Question:

Hi,

I’ve been reading your blog and visiting your website. I also sign with my daughter. The early benefits have been amazing! Besides all the typically mentioned early communication skills, sign language is helping her to start early reading and spelling skills (she’s 27 months old). But I’ve been wondering, when do the benefits of learning sign language “wear off”? Is there an age where it all seems to even out between signing babies and non-signers? I’ve read Acredolo’s study about the increased IQ points, but I’ve also read that early advances seem to even out by 3 years old and another that says they even out by 3rd grade.Hmmm…What’s with the fascination with 3?
Holly Miller http://hollytriedit.blogspot.com/search/label/sign%20language

Answer:

Thanks for emailing me, I love talking about sign language.  As far as any research that I’ve read about child development advances in connection with using sign language, I have only seen studies that are documented up to the age of 8, like you said.  I’m not aware of any other studies that have tracked a group of children past that point.

If you want my personal opinion though, I think that there are so many other benefits connected with using sign language as a child that last a life time.  Besides the academic benefits of early reading skills, spelling advancements, language development, and enhanced verbal abilities, etc… I feel that signing with children allows for them to develop abilities that aren’t typically documented by research.  For instance, the ability for the child to connect in unique ways with others and build greater self esteem,  increasing memory storage and problem solving abilities, learning to communicate and problem solve in multiple ways (visual, audio, and sensory), and learning a second recognized language, etc…

So to answer the question, when does it “wear off”, I honestly don’t think it does.  No matter what, children that use sign language are being exposed to a unique and special way of communicating that I feel gives them the “upper hand” in child development.

Andrea Burton Ploehn, signing4baby.com