More and more nurseries are realising that using signing within their setting will have far reaching benefits to their children and staff.  As a result more nurseries are incorporating signing as part of their offering in order to remain competitive.

 

 

What are the benefits to the children as individuals?

• Signing empowers children because they can communicate successfully with those around them.
• This sense of empowerment significantly contributes to children's happiness.
• Positive effect on self esteem and confidence.
• Less frustration and resulting tears.

 

What are the benefits to the children interacting with others?

• Signing helps children to communicate with each other.
• Encourages conflict resolution.
• Reduction in negative behaviours because children are less frustrated.
• Signing enhances early language skills because children can engage in two-way conversations with their teachers and their peers at an earlier age.
• Children learn to use signs to solve problems. "Stop" and "share" are commonly-used signs that help children learn to get along with one another.
• Signing serves as common language where more than one spoken language is heard within the setting.  The sign will be the same for everyone.