Right? Left? Right? Left?- ASL and the Brain
The left brain uses language precisely and more abstractly, the right brain understands meaning, metaphors and jokes. The left half organizes, manipulates and controls details for a specific purpose, the right brain is responsible for empathy; relationships; and appreciating the meaning of gestures, facial expressions and tone of voice. The right half handles the greater part of our emotional life. (The Master and His Emissary, by neurologist Iain McGilchrist)
I have blogged about the merits of using sign language with hearing, typically developing babies and infants. Because of the way sign language stimulates the brain, health professionals have also found huge benefits in using sign language in the treatment of many diagnoses. Although each deserve a post of their own (and will get them one day), here is a rundown of just a few.
ADD and ADHD– Some neurologists suggest that people who are diagnosed with ADD or ADHD are right brain dominant. Interestingly, Freed and Parsons in Right-Brained Children in a Left-Brained World: Unlocking the Potential of Your ADD Child says ‘It is a given that these youngsters (ADD) must visualize in order to learn and that they process exclusively in pictures” (1997, p.61).” Spoken language is processed in the left side of the brain but signed language stimulates more of the brain, including their dominant, visual, right brain.
Autism Spectrum Disorder– Sign language offers people who are diagnosed with Autism an alternative way to express themselves. There is a critical window when children are young where it is important to feel like a successful communicator. Often, due to deficits associated with Autism, these children miss this window of opportunity. Sign language can offer early opportunities for successful communication in children who experience deficits in verbal language abilities. Signed languages can also increase a child with Autism’s ability to gesture as they communicate.
Down Syndrome– Sign Language can support increases in expressive language, functional communication and social skills. Research by Launonen suggests that using signed and spoken language with children who have been diagnosed with Down Syndrome allows them to communicate earlier, learn more vocabulary over time and have increased interaction skills than those who have not used sign language.
This is why I think the answer is amazing. Sign Language has the power to activate both sides of the brain and can therefore, “speak” to almost everyone!
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