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As research continues to support early communication development, sign language programs are becoming increasingly popular among parents seeking educational advantages for their children.
A daycare in Overland Park is helping infants find their voice months before they can say their first word.
The Learning Experience is using ASL to help children communicate their needs before they develop verbal skills, creating stronger bonds between parents and children while reducing frustration for both.
"I think that for her, the biggest thing was being able to advocate when she wanted something or needed something, instead of crying and screaming," said Brittany Johnson, a mother whose child learned sign language at the daycare.
Children at The Learning Experience learn at least 50 different signs by the time they reach kindergarten. Team Lead Olga Salas said the approach helps children transition more easily from nonverbal communication to speaking.
"By the time they go to kindergarten, they will know at least 50 different signs," Salas said. "And if you notice when the kids sign, they usually try to say the word as well. So just putting it together makes it that much easier to transition from being nonverbal to talking and being fluent."
The concept builds on research suggesting early communication development can accelerate learning. Johnson experienced the benefits firsthand with her daughter, who could communicate effectively before her first birthday.
"I think for me as a parent, having seen the difference of her very efficiently communicating with me below 1 year old, you know, like she was just, you know, nine, ten months and being able to tell me what she needed and wanted. And that wasn't something I experienced with my other two," Johnson said.
"Build a stronger bond between parents and their children ... because they're able to communicate and then put their feelings into words a little sooner," Salas says of the program.
The approach addresses the challenge many parents face when trying to understand what pre-verbal children need or want. By giving infants a way to express themselves through hand gestures, the program aims to reduce crying and frustration while accelerating language development.
"We're giving them their voice before they have been able to form a voice," Johnson said.
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