Language DevelopmentIn infancy and early childhood

By Amy Gillis

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“Most of us think of language as beginning when a baby uses her

first words, at about 12 months of age. But all

sorts of important developments precede the first words” (Boyd, Johnson & Bee, 2015,

p. 140).

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TheoristsO Behaviourists

O B.F. Skinner

O NativistsO Noam Chomsky

O Claim that infants learn language through parental reinforcement of word-like sounds and correct grammar.

O State that an innate language processor called the LAD (language acquisition device) guides children’s comprehension and production of language.

Theorists cont’dO Interactionist

O Lois BloomO Melissa

BowermanO Michael TomaselloO Lev Vygotsky

O Claim that infants are biologically prepared to learn language and that language development is a sub-process of cognitive development. They also believe that social interactions are critical to language development.

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Influences on Language Development

O Infant-direct speechO Using this simplified, higher-pitched way of

speaking facilitates your child’s language development. Infant’s also prefer to listen to IDS over adult-directed speech.

O RepetitionO Repeating your own speech as well as

expanding and repeating your child’s speech also has a positive effect on the child’s language development.

Influences on Language Development cont’d

O Children whose parents:O Talk to them regularly O Read to them oftenO Use a large vocabulary

O Began to:O Talk soonerO Develop larger vocabulariesO Use more complex sentencesO Learn to read quicker when they begin

school

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Early MilestonesO First sounds and gestures

O Cooing—1 to 2 monthsO Babbling—6 to 7 monthsO Gestural Language—9 to 10 months

O Word Recognition“The ability to understand words is known as receptive language” (Boyd, Johnson & Bee, 2015, p. 142-143).

O Begin to store words in memory—8 months

O Understand meaning of 20 to 30 words—9 to 10 months

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First Words“The 9 to 10 month-old infant understands far more

words than she can say” (Boyd, Johnson & Bee, 2015, p.145).

O The child’s first word is typically used in the presence of cues, such as saying “bow-wow” when a dog is present.

O Most children combine a word with a gesture before combining two words. This combination is called a holophrase.

O Most first and new words are names for things or people.

O A child’s first word is usually said at approximately 12 months.

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First SentencesO Most children began to make their first

sentences when their vocabulary reaches 100 to 200 words—at about 18 to 24 months.

O Typically these sentences are termed telegraphic speech.O Simple, two to three word sentences.

O The first sentences typically do not follow grammatical rules. Image 7

Individual DifferencesO Differences in Rate

O “The majority of children who talk late eventually catch up” (Boyd, Johnson & Bee, 2015, p.145).

O It is recommended that if your child has a severe language developmental delay to seek professional help.

O Differences in StyleO Some children use an expressive style when learning

language—a style in which high use of personal-social words are used versus noun-like terms.

O Other children use referential style—a style in which emphasis is on words for naming and description.

Development Across Cultures

O Babies across cultures all:O Coo before they babbleO Understand words before they speak themO Speak their first words at approximately 1

year old

O Some languages have no simple, two-word sentence stage, in which children use no inflections, or grammatical rules.

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Relevance to my life

O This is relevant to my life because over the summer I work at a daycare. Having this knowledge will allow me to communicate better with the children and plan activities that will be within their level of understanding. Image 9

Relevance to my life cont’d

O Another reason this is relevant to my life is because, in the future, I hope to be a mother. Having this information will allow me to not only facilitate my child’s language development but also to be able to recognize any language disabilities they may have.

Relevance to my professional life

O Currently I am in the bachelor of nursing program here at the college.

O Following graduation, my future plans are to get a job working in pediatrics.

O This information is relevant because it will give me the knowledge on how to communicate and build a therapeutic relationship with my young patients. Image

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