Hand signs are effective as a musical teaching tool because they visually and kinesthetically reinforce the high/low sounds and the intervallic relationships between the pitches being sung.  Hand signs allow the teacher to see what the student is thinking especially when the classroom sound might be masking this. Hand signs have time and again been shown to improve student intonation and pitch accuracy, particularly in the early stages of instruction. Hand signs are also extremely useful for advanced work - particularly when building harmonic awareness.

Hand signs are performed in front of the body and in line with the centre of the body. One hand or both hands (mirror image) may perform the hand signs. With smaller children, it may be best to have them use both hands, particularly if they are lacking in motor co-ordination. Sometimes, older students can also benefit from using both hands in the early stages, later reverting to single hands. With older students it is often a good idea to try a variety of ways and let them decide which is most comfortable for them.