Sign To A Better Understanding Essay, Research Paper

Kim Berry Berry 1

English 1C

K. Simpson

Sign For A Better Understanding

You d better stop crying, or I ll give you something to cry about, which is a phrase

used in some households across America. The phrase illustrates one of the most common

problems concerning infants and parents; A lack of communication. The inability to

understand infants comes primarily from the fact that they do not have fully developed

facial muscles, which are necessary for speech. Child maltreatment, frustrated children,

and frustrated parents, these are all consequences that can occur from a lack of

communication. A commonality of parents who murder their own children at the early

stages of life have often used the excuse, the baby was crying and they could not get it to

stop. Communication begins at the moment people are born, but most babies do not speak

until the age of two. Generally, caregivers and babies spend the first two years of life in a

guessing game concerning the needs of the infant. A simple way to avoid the problems

surrounding a lack of communication is to teach infants sign language, which can be

implemented at the age of eight months, and parents who have adopted this practice have

witnessed numerous benefits from the program.

By empowering infants with an effective form of communication like sign

language, babies are able to understand words earlier, babies and parents enjoy a stronger

bond, and babies whine and cry less. A study funded by the National Institutes of Child

Health and Human development states, the benefits of a stronger parent/child bond alone

make the signing process worthwhile. (Garcia 1) Furthermore, Dr. Burton White states,

I was amazed to find validated reports that children as young as nine months old could be

taught to acquire as many as seventy-five signs by then. In contrast, the typical child that

was simply learning ordinary [verbal] language, was lucky to understand five or six words

Berry 2

and generally said nothing at all. (Garcia 3) What a remarkable difference! It is easy to

understand how being able to understand and communicate effectively would benefit

anyone, baby or not.

Yet, some people remain skeptical about the program. Some believe, that if

children are taught sign language they will use their hands to speak instead of using their

voice. On the television show 20/20, Perry Peltz states that, Studies on the baby signs

method used by the Oklahoma group show that children who use baby signs speak earlier

and have more to say when they do. (Ford 6) The study also pointed out that infants drop

the use of signing, as their facial muscles develop, and they start using words in place of

signing. In effect, these children are better at communicating then non-signing babies.

When a parent teaches sign language to their baby, they have to invest a lot of time

and effort into the task. This time spent is usually rewarded with the baby signing back in

only a month. The most used sign for infants are more, hot, pain, and milk. Imagine that a

baby is hungry, or in pain, or simply wants more of something to eat; Sign language

provides that infant with the necessary tools to convey those ideas. Thus, the parent and

child can spend their time more effectively battling tasks like building blocks, reading a

book, or cuddling when the mood is right. The more time the parent and infant have

enjoying one another, rather than trying to interpret each cry, creates a happier union for

both.

Maltreatment of children is one the most disturbing crimes of our era. Most of the

maltreatment cases in America go unreported for their lack of sensationalism, but

nevertheless children across America are being abused each day. Parents neglect, threat,

beat, and mame their children, and how can it be avoided? In an article on the web that

discusses Dr. Garcia and his book Sign With Your Baby the author states, A parent who

is communicating with their baby may be less likely to neglect or abuse them. It is possible

that parents who get into the habit of communicating with their babies through sign may

Berry 3

develop into parents who listen more to their speaking children and adolescents.

Subsequently, these parents may be more responsive to their children s needs, which

would hopefully result in healthier, more well-adjusted, adolescents, and adults.

(Garcia2) The fact that communication is key to anyone s success is evident. Furthermore,

utilizing something as simple as sign language to ease the pain of abused children is a

worthwhile endeavor.

Another reason parents should utilize the program is brain development. Signing

and using words at the same time may be stimulating both hemispheres of the brain. Also,

when a parent is teaching signing, they will speak to their babies more, which will help

them understand the language earlier. Finally, some studies that were done in support of

Dr. Garcia s book, Sign With Your Baby, have shown that the average IQ for signing

babies was 114, while the non-signing baby was 102. The study also conveyed that signing

babies shared a greater interest in books, and by the age of two they possessed a

vocabulary of fifty more real words.(Garcia 2) While raising a child parents should

provide the best environment they can for their infants. By teaching their children sign

language they are increasing their children s abilities to communicate more effectively,

which will aid them as they embark into adulthood.

Parents and their children are confronted with numerous challenges on a day to

day basis, and by teaching signing to babies we are lessening the multitude of challenges

that the lack of communication can create. Parents who teach sign are utilizing a tool,

which has primarily been for the benefit of deaf children, which is forming a bridge

between silence and understanding. Anyone who has engaged in any kind of relationship

can begin to understand how harmonious that relationship was based on the level of

understanding by both participants. Sign language for babies is a beneficial tool that should

be introduced internationally, and might have an overwhelming effect on future

generations.

Berry 4

Work s Cited

Ford, Jack, and Peltz, Perri. Baby Signing ABC News: 20/20 11 Oct. 1998

.

Garcia, Dr. Joseph. Sign With Your Baby 1 Jan. 2000

.Kim Berry Berry 1

English 1C

K. Simpson

Sign For A Better Understanding

You d better stop crying, or I ll give you something to cry about, which is a phrase

used in some households across America. The phrase illustrates one of the most common

problems concerning infants and parents; A lack of communication. The inability to

understand infants comes primarily from the fact that they do not have fully developed

facial muscles, which are necessary for speech. Child maltreatment, frustrated children,

and frustrated parents, these are all consequences that can occur from a lack of

communication. A commonality of parents who murder their own children at the early

stages of life have often used the excuse, the baby was crying and they could not get it to

stop. Communication begins at the moment people are born, but most babies do not speak

until the age of two. Generally, caregivers and babies spend the first two years of life in a

guessing game concerning the needs of the infant. A simple way to avoid the problems

surrounding a lack of communication is to teach infants sign language, which can be

implemented at the age of eight months, and parents who have adopted this practice have

witnessed numerous benefits from the program.

By empowering infants with an effective form of communication like sign

language, babies are able to understand words earlier, babies and parents enjoy a stronger

bond, and babies whine and cry less. A study funded by the National Institutes of Child

Health and Human development states, the benefits of a stronger parent/child bond alone

make the signing process worthwhile. (Garcia 1) Furthermore, Dr. Burton White states,

I was amazed to find validated reports that children as young as nine months old could be

taught to acquire as many as seventy-five signs by then. In contrast, the typical child that

was simply learning ordinary [verbal] language, was lucky to understand five or six words

Berry 2

and generally said nothing at all. (Garcia 3) What a remarkable difference! It is easy to

understand how being able to understand and communicate effectively would benefit

anyone, baby or not.

Yet, some people remain skeptical about the program. Some believe, that if

children are taught sign language they will use their hands to speak instead of using their

voice. On the television show 20/20, Perry Peltz states that, Studies on the baby signs

method used by the Oklahoma group show that children who use baby signs speak earlier

and have more to say when they do. (Ford 6) The study also pointed out that infants drop

the use of signing, as their facial muscles develop, and they start using words in place of

signing. In effect, these children are better at communicating then non-signing babies.

When a parent teaches sign language to their baby, they have to invest a lot of time

and effort into the task. This time spent is usually rewarded with the baby signing back in

only a month. The most used sign for infants are more, hot, pain, and milk. Imagine that a

baby is hungry, or in pain, or simply wants more of something to eat; Sign language

provides that infant with the necessary tools to convey those ideas. Thus, the parent and

child can spend their time more effectively battling tasks like building blocks, reading a

book, or cuddling when the mood is right. The more time the parent and infant have

enjoying one another, rather than trying to interpret each cry, creates a happier union for

both.

Maltreatment of children is one the most disturbing crimes of our era. Most of the

maltreatment cases in America go unreported for their lack of sensationalism, but

nevertheless children across America are being abused each day. Parents neglect, threat,

beat, and mame their children, and how can it be avoided? In an article on the web that

discusses Dr. Garcia and his book Sign With Your Baby the author states, A parent who

is communicating with their baby may be less likely to neglect or abuse them. It is possible

that parents who get into the habit of communicating with their babies through sign may

Berry 3

develop into parents who listen more to their speaking children and adolescents.

Subsequently, these parents may be more responsive to their children s needs, which

would hopefully result in healthier, more well-adjusted, adolescents, and adults.

(Garcia2) The fact that communication is key to anyone s success is evident. Furthermore,

utilizing something as simple as sign language to ease the pain of abused children is a

worthwhile endeavor.

Another reason parents should utilize the program is brain development. Signing

and using words at the same time may be stimulating both hemispheres of the brain. Also,

when a parent is teaching signing, they will speak to their babies more, which will help

them understand the language earlier. Finally, some studies that were done in support of

Dr. Garcia s book, Sign With Your Baby, have shown that the average IQ for signing

babies was 114, while the non-signing baby was 102. The study also conveyed that signing

babies shared a greater interest in books, and by the age of two they possessed a

vocabulary of fifty more real words.(Garcia 2) While raising a child parents should

provide the best environment they can for their infants. By teaching their children sign

language they are increasing their children s abilities to communicate more effectively,

which will aid them as they embark into adulthood.

Parents and their children are confronted with numerous challenges on a day to

day basis, and by teaching signing to babies we are lessening the multitude of challenges

that the lack of communication can create. Parents who teach sign are utilizing a tool,

which has primarily been for the benefit of deaf children, which is forming a bridge

between silence and understanding. Anyone who has engaged in any kind of relationship

can begin to understand how harmonious that relationship was based on the level of

understanding by both participants. Sign language for babies is a beneficial tool that should

be introduced internationally, and might have an overwhelming effect on future

generations.

Berry 4

Work s Cited

Ford, Jack, and Peltz, Perri. Baby Signing ABC News: 20/20 11 Oct. 1998

.

Garcia, Dr. Joseph. Sign With Your Baby 1 Jan. 2000

.Kim Berry Berry 1

English 1C

K. Simpson

Sign For A Better Understanding

You d better stop crying, or I ll give you something to cry about, which is a phrase

used in some households across America. The phrase illustrates one of the most common

problems concerning infants and parents; A lack of communication. The inability to

understand infants comes primarily from the fact that they do not have fully developed

facial muscles, which are necessary for speech. Child maltreatment, frustrated children,

and frustrated parents, these are all consequences that can occur from a lack of

communication. A commonality of parents who murder their own children at the early

stages of life have often used the excuse, the baby was crying and they could not get it to

stop. Communication begins at the moment people are born, but most babies do not speak

until the age of two. Generally, caregivers and babies spend the first two years of life in a

guessing game concerning the needs of the infant. A simple way to avoid the problems

surrounding a lack of communication is to teach infants sign language, which can be

implemented at the age of eight months, and parents who have adopted this practice have

witnessed numerous benefits from the program.

By empowering infants with an effective form of communication like sign

language, babies are able to understand words earlier, babies and parents enjoy a stronger

bond, and babies whine and cry less. A study funded by the National Institutes of Child

Health and Human development states, the benefits of a stronger parent/child bond alone

make the signing process worthwhile. (Garcia 1) Furthermore, Dr. Burton White states,

I was amazed to find validated reports that children as young as nine months old could be

taught to acquire as many as seventy-five signs by then. In contrast, the typical child that

was simply learning ordinary [verbal] language, was lucky to understand five or six words

Berry 2

and generally said nothing at all. (Garcia 3) What a remarkable difference! It is easy to

understand how being able to understand and communicate effectively would benefit

anyone, baby or not.

Yet, some people remain skeptical about the program. Some believe, that if

children are taught sign language they will use their hands to speak instead of using their

voice. On the television show 20/20, Perry Peltz states that, Studies on the baby signs

method used by the Oklahoma group show that children who use baby signs speak earlier

and have more to say when they do. (Ford 6) The study also pointed out that infants drop

the use of signing, as their facial muscles develop, and they start using words in place of

signing. In effect, these children are better at communicating then non-signing babies.

When a parent teaches sign language to their baby, they have to invest a lot of time

and effort into the task. This time spent is usually rewarded with the baby signing back in

only a month. The most used sign for infants are more, hot, pain, and milk. Imagine that a

baby is hungry, or in pain, or simply wants more of something to eat; Sign language

provides that infant with the necessary tools to convey those ideas. Thus, the parent and

child can spend their time more effectively battling tasks like building blocks, reading a

book, or cuddling when the mood is right. The more time the parent and infant have

enjoying one another, rather than trying to interpret each cry, creates a happier union for

both.

Maltreatment of children is one the most disturbing crimes of our era. Most of the

maltreatment cases in America go unreported for their lack of sensationalism, but

nevertheless children across America are being abused each day. Parents neglect, threat,

beat, and mame their children, and how can it be avoided? In an article on the web that

discusses Dr. Garcia and his book Sign With Your Baby the author states, A parent who

is communicating with their baby may be less likely to neglect or abuse them. It is possible

that parents who get into the habit of communicating with their babies through sign may

Berry 3

develop into parents who listen more to their speaking children and adolescents.

Subsequently, these parents may be more responsive to their children s needs, which

would hopefully result in healthier, more well-adjusted, adolescents, and adults.

(Garcia2) The fact that communication is key to anyone s success is evident. Furthermore,

utilizing something as simple as sign language to ease the pain of abused children is a

worthwhile endeavor.

Another reason parents should utilize the program is brain development. Signing

and using words at the same time may be stimulating both hemispheres of the brain. Also,

when a parent is teaching signing, they will speak to their babies more, which will help

them understand the language earlier. Finally, some studies that were done in support of

Dr. Garcia s book, Sign With Your Baby, have shown that the average IQ for signing

babies was 114, while the non-signing baby was 102. The study also conveyed that signing

babies shared a greater interest in books, and by the age of two they possessed a

vocabulary of fifty more real words.(Garcia 2) While raising a child parents should

provide the best environment they can for their infants. By teaching their children sign

language they are increasing their children s abilities to communicate more effectively,

which will aid them as they embark into adulthood.

Parents and their children are confronted with numerous challenges on a day to

day basis, and by teaching signing to babies we are lessening the multitude of challenges

that the lack of communication can create. Parents who teach sign are utilizing a tool,

which has primarily been for the benefit of deaf children, which is forming a bridge

between silence and understanding. Anyone who has engaged in any kind of relationship

can begin to understand how harmonious that relationship was based on the level of

understanding by both participants. Sign language for babies is a beneficial tool that should

be introduced internationally, and might have an overwhelming effect on future

generations.

Berry 4

Work s Cited

Ford, Jack, and Peltz, Perri. Baby Signing ABC News: 20/20 11 Oct. 1998

.

Garcia, Dr. Joseph. Sign With Your Baby 1 Jan. 2000

.