LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENTI N I N F A N C Y A N D E A R LY C H I L D H O O D

BY A M Y G I L L I S

“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).

Image 2

Behaviourists B.F. Skinner

Nativists Noam Chomsky

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

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

THEORISTS

Image 12

Interactionist Lois Bloom Melissa Bowerman Michael Tomasello Lev Vygotsky

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.

THEORISTS CONT’D

Image 3

INFLUENCES ON LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT

Infant-direct speech Using this simplified, higher-pitched way of speaking facilitates your

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

Repetition 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.

Image 11

INFLUENCES ON LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT CONT’D

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

Began to: Talk sooner Develop larger vocabularies Use more complex sentences Learn to read quicker when they begin school

Image 4

EARLY MILESTONESFirst sounds and gestures Cooing—1 to 2 months Babbling—6 to 7 months Gestural Language—9 to 10 months

Word Recognition Begin to store words in memory—8 months Understand meaning of 20 to 30 words—9 to 10 months

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

Image 5

FIRST WORDS The child’s first word is typically used in the presence

of cues, such as saying “bow-wow” when a dog is present.

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

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

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

Image 6

“The 9 to 10 month-old infant understands far more words than she can say” (Boyd, Johnson &

Bee, 2015, p.145).

FIRST SENTENCES Most children began to make their first sentences

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

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

The first sentences typically do not follow grammatical rules.

Image 7

INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCESDifferences in Rate It is recommended that if your child has a severe language developmental delay

to seek professional help.

Differences in Style Some children use an expressive style—a style in which high use of personal-

social words are used versus noun-like terms. Other children use referential style—a style in which emphasis is on words for

naming and description.

Image 13

“The majority of children who talk late eventually catch up” (Boyd, Johnson & Bee,

2015, p.145).

DEVELOPMENT ACROSS CULTURES

Babies across cultures all: Coo before they babble Understand words before they speak them Speak their first words at approximately 1 year old

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

Image 8

RELEVANCE TO MY LIFE

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

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.

Image 14

RELEVANCE TO MY

PROFESSIONAL LIFE

Following graduation from the BN program, my future plans are to get a job working in

pediatrics.

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 10