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Teachearlyyears.com 25 language for some children as the action reinforces what the signer is saying. l Signing often reinforces the adult/ child bond as it offers a shared understanding and quality time together. l Children who sign are often more interested in books as they can ‘read’ the pictures using signs. l Everyone in contact with the child can use the same signs, offering consistency for the child. l Adults can understand and interpret what a child is trying to tell them more easily. l Practitioners can communicate earlier with children as actions precede speech in child development. Supporting development Within a setting, signing with young children will enable practitioners to get to know the child’s needs and wants and plan effectively to meet those needs, demonstrating to parents their thorough knowledge of the child and contributing to a positive relationship with the whole family. Signing with young children closely links with the EYFS prime areas of Personal, Social and Emotional Development, as children are able to build relationships, interact with others and use gestures to communicate and gain attention; Physical Development, as children learn to control their movements and deliberately move their hands and bodies to make signs; and Communication and Language, as children use signs to communicate their needs and wants. It also links with specific areas such as Literacy, as children learn to ‘read’ stories using the signs that they have learned, and Expressive Arts and Design, as young children express and communicate their own ideas, thoughts and feelings through signs. I was once approached in the supermarket when using sign language with my baby and asked if she was deaf. I explained that she could hear perfectly but I chose to use signs with her so that she could communicate earlier. I was then asked if this would delay her speech. It’s a common misconception that using signs with young children will delay their speech when it actually does the opposite – it accelerates it! This is because signs and iconic gestures reinforce a child’s understanding of the word being demonstrated – the sign/gesture often acts out the word. For example, the sign for drink is to cup your hand and ‘drink’ from it. In addition, sign language and gesture also form part of Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC), where children who have speech or language problems use ways to communicate that do not rely on speech alone. Signs have also been successfully used with children for whom English is not their first language. Blackburn and Aubrey (bit.do/TEYba16 ) acknowledge that a number of children with English as an Additional Language would benefit from practitioners using more signs and gestures within their practice. We know that early intervention is vital to support all children and therefore it makes sense to use these strategies as early as possible with all of our children. There are a number of resources available to aid practitioners in learning sign language and I recommend visiting the CBeebies website (bit.do/TEYcbm ) as a good place to start! 8 STEPS TO SIGNING SUCCESS l Always say the word when signing with young children. l Begin with a few signs that you can use every day that fit in with your routine. l Maintain eye contact or sign when children are focused on the relevant object. l Be consistent – encourage all carers to use the same signs. l Only sign key words using simple sentences – one sign per sentence is often enough. l Follow the children’s lead – increase their signing vocabulary when they are ready and use signs linked to their interests. l Make signing fun! Teach children signs using rhymes, stories and songs. l Repeat signs again and again, as repetition is key!