Why Sign With Verbal and Older Children?

People often wonder why they should sign with older children who can already speak.  Sign and Smile believes children are never to old to start signing because signing with older children is just as beneficial as signing with younger pre-verbal children and here's why:


Toddlers and preschoolers vocabularies are still growing so why not teach them new words through signing and raise that word count?


Children may use English as a second language, have special needs or do not speak very clearly, signing however enables children to communicate, thus remedying these communication barriers


Some children have a vast vocabulary and are able to use many words, whilst other little one's cannot.  Signing however can bridge this gap; by learning basic signs children can interact and communicate with one another without having to be at the same speech, language and communication developmental stage


Signing is a proven way to enhance early literacy skills for success in reading, writing, vocabulary, spelling and memory


Signing enhances a child's fine and gross motor movements


Signing enhances a child's confidence and self-esteem


Signing continues to bridge the gap between a child’s ability to understand language and their ability to articulate it

With more D/deaf children being integrated in to mainstream schools these days, teaching signing to older children enables children of both hearing and non-hearing communities to have meaningful interactions with one another


And finally because signing is FUN!