A study by psychologists at the University of Chicago found that children who used their hands to convey meanings at 14 months had larger verbal vocabularies at four-and-a-half years, which is seen as one of the key predictors of school success.
The study involved 50 children who were videotaped while taking part in day-to-day activities with their parents or carers at the age of 14 months. Their vocabulary was then assessed at 54 months.
Researchers found that children from more affluent families tended to use gestures and had parents who frequently used gestures when they spoke. They concluded that the use of gestures could help to explain why children from higher-income families often have higher vocabularies when they start school.
Professor Susan Goldin-Meadow said, 'Our findings contradict the folklore. Your grandma always told you that if you're really articulate you shouldn't have to use your hands at all. That's typically what the upper class believes about itself. But our findings were surprising - we found extra gesturing in these high socio-economic status families.'
Dr Maria Robinson, a lecturer in early development, said, 'I think using gesture and speech are very intertwined. It's difficult to talk to a baby without using gestures. Other research shows that parents from higher socio-economic backgrounds tend to talk to their children more, which could also explain their higher vocabularies when they start school.'
Further information
'Differences in early gesture explain SES disparities in child vocabulary size at school entry' is in the current issue of the journal Science
