| Baby Fingers, founded by Lora Heller in 2000, takes a | | | | about six months. |
| unique approach to teaching communication skills: | | | | The Baby Fingers method is unique in the world of |
| rather than relying on spoken words, Baby Fingers | | | | sign language education—and not only because it's |
| has developed a method of using American Sign | | | | directed primarily at hearing children. Baby Fingers also |
| Language to build language skills in hearing children. | | | | distinguishes itself with its use of song in combination |
| Though American Sign Language is typically taught | | | | with signs. Pairing signs with music makes them more |
| only to deaf children, Baby Fingers has built its | | | | memorable, and easier for young minds to grasp. |
| practice on the premise that even hearing children | | | | Singing also has a way of making learning fun, which |
| can benefit from learning to sign. Sign language has | | | | most parents would agree is an important aspect of |
| utility both for infants, and for older children who | | | | any learning activity directed at children. |
| have already developed the ability to communicate | | | | Numerous scientific studies have shown the benefits |
| verbally. | | | | of learning sign language for children of all ages. Even |
| Because sign language is situated somewhere | | | | for children who have already acquired some verbal |
| between non-verbal and verbal communication, | | | | ability, learning sign language has been shown to |
| pre-verbal children tend to find it easier to master | | | | increase IQ. Sign language is also great for bilingual |
| than spoken language. As a result, the Baby Fingers | | | | families, where children may have better command |
| program has frequently been able to elicit | | | | of English than their parents. In these situations, sign |
| sign-language responses from children as young as six | | | | language can "bridge the gap" between the two |
| months. Even though they aren't yet able to form | | | | languages spoken in a child's home, enabling him or |
| words, these children have a very basic faculty for | | | | her to sign ideas to that they might ordinarily not be |
| communication, and learning sign language early in life | | | | able to communicate across the language divide. Sign |
| enables them to exercise that faculty years earlier | | | | language also helps young children understand that |
| than they would if left to their own devices. | | | | two very different sounding words mean the same |
| Baby Fingers has its origins in founder Lora Heller's | | | | thing when they are coupled with the same sign. |
| experience as a camp counselor. She initially learned | | | | Based in New York City, Baby Fingers has over |
| sign language in order to communicate with a deaf | | | | decade of experience helping small children learn |
| camper, and continued learning and using signs | | | | American Sign Language. Contact them for more |
| afterward. Her first son, Zeke, who was exposed to | | | | information about this revolutionary approach to |
| sign language from birth, began signing intelligibly at | | | | language acquisition. |