Fequently Asked Questions
Is American Sign Language (ASL) hard to learn?
No, it is not a difficult language to learn. It is important to understand that for the purpose of supporting hearing children’s language development, pre-literacy skills, and cognitive development you are only using the vocabulary from ASL, you are not teaching them the whole language.
As an educator, care giver, or parent you will highlight the word you want a young child to know. Such as milk, every time you say the word milk you will also sign it. This interaction should take place with adults as well as children, that way the use of ASL will seem natural to children learning it.
Is there a “right” hand to use when signing?
You may use either hand to sign with, there is no hand domination in signing. However, placement is important. Every ASL sign will have an appropriate placement in relation to the sight line. For babies and toddlers, signs should be placed as close to their sight line as possible, without sacrificing the integrity of the sign.
When can I start using ASL with my child?
The team at Sprouting New Beginnings believes that it is never too early or never too late to start using ASL with young children. Research has shown that children as early as six months of age are cognitively ready to communicate, however their oral motor skills are not ready for speech until around two years of age.
For the frist 18 months that young children knows what they want, but can’t say it. Using ASL to support language and communication during that time is a wonderful gift, but why stop there? Through our active research we have discovered that ASL not only bridges the gap between pre-verbal and verbal, but also supports motor development, social-emotional development, self-help skills, and increase their pre-literacy skills. Overall ASL is just plain good for children; it reduces frustration and increases bonds between young children and families, care givers, and educators.
Remember REPETITION is the key to learning. Repeating signs often and using them frequently supports young children’s ability to learn ASL more efficiently.
