By Dale Gross
November 29, 2010
The Benefits of American
Sign Language
American Sign Language is a complex language that has
been used for centuries throughout North America. Signed Languages are
unlike spoken languages in that they are three-dimensional languages in
motion. Why is it important for schools to start teaching American Sign
Language to students at a young age?
The Manitoba School District in Canada believes the importance of learning
ASL is enormous. Apart from the common advantages related to learning of a
second language, it permits and insight into the Deaf culture and bestows
more opportunities to communicate with those who are Deaf or hard of
hearing. The learning of American Sign Language develops awareness and
sensitivity to cultural and linguistic diversity in addition to preserving
the cultural identity of one. It also provides cultural enrichment and is
the best means of fostering understanding between people who are hard of
hearing and those who are not. Furthermore it gives the opportunity to
identify question and challenge one’s own cultural assumptions, values and
perspectives to contribute positively to society.
An article written by Laura Berg entitled "The benefits of using American
Sign Language with Preschoolers" explains how much help American Sign
Language can help a toddler in recognizing words if they are connected to a
sign. Every parent knows that young children love movement and actions. When
you sing songs and put actions to them, children always want to perform
those actions. Berg uses "The Itsy Bitsy Spider" as an example of this. Berg
explains that the soon as the toddler starts to sing the song they start to
perform hand motions like the spider going “up the spout” and the “rain fall
wash the spider out”. Laura Berg goes on to say that the children are able
to remember better because there is muscle memory involved and the more
senses involved the easier it is to learn.
An article from the website www.sign2me.com titled "The Benefits of ASL
Signing in Childcare Centers with Young Children." The article states
“Signing in a childcare setting allows caregivers to model effective
communication, encourage conflict resolution, and help children to
communicate with each other. Teachers who sign can spread more time
interacting with and nurturing children than managing the myriad challenges
associated with Early Childhood Education”. One major thing signing helps in
a childcare center is that it allows the children and teachers to
communicate quickly and more efficiently. This means that the children will
spend less time crying and the teachers will not have to decipher what the
children are trying to say. Also being able to sign gives the children a
sense of empowerment because they are being able to communicate which then
leads to the children being happier. The article goes on to talk about how
American Sign Language being taught at a young aged allows the children to
learn two languages and communicate in more than one way with their teachers
and peers. It has been reported in classrooms that use signing there are
less acts of violence. Teachers have reported that there has been less
biting, hitting, and screaming because the children are happier and less
frustrated because they are able to communicate. Another benefit of learning
American Sign Language at a young age is that two children who speak a
different language are able to communicate through signing which makes
things a lot easier.
Signing at a young age can also benefit children who are special needs
children. Children that have special needs are able to use American Sign
Language communicate with their caregivers and other people. Children that
suffer from Down syndrome, autism, cerebral palsy, aphasia and other
language delays and impairments have used the ASL system to communicate with
others.
William Dean wrote an article about learning American Sign Language and its
benefits. Dean reported that scientific reports have shown that children who
have learned American Sign Language at a young average a higher IQ of 8-13
points. In another study William Dean said that researchers discovered that
babies are able to learn some of the simple signs of sign language before
they have the ability to speak.
There are so many benefits to teach children American Sign Language at a
young age. As you have read American Sign Language not only helps children
communicate at a young age it also helps special needs children communicate.
It also is a bridge between languages where two people that speak different
languages are easily able to communicate while using American Sign Language.
The benefits are amazing and there is nothing negative about learning how to
sign. It has also been proven that children who learn to sign at an early
age are smarter than children who don’t. Learning American Sign Language
gives children a chance to explore and gain an appreciation of the Deaf and
hard of hearing culture.
WORKS CITED:
1. Berg, L. (2001). The benefits of using American Sign Language with
preschoolers. Retrieved from http://www.babies-and-sign-language.com/baby-sign-language-preschoolers.html
2. Benefits of ASL signing with your baby. (n.d.). Retrieved from
http://sign2me.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=15&Itemid=31
3. Benefits of signing with your child. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.signingtime.com/faqs/benefits-of-signing
4. Dean, W. (n.d.). learn american sign language easily. Retrieved from
http://ezinearticles.com/?Sign-Language---Learn-American-Sign-Language-Easily&id=1294926
5. American sign language and Deaf culture. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.edu.gov.mb.ca/k12/cur/languages/asl/framework/intro.pdf