“Talking” through signing communication
Imagine that your 8-month-old daughter is crying incessantly and you don’t know why. Is she hungry? Tired? Needing a clean diaper? How can you tell? If your child was under the care of Primrose Schools, she could actually tell you what’s wrong—without speaking. That’s because Primrose Schools has adopted the use of sign language (using the Sign2Me program) to improve the way parents and teachers interact with infants and toddlers. Through simple yet amazingly effective signs, Primrose babies learn to express their wants, needs and observations in a manner that is clearly understood.
The Sign2Me program is scientifically research-based and has been found to stimulate language development as well as provide a unique opportunity to develop a window into a child's mind. By including signs in daily activities, parents and teachers spend less time guessing what a child wants and more time fulfilling their specific needs. Primrose uses the standardized American Sign Language (ASL), which provides everyone with a unified system of communication. Common, simple signs are used initially: more, eat, drink, help, bottle/milk, bed, book, diaper change. Once the babies begin signing and learn to express themselves, new signs emerge, such as ball, baby, stop, play, dog and cat.
Research conducted by the American Speech and Hearing Association conclusively indicates that babies who sign tend to have a stronger command of verbal language and often begin speaking at an earlier age than babies who do not sign. According to Sign2Me®, there are a number of significant communication and developmental benefits to infant and toddler signing. In general, signing allows parents and caregivers to model effective communication, encourage conflict resolution, and help children communicate with each other.
