Baby Sign Language Thread #4

[amayzie]

I'd keep showing her the correct sign but accept that as her sign... she may eventually pick it up.

[RachelC]

It's just like speaking.  We accept words that are not spoken 100% correctly, but we don't change our way of speaking to adopt their language (ok, sometimes the things they come up with are so cute we can't help it but you get the idea)

[anna*]

It's just like speaking.  We accept words that are not spoken 100% correctly, but we don't change our way of speaking to adopt their language

OK, that makes sense

[amayzie]

hamish tried to sign 'duck' today!! So cute!!

Anna- I know you've been a bit frustrated like me 'waiting' for a sign- i found with hamish that he has really only started doing clear signs in the last couple of months, and no they are picking up a bit more (in that he does 3 ) I would suggest that you keep doing them to her as it really helps her to understand what you are talking about and she will start doing ones that are important to her soon! I found that with the BLW there wasn't much need even for 'more' or 'finished' as a sign.. so he's never done it. And to Hamish- there is no NEED for 'finished' as a sign as you just eat till there's no food left in sight!! Anna's a little like this too isn't she?

[creations]

And to Hamish- there is no NEED for 'finished' as a sign as you just eat till there's no food left in sight!!

Ha!  With mine even when there is no food left he turns himself around to the fridge, points and shouts until it is opened and more food produced

[amayzie]

LOL!! That will so be hamish!! He is yet to work out the connection i think!

Oh! He now signs duck! while we read a story with a duck in it!!

[*Ali*]

I haven't done signing with Cadan so much for the last year or so since his speech is so good now but tonight I was sitting at the other end of the hall and signing at him to read a book while a very OT Colby was falling to sleep and I was doing wiwo and pd with him. He understood perfectly although he didn't actually do it, shame.

[Solene]

Ah, this is fun, I don't actually know anyone else that uses signs with their babies!
I didn't start so early with little bug because I really figured he had enough with being trilingual, but when I saw the frustration of not being able to communicate I started with basics. And now we do a little more than basics, but not words he speaks.
And we can add another type of signs to the mix, our signs are a mix from Baby Signing Time and the "Signs to Speak" program we have here (Scandinavian country) that I used with my youngest daughter.

[amayzie]

He understood perfectly although he didn't actually do it, shame.

Ah yes.. the understanding is there- but the willingness to do it is not!!

Trilingual Solene!! Well the signing might actually be a good idea as he may be following a different curve to other children and not be speaking as early (may be no different) But the signing is like a nice universal translator!

[Solene]

amayzie, yeah. I'm not sure he actually is slower though, his sister was. But he has 25-30 words now at 17 months and puts two words together for little sentences (yes, two words is a sentence :p). It'll be fun to see what the nurse says at his next well-baby in 1.5 weeks.

[*Ali*]

I've heard you say that about multilinguals being slower to speak before Katy. Do you know of any actual studies that show this to be the case? Just out of interest.

Sounds like he is doing just fine Solene.

[creations]

I've heard you say that about multilinguals being slower to speak

I also believed this from things I'd seen/read.  I warned my brother his LO might be a little later as he is bilingual Chinese English.  However,  I just read this
http://www.incultureparent.com/2010/11/late-speaker-and-bilingual-changing-a-common-belief/

[Solene]

creations, oh, thanks, that is interesting!
My daughter was later, but she was also a preemie. So it could easily have been that.
I'm gonna ask the nurse more about this at the well-child, what research they have and what it says.

[amayzie]

Yeah- that's what the studies tend to show- i don't know heaps about it, and it's talking about 'averge' age. So some kids would be faster than that. And the story is that it;s not that they are 'slower' as such... not 'delayed' they are just following a different path if you get me-  so the may talk later, and they can do some funny little language mixing things too, but by 3 i think (or something similar) they are either on par- or sometimes better off than their mono-lingual peers. BUT this isn't the area i work in, so i'm not up on the LATEST research... 

Ok- Just did some reading on google scholar (i don't have anything better at hand!) And it appears that in some ways it;s more that there;s an appearance of delay if you get me. SO the milestones for first words, and two word combinations and vocabulary size are all the same- BUT the vocabulary size is made up of words from both languages- so half in each language- not double. So- say at 18 months you have 50 words (for example) Hamish will have 50 english words, where a bilingual child may have 25 english words and 25 words in the other language. So when speaking in one language may seem 'delayed' in a way. The article talked about the importance of looking at both languages at once when assessing...

[amayzie]

Sorry- once i get started on a topic I find it really interesting! SOOOO- back to sign! I think that if you are into it it would be a nice way to support their communication across all languages and to help their understanding as well!