HENRICO COUNTY, Va. -- Children at The Learning Experience in Glen Allen are learning to use their voice without making any sound. They are teaching kids sign language to help their development.
"It's a beautiful thing to see infants how they say 'Thank You' and more. And then as they progress into toddlers, it helps with some of the frustration they may be feeling with not being able to speak," said Tina Frederickson the Director of The Learning Experience.
Learning sign language as an infant can foster communication skills, empower kids to communicate with their parents, and promote interests in books and other language activities.
"Babies typically communicate through crying. And once they're able to get some of the signs down, it makes them feel a little more independent, where they can talk to you and you can understand them better," added Anette Alexander a teacher at The Learning Experience.
Research also finds that infants exposed to sign language sooner have bigger vocabularies and understand more words by the age of two.
But for the teachers the benefits come from the interactions. "Like if I'm reading a story, I got to be loud. I got to be soft. I got to be animated. I got to have my hands going and everything. And the more I do that, the more attention I get through them," said Alexander.
The sign language teachings start in the school's infancy program but is continued through for their Pre-K students as well.
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