Good – Monica Beyer
“A number of purportedly educational programs and gizmos have popped up in recent years, claiming to positively influence the preverbal human brain, with mixed results. It’s looking more and more like attentive, communicative parenting is what has a positive impact on infant learning, whether or not supplemental tools are involved. But one seemingly trendy development—baby sign language—shows a lot of promise. The phenomenon works exactly how it sounds—using signs or gestures with a preverbal child, with the expectation that he or she will sign back. Proponents suggest that baby sign language advances brain development and bonding between parents and children. With most babies naturally starting to use their hands and arms to communicate at around nine months, the practice makes a lot of intuitive sense. Through signing, many parents hope to get a grasp on what their baby needs or wants before he or she is able to speak, and, at the very least, reduce frustration…Making an effort to communicate with children at a young age, whether through sign language, reading or talking, will do more than help them communicate better—it can create better learners, which benefits society as a whole.”(more)