Deaf babies of Deaf parents babble with their hands in the same rhythmic, repetitive fashion as hearing infants who babble with their voices.
Petitto, L.A. & Marentette, P. (1991). Babbling in the manual mode: Evidence for the ontogeny of language. Science, vol. 251, pages 1483-1496.
Petitto and Marentette conducted studies with outcomes that strongly suggest the brain has an innate capacity to learn language in a particular, step-wise fashion, by stringing together units into what eventually become meaningful words. The brain will progress through these steps regardless of whether language is conveyed through speaking, signing or presumably any other method of communication. The results contradict a widespread assumption among linguists that the maturation of the vocal cords affects language development among infants.
For centuries, people thought that speech and language were one in the same. There’s been a whole complicated notion that the structure of the motor apparatus and the unfolding of the mouth muscles actually influenced the structure and development of language. But in showing that deaf and hearing babies exposed to sign language babble with their hands in a manner that has all the basic elements of vocal babbling: “We’ve decoupled language from speech. We’ve torn them apart.”
Excerpt from the NY Times (1991)
MUSIC THERAPY
Music Therapy with Peter, Podcast by Lora Heller, Imagine Magazine
The Effect of Singing Paired with Signing, Journal of Music Therapy
The Benefits of Music & Sign in Language Development, by Lora Heller, Music & Sign Language & Learning
Music Therapy Helps Deaf Children with Cochlear Implants The Matzav Network
Music Therapy Handbook, Ed. Barbara Wheeler (Guilford Publications, 2015)
SIGN LANGUAGE
Signing with your Child, Podcast –Lora Heller, Guest on Deb Flashenberg’s Yoga – Birth – Babies
Before Baby Talk, Signs and Signals, Judith Berck, New York Times Science Times
The Benefits of Using American Sign Language with Preschoolers Click here
Impact of Symbolic Gesturing Click here and Click here
Dancing with Words: Signing for Hearing Children’s Literacy, by Marilyn Daniels (Bergin & Garvey, 2000)
DEAFNESS
Children with Cochlear Implants Language Acquisition Educational Audiology Review
Losing the Language of Silence, New York Magazine Click here
The Benefits of Sign Language for Deaf Babies and Children Click here
Babbling in the manual mode, L.A. Petitto & P. Marentette, Science
Seeing Voices: A Journey Into the World of the Deaf, by Oliver Sacks (University of California Press, 1989)
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
History of ASL
Deaf Culture
Music Therapy
Classes and Programs
Support Deaf Artists/Businesses: Love Letters By Emily, Deaf LoveILY, New York Deaf Theatre
Resources by Lora Heller:
