There’s a little drooling and a lot of tousled hair. There are sleepy eyes and some stained clothing, and many of the students aren’t paying attention. But this isn’t college–it’s a sign language class. And some of the students are crying.
Baby sign language, a trend that has been picking up steam in the last few years, operates on the premise that children can express themselves earlier with sign language than with speech. Allowing them to communicate without relying on their mouths eases frustration for the child and fosters an earlier child-parent bond, says Kathleen Kelly, instructor at the Elmhurst Memorial Health Education Center, who has been teaching sign language to adults and toddlers for a decade.
“That’s what is fun about sign language,” Kelly says. “It’s so much more expressive than English.”
Aaron Ludkowski of Elmhurst is finding his fun elsewhere in the classroom. The 18-month-old explores the A/V cabinet while his classmates are taught the numbers 1 to 10. He dismantles a medical mannequin while they listen to a song. And while the parents learn this week’s new set of sign vocabulary words, Aaron is more interested in learning how far he can stick his arm into the garbage can.
He’s not alone. This classroom is a symphony of shrieks and giggles and cries. Parents try to foster learning while catching their kid before she falls into the lost-and-found bin. And the instruction keeps right on coming.
“The parent and baby have an interaction,” says Kelly, who structures her class for the parents, who will then work on the signs with their children at home. “What is the sign for diaper?” asks one. (It’s touching thumbs to other fingers as though holding safety pins.)
Based on American Sign Language, many of the movements are basic, slang even–all the better to convey the message. And some words exemplify the funny side of human nature. The sign meaning “kids,” for example, resembles wiping a runny nose. The sign for “milk” is the motion you’d make to squeeze an udder.
In a classroom of 10 infants and toddlers, it’s not surprising how prevalent these words are. Lahela McClenahan of Lombard doesn’t speak and her hair hasn’t fully grown in, but when she’s thirsty she knows exactly what to do. “She makes that milking-the-cow move when she wants milk,” says mom Rachael.
Although some children are more visual than others, thus more likely to adopt sign language, most little ones can rapidly develop a sign vocabulary. Some of these students are only 6 months out of the womb and already picking up signs. With potty training the equivalent of an MBA, Kelly makes sure she maintains a fun environment.
“This class is more about enrichment; there is no pressure,” she says. “It’s the same as playing music and teaching your child how to clap along.”
Kelly suggests occasionally faking a minor injury to exhibit the “hurt” sign (pointing the index fingers together over the hurt area). And she teaches seasonal words like “turkey” (making a wattle under the neck) and “snow” (imitating falling flakes with the fingertips).
“Sign language is wonderful because we use our whole body to communicate,” she says before signing along to Louis Armstrong’s “Wonderful World.”
For 1-year-old Maya Eiseman of Elmhurst, this is the third language she is studying. Her mother, Gena, also tutors her in English and Spanish.
Studying three languages at a year old and maintaining a smile throughout. That’s a pretty good sign.
