Why Should a Person Learn Sign Language?

Sign Language Alphabet

Learning ASL or American Sign Language is a fun and useful skill to add to one's repertoire. It is estimated that sign language is the third or fourth most used language in the United States. There are educational, practical and general reasons why people could benefit from learning sign language. Also, possessing multiple modes of communication can encourage social confidence and pride in one's personal development.

Personal Diversity

Various Faces

There are many people who seek to diversify their personal and business portfolios by learning a foreign language and many institutions of higher learning that require the study of a foreign language. While many colleges and universities do not offer sign language, the logic supported by the requirement for students to learn a foreign language stems from the encouragement of personal and professional diversity. Similarly, individuals who learn sign language create an interesting attribute to add to their list of personal interests and accomplishments. The ability to speak sign language is a unique skill that is impressive to those in large and small social circles.

Employment Opportunities

The Letter Y in sign language

Having the ability to speak sign language opens doors to many employment opportunities in teaching and sign language interpretation. Sign language interpreters are in high demand, as are teachers needed to train these prospective professionals. Interpreters work in a number of fields including government, health, religion, television and education. A person looking to pursue a career as an interpreter can either work as a freelancer or work for a company.

Practical Usage

Figures using hand gestures

Learning sign language can come in handy in the event a deaf person needs to communicate with a non-deaf person. If there is ever a need for a person who understands sign language in a public setting an individual with this skill can use their services for a good cause. Also, a parent may also need to use this skill if they give birth to or interact with a deaf child through one of their children's friends. There are many circumstances under which the knowledge of a person who knows sign language can be useful and, chances are, this knowledge base will be much appreciated by all parties involved.

Babies and Children

Baby

Teaching babies sign language helps to foster keen intellectual development at a very young age. Children naturally show the ability to communicate with hand gestures as early as seven to eight months old, so teaching them specific hand gestures that surpass the simple "hi" and "bye" phrases could be a worthwhile task. Teaching a child to speak sign language also prepares them for diversity in learning as they go through the various phases of their cognitive development. Early exposure to sign language can prove to be an exciting and rewarding experience for both parent and child.

Cognitive Development

Brain

Learning any foreign language increases and diversifies a person's cognitive development and learning sign language is no different. Not only does learning sign language open up other unused parts of the brain, it also gives one access to a community of different people, which expands a person's experience-base. Learning sign language also stimulates the right hemisphere of the brain, where creativity thrives, whereas verbal communication only stimulates the left side, responsible for analysis and logic. Employment of sign language in a person's life enhances the quality and balance of their experiences on wider, more expansive scale.

References

• American Sign Language (ASL): Sign Language: Benefits to Children
• Small Talk Learning: Benefits
• Handspeak: Benefits of Learning Sign Language

Resources

• ResourcesForLlife.com: Many Uses and Benefits of American Sign Language
• Portland Community College: Careers in Sign Language Interpretation