develop socially acceptable behaviour.
Not everyone agrees. There are sceptics who question why any parent would bother to teach their baby to sign, pointing out that nearly all parents are skilled at reading their baby's non-verbal signs. They also argue that most children forget the signs they have learned once they start to speak.
But more parents and carers than ever before are teaching their hearing babies to sign - and most are very positive about the benefits which baby sign can bring from day to day.
