By encouraging gestures, you promote your child's overall communication development. Gestures provide a child with a way to express himself before he is able to verbally. And when a child uses a gesture, his listeners respond by saying something about what he has communicated, providing language he can learn from.

Why is using gestures important?

(1) Gesture reflects speakers' thoughts, often their unspoken thoughts, and thus can serve as a window onto cognition. Encouraging speakers to gesture can thus provide another route for teachers, clinicians, interviewers, etc., to better understand their communication partners.

How are gestures important in communication?

Gestures allow individuals to communicate a variety of feelings and thoughts, from contempt and hostility to approval and affection, often together with body language in addition to words when they speak. Gesticulation and speech work independently of each other, but join to provide emphasis and meaning.