Language consists not only of individual words, but also syntax, morphology, a full set of grammatical rules. It involves expressing (verbally or non-verbally) as well as receiving, or understanding. Speech is the actual use of spoken words. It is a physical act involving a host of muscles and body parts that make up the oral motor mechanism. A person can have good receptive language (understanding of someone else’s speech or sign) and some expressive language (via signs or writing) without begin able to speak. Speech and language are not the same.
Neither are gestures and signs.
While using individual words does not constitute language fluency, neither does using individual signs or gestures. However, using signs from American Sign Language (ASL) or another formal signing system is language based. Using gestures is not. Exposure to ASL is as beneficial to a child in terms of 2nd language learning as is exposure to Spanish, or Russian. The additional benefit to sign language is that it can accompany both spoken languages, helping to bridge the gap.
But is a family who learns “baby sign language” really learning a language? That depends on who is teaching it. In Baby Fingers classes, families are being taught sign vocabulary from American Sign Language – ASL. There are brief lessons incorporating grammar, but the focus is on vocabulary development and providing a non-verbal, pre-verbal, or developing verbal child with a tool for communication and self expression. The family is given a solid foundation to go further with learning the language if they so choose.
ASL vocabulary provides something that gestures cannot – access to another culture, the foundation for another language. Imagine learning only “ba ba” for the word bottle in English. That may be a baby’s approximation of the word, but it doesn’t stop there and shouldn’t be modeled that way. Or what if you only learned to “meow” when you saw a cat – that’s its sound, not its name, so you’d have no label for that animal. A gesture can be very beneficial in allowing a baby to get his/her parents attention and shifting their gaze to something of interest. However, pointing does not necessarily distinguish between the tree off in the distance or the snowman; the kite in the sky or the helicopter right near it. That’s where language comes in – sign language. The grammar isn’t required, but the word, the sign, the specific detail is absolutely necessary and when it’s vocabulary from a formal signing system like ASL, it is language based…like a child looking off into the distance and saying “tree” rather than grunting.
We have found in our program over the years that incorporating sign language does help facilitate a strong bond and healthy attachments. Either way, using gestures or signs (or speech alone) with your baby, focus on language and play together – it will help your relationship!
I bring all this up after reading several articles recently that say the following things:
- BSL is “baby sign language.” Nope, BSL is actually British Sign Language. There’s really no such thing as “baby sign language” in terms of a formal language out there. It’s simply approximated signs from a formal signing system until babies develop the necessary motor skills to refine their signs. Just like there’s no “baby English,” but there’s babbling and word approximations.
- Gestures are signs. Nope, a gesture is a non-language based movement of the hands. It often accompanies language or is a means of communicating something, but it’s not a sign and it is not language. Babies and toddlers are prone to gesturing, which is one reason why they can easily learn to sign.
- Bilingual children are always late speakers, or often develop one of the two languages later than the other. Nope, there are plenty of children in bilingual families who speak early or on time and develop a strong command of both language simultaneously. In our experience at Baby Fingers, when sign language is included, there is even greater success with both spoken languages – stronger command and earlier onset.
- Signing babies speak late or become lazy with their speech. Nope, that’s a global inaccuracy and a myth. Check out our articles page for some supportive research.