FAQ
When can I start teaching Signs to my baby?
-
The indicated time is between six and eight months, since it is the moment in which your baby's brain begins to develop long-term memory and their fine psychomotor skills allow them to start testing the first signs. But you can start earlier without a problem.
When will they start returning the signs?
-
There is no set deadline, as each baby has its own pace of development. Studies do indicate that around 9-12 months babies show the first signs of interest in communicating and it is usually the moment when the baby begins to make signs. This time will also depend on how often parents use the signs, as well as how much vocabulary is used. The baby has no learning limit, the more they are taught, the more they will learn.
Can I teach with my baby?
-
All babies are welcome to classes, I'm sure they will have fun with the songs.
-
Everyone is free to choose whether they want to teach the class with or without the baby. Because of how the classes are designed, they can be done with them.
Can sign language delay my child's speech?
This is one of the most common concerns parents bring to us — and the research is clear: no, sign language does not delay speech. In fact, it supports it.
Three peer-reviewed studies confirm this:
Goodwyn, Acredolo & Brown (2000) followed 103 infants from 11 months through 36 months and found that babies who were taught to sign consistently outperformed non-signing peers on standardized language tests. Signing children didn't just keep up — they pulled ahead in vocabulary development.
Pontecorvo et al. (2023), published in the Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, studied 56 children learning both ASL and spoken English and found that ASL vocabulary size positively correlated with spoken English vocabulary size. Their conclusion: learning sign language does not hinder spoken language acquisition — and if anything, the relationship appears positive.
Lillo-Martin, Gale & Chen Pichler (2021), published in Topics in Early Childhood Special Education, found that early adoption of a natural sign language protects children from language deprivation risks without endangering spoken language development. They found no evidence to support avoiding sign language — quite the opposite.
Here's what the research shows signing children gain:
-
Earlier vocabulary — signing babies tend to reach language milestones sooner
-
Larger spoken vocabularies — by age 2, signing children often have significantly more words
-
Less frustration — children who can express needs before speech develops have fewer meltdowns
-
Stronger parent-child bond — responsive communication from an early age deepens connection
The reason is straightforward: signing and speaking use overlapping brain pathways. When a child signs "milk" while hearing the word spoken, both the visual and verbal language centers are activated together — reinforcing, not competing with, speech development.
Sources: Goodwyn, S., Acredolo, L., & Brown, C. (2000). Impact of symbolic gesturing on early language development. Journal of Nonverbal Behavior, 24, 81–103.
Pontecorvo, E., et al. (2023). Learning a sign language does not hinder acquisition of a spoken language. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, 66(4), 1291–1308.
Lillo-Martin, D., Gale, E., & Chen Pichler, D. (2021). Family ASL: An early start to equitable education for deaf children. Topics in Early Childhood Special Education, 43(2), 156–166.
Are any materials needed for online classes?
Not at this time.