Supporting Early Communication: The Benefits of ASL and Gestures in Language Development

       Language is a complex and dynamic form of communication that conveys culture, fosters relationships, expresses desires and needs, and connects people worldwide. It has played a fundamental role in shaping society for hundreds of thousands of years. With countless languages spoken across the globe, each one is diverse and rich in its own way. American Sign Language (ASL) serves as a primary means of communication for many deaf individuals but can also support early language development in children. An article by Emerge Pediatric Therapy, titled “Using ASL and Gestures with Children,” explores the benefits of incorporating ASL and gestures into early communication, drawing insights from speech-language pathologists and deaf professionals. The article highlights how using sign language alongside spoken communication enhances language development, particularly in children with developmental delays (Kolstad, 2021). Specifically, ASL and gestures have been shown to reduce frustration, strengthen parent-child bonding, and improve attention to social cues (Kolstad, 2021). These findings emphasize the broader impact of using ASL and gestures for language learning with children.

        This discussion aligns with the research conducted by Dr. Wakefield and Dr. Zielinski at Loyola University Chicago. Their study, “Language Proficiency Impacts the Benefits of Co-Speech Gesture for Narrative Understanding Through a Visual Attention Mechanism, " investigates how co-speech gestures influence communication, particularly in bilingual children. Their study explores whether language proficiency and visual attention shape this effect. Prior research has established that gestures accompanying speech enhance a listener’s comprehension, but this study further examines the phenomenon in bilingual children (Wakefield & Zielinski, 2021). They found that co-speech gestures significantly improved memory recall, especially when the narrative was presented in the child’s weaker language. Additionally, children displayed greater visual attention when the story was more challenging to understand. Unlike adults, who generally have stronger language skills, children rely more on gestures to aid in their understanding of complex speech, making gestures a crucial tool for language processing (Wakefield & Zielinski, 2021). 

         Both studies underscore the profound impact of gestures on language acquisition and communication in children. While ASL is a fully developed language, and gestures function as hand movements tied to speech, both contribute to enhanced memory recall and overall language development. As demonstrated in these articles, gestures – whether in the form of sign language or as enhancements to spoken language, play a vital role in fostering effective communication in children. 

 

References

Kolstad, M. (2021, April 13). Using ASL and gestures with children. Emerge Pediatric Therapy. https://emergepediatrictherapy.com/asl-and-gestures-with-children/ 

Zielinski, N., & Wakefield, E. M. (2021). Language Proficiency Impacts the Benefits of Co-Speech Gesture for Narrative Understanding Through a Visual Attention Mechanism. Proceedings of the Annual Meeting of the Cognitive Science Society, 43. Retrieved from https://escholarship.org/uc/item/63r5d3qq