Journal Article

Toddlers Take Emotion Regulation Into Their Own Hands With Infant Signs

Karsten, Ashley E., Vallotton, Claire, Decker, Kalli B., Foster, Tricia D.

2017

Overview

Even the most sensitive and responsive teachers face challenges when trying to comfort toddlers and help them manage their emotions. Because very young children do not yet have the words to clearly communicate their feelings and needs, they have a difficult time regulating their emotions and behavior, which leads to expressing their feelings by crying and, sometimes, by flailing, hitting, or kicking. Older toddlers (over 18 months) used 2 different strategies on average with signs, and 1.3 with words when they were upset. [...]our study shows that infant signs enable younger, preverbal toddlers to employ four times the emotion-regulation strategies that they can use with words. [...]the one dual language learner in the group we observed used signs even longer; the signs provided a way for her to communicate clearly with peers and teachers who did not understand her home language. [...]add in signs that allow children to communicate the ideas, objects, or activities that may provide comfort during distress, such as signs related to favorite books and songs, a transitional object from home, or another classroom activity like interacting with the classr pet or looking out the window at the trees.

• Publisher: National Association for the Education of Young Children
• Subject: Babies / Child development / Children & youth / Education / Emotions / Language Acquisition / Language Skills / Learning / Mental health / Preschool children / Signs / Social and Emotional Development in Early Childhood / Social skills / Teachers / Teaching / Verbal communication / Young Children