Early Language Development

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Early Language Development

• A PowerPoint Presentation
• By Nancy Whiteside

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Importance of Early Language

• Humans have a unique capacity to hear, make sense
  of, and produce oral language to communicate.

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The Research
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The Purpose of Language

• Children seem born not just to speak, but also to
  interact socially.
• The point of learning language and interacting
  socially, then, is not to master rules, but to
  make connections with other people and to make
  sense of experiences

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What Is Oral Language?

• Oral language, the complex system that relates
  sounds to meanings, is made up of three
  components
• Phonology
• Semantics and
• Syntacs

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• The phonological component involves the rules for
  combining sounds.
• The semantic component is made up of morphemes,
  the smallest units of meaning that may be
  combined with each other to make up words
• The syntactic component consists of the rules
  that enable us to combine morphemes into
  sentences.

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Born To Speak Cornell Studies Provide Evidence
Of Babies' Innate Capability To Learn Language

• Noam Chomsky's theory of universal grammar
  encompasses the idea that children are born with
  an innate ability to develop language.
• Lust's research provides evidence that kids don't
  just copy-cat to learn their language, but are
  born with the ability to "crack the codes" of
  their language through structural analysis.

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• Lust says. "Where professional linguists take
  years trying to figure out the rules and
  principles and parameters of language, children,
  infuriatingly, seem able to create the right
  theory for whatever language is around them --
  English, French, Japanese or Tulu."

• Within three years of birth, children can figure
  out their language's system of word meaning,
  sentence structure and sounds (semantics, syntax
  and phonology).

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• The Developmental Stages of Language
• Ages Birth to Seven
• (in English)

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6 Months

• Vocalization with intonation
• Responds to his name
• Responds to human voices without visual cues by
  turning his head and eyes
• Responds appropriately to friendly and angry
  tones

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12 Months

• Uses one or more words with meaning (this may be
  a fragment of a word)
• Understands simple instructions, especially if 
  vocal or physical cues are given
• Practices inflection
• Is aware of the social value of speech

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18 Months

• Has vocabulary of approximately 5-20 words
• Vocabulary made up chiefly of nouns
• Some echolalia (repeating a word or phrase over
  and over)
• Much jargon with emotional content
• Is able to follow simple commands

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24 Months

• Can name a number of objects common to his
  surroundings
• Is able to use at least two prepositions, usually
  chosen from the following in, on, under
• Combines words into a short sentence-largely
  noun-verb combinations (mean) length of sentences
  is given as 1.2 words
• Vocabulary of approximately 150-300 words

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24 Months Continued

• Can use two pronouns correctly I, me, you,
  although me and I are often confused
• My and mine are beginning to emerge
• Responds to such commands as "show me your eyes
  (nose, mouth, hair)"

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24 Months Continued

• Approximately 2/3 of what child says should be
  intelligible
• Rhythm and fluency often poor
• Volume and pitch of voice not yet well-controlled

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36 Months

• Use pronouns I, you, me correctly
• Is using some plurals and past tenses
• Knows at least three prepositions, usually in,
  on, under

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36 Months Continued

• Knows chief parts of body and should be able to
  indicate these if not name
• Handles three word sentences easily
• Has in the neighborhood of 900-1000 words

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36 Months Continued

• About 90 of what child says should be
  intelligible
• Verbs begin to predominate
• Understands most simple questions dealing with
  his environment and activities
• Relates his experiences so that they can be
  followed with reason

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36 Months Continued

• Able to reason out such questions as "what must
  you do when you are sleepy, hungry, cool, or
  thirsty?"
• Should be able to give his sex, name, age
• Should not be expected to answer all questions
  even though he understands what is expected

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48 Months

• Knows names of familiar animals
• Can use at least four prepositions or can
  demonstrate his understanding of their meaning
  when given commands
• Names common objects in picture books or
  magazines

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48 Months Continued

• Knows one or more colors
• Can repeat 4 digits when they are given slowly
• Can usually repeat words of four syllables
• Demonstrates understanding of over and under

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48 Months Continued

• Has most vowels and diphthongs and the consonants
  p, b, m, w, n well established
• Often indulges in make-believe
• Extensive verbalization as he carries out
  activities

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48 Months Continued

• Understands such concepts as longer, larger, when
  a contrast is presented
• Readily follows simple commands even thought the
  stimulus objects are not in sight
• Much repetition of words, phrases, syllables, and
  even sounds

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60 Months

• Can use many descriptive words spontaneously-both
  adjectives and adverbs
• Knows common opposites big-little, hard-soft,
  heavy-light, etc
• Has number concepts of 4 or more
• Can count to ten

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60 Months Continued

• Speech should be completely intelligible, in
  spite of articulation problems
• Should have all vowels and the consonants,
  m,p,b,h,w,k,g,t,d,n,ng,y (yellow)
• Should be able to repeat sentences as long as
  nine words

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60 Months Continued

• Should be able to define common objects in terms
  of use (hat, shoe, chair)
• Should be able to follow three commands given
  without interruptions
• Should know his age
• Should have simple time concepts morning,
  afternoon, night, day, later, after, while

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60 Months Continued

• Tomorrow, yesterday, today
• Should be using fairly long sentences and should
  use some compound and some complex sentences
• Speech on the whole should be grammatically
  correct

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6  Years

• In addition to the above consonants these should
  be mastered f, v, sh, zh, th,1
• He/she should have concepts of  7
• Speech should be completely intelligible and
  socially useful

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6  Years Continued

• Should be able to tell one a rather connected
  story about a picture, seeing relationships
  between objects and happenings

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7  Years

• Should have mastered the consonants s-z, r,
  voiceless th, ch, wh, and the soft g as in
  George
• Should handle opposite analogies easily
  girl-boy, man-woman, flies-swims, blunt-sharp
  short-long, sweet-sour, etc

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7  Years Continued

• Understands such terms as alike, different,
  beginning, end, etc
• Should be able to tell time to quarter hour
• Should be able to do simple reading and to write
  or print many words

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How Can Adults Help A Child Develop Language
Skills
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Adults are the Most Important Facilitator of
Language

• Children learn much from each other,
• But adults are the main
• conversationalists,
• questioners,
• listeners,
• responders, and
• Sustainers

of language development and growth
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Value Each Childs Language

• Understand that every child's language or dialect
  is worthy of respect as a valid system for
  communication.
• It reflects the identities, values, and
  experiences of the child's family and community.

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Have Conversations With Children

• Treat children as if they are conversationalists,
  even if they are not yet talking.
• Children learn very early about how conversations
  work
• Taking turns
• Looking attentively
• Using facial experiences with conversing adults

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Encourage Interaction

• Encourage interaction among children.
• Peer learning is an important part of language
  development, especially in mixed-age groups.
• Activities involving a wide range of materials
  should promote talk.

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For Teachers and Parents

• Every area of the curriculum is enhanced through
  language.
• Classrooms full of active learners are hardly
  ever silent.

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Language and Reading

• "Since early speech skills predict later language
  skills, there is enormous hope that new tests
  will allow us to identify, very early, children
  who are at risk for later language difficulties.
  Early identification allows for intervention."

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Two Aspects of a Childs Language Development
are Hearing and Understanding Talking
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Oyendo y comprendiendoHablando
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Birth-3 Months /Nacimiento-3 meses

• Se sobresalta con los ruidos fuertes.
• Se calla o se sonríe cuando le hablan.
• Parece reconocer su voz. Se calla si está
  llorando al reconocer su voz.
• Chupa con mayor o menor fuerza en respuesta al
  sonido.

• Startles to loud sounds.
• Quiets or smiles when spoken to.
• Seems to recognize your voice and quiets if
  crying.
• Increases or decreases sucking behavior in
  response to sound.

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Birth-3 Months / Nacimiento-3 meses

• Quiets or smiles when spoken to.
• Seems to recognize your voice and quiets if
  crying.
• Increases or decreases sucking behavior in
  response to sound.

• Hace sonidos de placer como gorjeos y arrullos.
• Llora de distinta manera dependiendo de sus
  distintas necesidades
• Sonríe cuando le ve.

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4-6 Months / 4-6 meses

• Mueve los ojos en la dirección de los sonidos.
• Responde a los cambios en el tono de voz.
• Presta atención a los juguetes que emiten
  sonidos.
• Presta atención a la música.

• Moves eyes in direction of sounds.
• Responds to changes in tone of your voice.
• Notices toys that make sounds.
• Pays attention to music

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4-6 Months / 4-6 meses

• El balbuceo del niño se parece más al habla y
  contiene muchos sonidos distintos, incluyendo p,
  b, m.
• Expresa alegría o enojo con la voz.
• Emite sonidos y gorjeos cuando está solo o cuando
  juega con usted.

• Babbling sounds more speech-like with many
  different sounds, including p, b and m.
• Vocalizes excitement and displeasure.
• Makes gurgling sounds when left alone and when
  playing with you.

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7 Months-1 Year

• Disfruta los juegos infantiles sencillos que
  contienen rimas y canciones acompañados de gestos
  manuales y faciales.
• Se vuelve y mira en la dirección de los sonidos.

• Enjoys games like peek-o-boo and pat-a-cake.
• Turns and looks in direction of sounds.
• Listens when spoken to.
• Recognizes words for common items like "cup",
  "shoe," "juice."
• Begins to respond to requests ("Come here," "Want
  more?").

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7 Months-1 Year / 7 meses-1 año

• Presta atención cuando se le habla.
• Reconoce los nombres de objetos comunes como
  "taza," "zapato" y "jugo."
• Empieza a responder a preguntas y mandatos como
  "ven acá" y "quieres más?"

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7 Months-1 Year / 7 meses-1 año

• El balbuceo del niño contiene grupos de sonidos
  cortos y largos, como "tata bibibi upupu."
• Usa el habla y los sonidos para atraer y mantener
  la atención, sin tener que llorar.
• Imita distintos sonidos del habla.
• Usa una o dos palabras ("mamá," "papá," "no,"
  "agua") aunque no suenen muy claras

• Babbling has both long and short groups of sounds
  such as "tata upup bibibibi."
• Uses speech or non-crying sounds to get and keep
  attention.
• Imitates different speech sounds.
• Has 1 or 2 words (bye-bye, dada, mama) although
  they may not be clear.

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1-2 Years / 1-2 años

• Points to a few body parts when asked.
• Follows simple commands and understands simple
  questions ("Roll the ball," "Kiss the baby,"
  "Where's your shoe?").
• Listens to simple stories, songs, and rhymes.
• Points to pictures in a book when named.

• Señala a las diferentes partes del cuerpo cuando
  se le pide.
• Sigue instrucciones simples y entiende preguntas
  sencillas ("tira la pelota," "dale un beso al
  bebé" y "dónde está tu mamá?").

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1-2 Years / 1-2 años

• Presta atención a canciones, rimas y cuentos
  sencillos.
• Señala en las láminas de un libro cuando se
  nombran las figuras.

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1-2 Years / 1-2 años

• Usa más palabras con el transcurso de los meses.
• Usa preguntas que contienen una o dos palabras
  como "más?", "qué eso?", y "papi fue?".
• Usa dos palabras juntas como "más pan," "oso mío"
  y "mira vaca."
• Usa muchas consonantes diferentes al principio de
  las palabras.

• Says more words every month.
• Uses some 1-2 word questions ("Where kitty?" "Go
  bye-bye?" "What's that?").
• Puts 2 words together ("more cookie," "no juice,"
  "mommy book").
• Uses many different consonant sounds of the
  beginning of words

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2-3 Years / 2-3 años

• Understands differences in meaning ("go-stop,"
  "in-on," "big-little," "up-down").
• Follows two requests ("Get the book and put it
  on the table.").

• Entiende las diferencias en el significado de las
  palabras ("abre / cierra," "arriba / abajo,"
  "grande / chiquito").
• Obedece instrucciones compuestas ("Busca el libro
  y ponlo en la mesa").

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2-3 Years / 2-3 años

• Tiene nombre para casi todas las cosas.
• Usa oraciones de dos o tres palabras para hablar
  sobre las cosas o para pedirlas.
• Las personas allegadas al niño entienden lo que
  dice la mayoría de las veces.
• Con frecuencia pide objetos o dirige la atención
  a los mismos llamándolos por su nombre.

• Has a word for almost everything.
• Uses 2-3-word "sentences" to talk about and ask
  for things
• Speech is understood by familiar listeners most
  of the time.
• Often asks for or directs attention to objects by
  naming them.

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3-4 Years / 3-4 años

• Hears you when call from another room.
• Hears television or radio at the same loudness
  level as other family members.
• Understands simple, "who?," "what?," "where?,"
  "why?" questions.

• Oye cuando lo llaman desde otra habitación.
• Escucha la radio y la televisión al mismo volumen
  que el resto de la familia.
• Contesta preguntas sencillas que empiecen con las
  palabras "quién?", "qué?", "dónde?", "por
  qué?".

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3-4 Years / 3-4 años

• Talks about activities at school or at friends'
  homes.
• People outside family usually understand child's
  speech.
• Uses a lot of sentences that have 4 or more
  words.
• Usually talks easily without repeating syllables
  or words.

• Habla sobre lo que hace en la escuela o en casa
  de sus amistades.
• Incluso las personas no allegadas al niño
  entienden lo que dice la mayoría de las veces.
• Usa numerosas oraciones de cuatro palabras o más.
  
• Por lo general habla con facilidad sin tener que
  repetir sílabas o palabras.

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4-5 Years / 4-5 años

• Pays attention to a short story and answers
  simple questions about it.
• Hears and understands most of what is said at
  home and in school.

• Presta atención a cuentos cortos y contesta
  preguntas simples sobre los mismos.
• Escucha y entiende la mayor parte de lo que se
  habla en la casa y en la escuela.

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4-5 Years / 4-5 años

• La voz del niño suena tan clara como la de los
  demás niños.
• Usa oraciones muy detalladas, como por ejemplo
  "Tengo dos pelotas rojas en la casa.
• Narra cuentos ateniéndose al tema.

• Voice sounds clear like other children's.
• Uses sentences that give lots of details (e.g. "I
  like to read my books").
• Tells stories that stick to topic.

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4-5 Years / 4-5 años

• Se comunica con facilidad con los demás niños y
  con los adultos.
• Usa muchos sonidos correctamente, a excepción de
  unos pocos como g, f, s, r, l, ch.
• Usa la misma gramática que el resto de la
  familia. 30

• Communicates easily with other children and
  adults.
• Says most sounds correctly except a few like l,
  s, r, v, z, ch, sh, th.
• Uses the same grammar as the rest of the family

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Bibliography

• http//www.childdevelopmentinfo.com/development/cu
  rrent_research_language_development.shtml
• http//www.sciencedaily.com/releases/1998/02/98021
  7001324.htm
• http//www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2001/07/01073
  0080042.htm How Babies Acquire Building Blocks Of
  Speech Affects Later Reading, Language Ability

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• http//www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2003/02/03021
  8085720.htm Jenny Saffran, who directs the
  Infant Learning Laboratory at UW-Madison
• http//www.medem.com/search/article_display.cfm?pa
  thnmstr/ZZZWKQVIQDC.htmlsocAAPsrch_typNAV_
  SERCH
• http//www.childdevelopmentinfo.com/development/or
  al_language_development.shtml

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The End