March is National March into Literacy Month. If you’ve been around Signing Time for long, you know that we’re passionate about the benefits of signing, including improved success in both verbal and written literacy. And since it’s an official month to focus on literacy, let’s look at a few ways to “march into literacy” with My Signing Time.
Kids who learn to sign…
Have a better understanding of vocabulary
When a child learns to sign at an early age, it brings an earlier understanding of using words to communicate. This early understanding continues to grow naturally as a child learns more words, regardless of how the words come to them. So whether through additional signing education, through spoken words, or through written words, the ability to understand continues to grow.
An increased understanding in word usage and meaning helps children as they interact with other people, as they begin school, and as they face unknown words. When you know how to use words well, even as a child, then reading becomes a worthy goal, and the words aren’t just groups of letters that are sounded out.
A better understanding of vocabulary is a definite advantage in becoming literate.
Have a better ability to express themselves
This increased understanding of vocabulary helps kids to have a greater ability to express themselves. This is game-changing for kids. Seriously, how often do we ask our little ones to use their words instead of acting out?
In fact, when our kids with verbal challenges, due to age or disability, can express themselves with signing, they gain confidence and a sense of calmness. If you can express yourself and be understood, there’s far less need to use alternate means of communicating.
And when our kids can express themselves, they often gain a desire to understand others better as well. This helps in their relationships and general functioning in their worlds. It also helps them to understand expression when they learn to read.
Learn to read earlier and easier
With these advantages in word usage and understanding, along with the brain processes that these skills require, kids who learn to sign at an early age are much more ready to “march into literacy.”
Studies have shown us that kids who sign learn to read significantly earlier than their peers. And quite often, early readers are lifelong readers. Kids who enjoy reading have a skill that will definitely help them in school and in the future, in many jobs.
So signing is a highly effective way to march into literacy with your children.
March into Literacy with My Signing Time
Signing
The natural place to start incorporating signing with your littlest ones is through our Baby Signing Time show. Through Baby Signing Time, your child can learn 100 signs by the age of 3. Check out this free parent guide to see how it works.
After that, there’s our Classic Signing Time show teaching signs for everyday life. Between these two resources, your child will know sooooo many signs to help them communicate. Here’s a free episode of Signing Time for you to check out.
And then there’s Signing Time Sentences, helping you and your kids to put it all together!
Remember too, you can always access our free Signing Time Dictionary to learn more signs with your kids. It’s a great visual database of over 400 signs along with instructions for how to do them.
Reading
At My Signing Time, we also have several shows to help with early reading skills, such as letter identification and letter sounds.
TreeSchoolers: The Legends of Phonetica teaches all of the letters and their sounds through the TreeSchoolers’ adventures in the land of Phonetica. The TreeSchoolers’ silly conversations and fun songs are such a fun way to learn the letter sounds. Check out the first episode here!
And there are also several fun shows about the ABCs in our Mother Goose Club series, Mother Goose Club Schoolhouse, and Mother Goose Club Playhouse.
Did you know that you could try My Signing Time for free for 14 days? Try it out here! With the benefits of signing and the resources to help you, how will you march into literacy this month?