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Dive into all the types of signed communication in use today
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While you may be familiar with American Sign Language, British Sign Language, or other sign languages used in your country, did you know that there are more than 300 sign languages used worldwide today? There is no single universal sign language, so many countries or regions have their own sign languages that are often completely separate from their spoken languages. Learn more about some of the most commonly used, understood, and researched types of sign languages around the world.
The Most Common Sign Languages
- American Sign Language is the most commonly-used sign language in the world, with signers in the U.S., Canada, SE Asia, West Africa, and South America.
- Some of the other most popular types of sign language include Chinese Sign Language, Indo-Pakistani Sign Language, and British Sign Language.
- More than 300 sign languages are used globally, but there is no universal sign language that can be used to communicate with all Deaf people.
Steps
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QuestionWhen should I start teaching my baby sign language?Giselle Baumet is a Mindset & Wellness Coach and the Owner of Granola Babies based in Orange County, California. With more than 16 years of experience, she specializes in helping others, particularly parents, navigate through life’s challenges. Giselle earned a BS from Rhode Island College and a Lactation Educator Certification from The University of San Diego. She also holds a Women’s Life Coach Certification from The Academy of Creative Coaching, a Transpersonal Hypnotherapist and Somatic Healer Certification from The Transpersonal Hypnotherapy Institute, a Hypnosis and Childbirth Certification from The American Hypnosis Association, and a Positive Parenting Educator Certification from Positive Discipline.You can start as early as 12 weeks old. While your baby won’t sign back right away, introducing signs early helps them recognize and understand the connection between gestures and meanings over time. Around 6 to 9 months, many babies begin to mimic the signs they’ve seen consistently, and by 8 months, some can use signs to communicate their basic needs—like saying they’re hungry or tired without fussing or crying. The key is consistency. Pair the signs with the corresponding spoken words during your daily interactions. For example, when feeding your baby, say “eat” while making the sign for it. Some easy and useful signs to start with are eat, milk, more, all done, sleepy, happy, up, down, diaper, and family-related words like mother, father, grandmother, and sibling. Over time, this can reduce frustration for both you and your baby as they learn to express their needs more clearly and effectively.
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- Be aware that the terms “hearing-impaired,” “deaf and dumb,” and “deaf-mute” are largely considered to be offensive among the Deaf community. [34] X Research sourceThanks
- Similarly, Deaf culture uses “Deaf gain” as a way to reclaim and positively reframe the term “hearing loss.” [35] X Research sourceThanks
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References
- ↑ https://www.signcommunity.org.uk/banzsl.html
- ↑ https://cdhh.ri.gov/information-referral/american-sign-language.php
- ↑ https://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/american-sign-language#1
- ↑ https://www.signcommunity.org.uk/banzsl.html
- ↑ https://blog.lingoda.com/en/guide-french-sign-language/
- ↑ https://www.keuka.edu/news/finding-roots-american-sign-language
- ↑ https://www.startasl.com/chinese-sign-language/
- ↑ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34276524/
- ↑ https://www.kyoto-be.ne.jp/ed-center/gakko/jsl/zen_jsl02.htm
- ↑ https://academic.oup.com/jdsde/article/10/2/212/465261
- ↑ https://boostlingo.com/blog/6-sign-language-families-and-where-theyre-used/
- ↑ https://www.csis.org/analysis/reading-signs-diverse-arabic-sign-languages
- ↑ https://muse.jhu.edu/article/37893
- ↑ https://youtu.be/UsFVjNL_Kok?t=12
- ↑ https://academic.oup.com/jdsde/article/25/1/105/5593697?login=false
- ↑ https://www.spanish.academy/blog/all-about-spanish-sign-language-from-spain-and-mexico/
- ↑ https://www.spanish.academy/blog/all-about-spanish-sign-language-from-spain-and-mexico/
- ↑ https://www.edi.nih.gov/blog/communities/cultural-relevance-hand-talk-native-american-sign-language
- ↑ https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/the-hidden-history-of-marthas-vineyard-sign-language
- ↑ https://infoguides.rit.edu/aslhistory
- ↑ https://pressbooks.pub/psycholinguisticsfall2017section2/chapter/exploring-gestuno-and-international-sign-language/
- ↑ https://wasli.org/international-sign-definition
- ↑ https://dayinterpreting.com/blog/not-one-for-all-understanding-different-sign-languages/
- ↑ https://www.un.org/en/observances/sign-languages-day
- ↑ https://www.cdc.gov/hearing-loss-children/about/index.html
- ↑ https://parentingscience.com/baby-sign-language/
- ↑ https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.1515/9781614518174-041/html?lang=en
- ↑ https://www.un.org/en/observances/sign-languages-day
- ↑ https://www.washington.edu/accesscomputing/what-sign-language
- ↑ https://www.signingsavvy.com/fingerspelling
- ↑ https://nagish.com/post/benefits-of-learning-sign-language
- ↑ https://www.washington.edu/accesscomputing/what-sign-language
- ↑ https://www.researchgate.net/figure/The-five-components-of-signs-in-sign-languages_fig1_348346456
- ↑ https://www.nad.org/resources/american-sign-language/community-and-culture-frequently-asked-questions/
- ↑ https://www.tsd.state.tx.us/apps/news/article/612286
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