My hearing child is speaking now – Why should I continue incorporating Sign Language?

Once your child is ready to speak, he or she will swap signs for verbal language. This is a natural progression for hearing babies of hearing parents (signs are simply used as a “bridge” until verbal language is possible). However, just because your child is speaking, doesn’t mean Sign Language can’t be a part of your child’s life. American Sign Language is the third most spoken language in the United States and the fastest growing language being offered to colleges across America. Signing is a skill that your child can take with them through their childhood and adult life. As your child enters school, signing will help with language development, reading comprehension, and spelling. Not to mention, with the amount of Deaf children being mainstreamed in to public school classrooms, the chances are high that your child may make a Deaf friend at some point in their life. Consider how knowing a few phrases in Sign Language will help break the ice and allow your child communicate with their new found friend.