LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT

Language Development in The Early Years



Language Development in The Early Years

Part 1

From the day children are born they require a form of communication in order to function adequately in society. A pre-speech baby will use gestures and expressions and babblings to interact with others. A toddler will participate in turn taking to satisfy a need or want. The more pre-schoolers participate in the world, the more they discover that language is useful. They also realise the potential of language for expressing their thoughts and feelings. From bedtime stories to a parent playing a game of "peek-a-boo", children begin to develop their language from the time they are born. (Buckley 2003 pp.46-52)

Children are born ready to communicate. Before children begin school, they have already experienced 5-6 years of literacy experience. The degree to which the experience shape the children's literacy behaviours and development depend on external influences. These influences include children's play experiences, interactions with adults and cultural and environmental influences. During this session, the following issues will be discussed: (Allen Marotz 1998 pp.67-78)

The interaction speaking, listening, reading, writing, viewing and thinking development. How children's literacy behaviours are promoted and shaped by:

Early cultural and environmental influences.

Children's play experiences.

Interactions with adults.

0-12

Babies are born with the ability to cry, which is how they communicate for a while. Your baby's cries generally tell you that something is wrong: an empty belly, a wet bottom, cold feet, being tired, or a need to be held and cuddled, etc.

Soon you'll be able to recognize which need your baby is expressing and respond accordingly. In fact, sometimes what a baby needs can be identified by the type of cry — for example, the "I'm hungry" cry may be short and low-pitched, while "I'm upset" may sound choppy.

Your baby may also cry when overwhelmed by all of the sights and sounds of the world, or for no apparent reason at all. Don't be too upset when your baby cries and you aren't able to console him or her immediately: crying is one way babies shut out stimuli when they're overloaded. (Crystal 1986 pp.97-101)

Crying is a baby's main method of communication, but they're also capable of other, more subtle forms. Learning to recognize them is rewarding and can strengthen your bond with your baby.

A newborn can differentiate between the sound of a human voice and other sounds. Try to pay attention to how your little one responds to your voice, which he or she already associates with care: food, warmth, touch.

If your baby is crying in the bassinet, see how quickly your approaching voice quiets him or her. See how closely your baby listens when you talk in loving tones. Your baby may not yet coordinate looking and listening, but even when staring into the distance, he or she will be paying close attention to your voice as you speak. Your baby may subtly adjust body position or facial expression, or even move the arms and legs in time with your speech.

Sometime during your newborn's first month, you may get a ...