Language Development
Language plays a large role in our day-to-day lives.
This section will focus on the development of language starting with infants and ending with teens.
The Broca's area in the brain is in charge of the motor aspects of speech such as moving the mouth and tongue. The Wernicke's area is involved with the understanding and creating a meaning for speech.
Infant Development of speech:
Babies cry as soon as they are born. Although we do not think of this as speech or language, it is their way of communicating what they want and need. Cooing begins around 2-4 months. Babies partake in cooing conversations with parents where parents talk to babies and the babies then coo back. Although this is not considered a language, the babies are participating in a pre-language conversation. Babbling begins around 4-6 months and consists of 1 to 2 syllable sounds such as ma-ma or da-da. Babies continue to take in the language that is spoken around them and begin to process and put the language together for themselves.
Infant Development of speech:
Babies cry as soon as they are born. Although we do not think of this as speech or language, it is their way of communicating what they want and need. Cooing begins around 2-4 months. Babies partake in cooing conversations with parents where parents talk to babies and the babies then coo back. Although this is not considered a language, the babies are participating in a pre-language conversation. Babbling begins around 4-6 months and consists of 1 to 2 syllable sounds such as ma-ma or da-da. Babies continue to take in the language that is spoken around them and begin to process and put the language together for themselves.
Toddlers development of language:
At one year of age, babies typically only have a few words in their vocabulary. When the child is about 1.5 years old, they start to put words together into phrases such as "all gone" or "mommy up". Children create their own phrases to fit their needs. Once the child hits age 2, they experience what is called a "vocabulary burst" where they start to master their language and are able to communicate clearly with words. It is best not to correct a child's grammar during these early stages because the child may get frustrated and discouraged.
Preschoolers development of language:
At age 3, most children are putting together multi-word sentences. Children in this stage tend to use egocentric speech which is that their speech and sentences have to do with things in relation to them specifically. They also assume that everyone knows that they know and can speak that way. For example, a child might say, "I went to that place and saw that thing spinning round and round" assuming that who they are speaking to knows that they meant the turnstile at the grocery store.
Language development in school-aged children:
School-aged children start to develop metalinguistic abilities meaning they develop the ability to think about and talk about language. This is the stage that children learn to read and write, putting their language skills to the test. Children start to be able to differentiate between knowledge telling (a style of writing, typical of young children, in which the writer proceeds with little or no evidence or organization of ideas, with the goal of telling as much as he knows about the topic) and knowledge transforming (a style of writing, typical of older children and adolescents, in which the goal is to convey a deeper understanding of a subject by taking information and transforming it into ideas that can be shared with a reader so that the reader understands and learns from those ideas).
The Language of Teenagers:
Sentences begin to become longer and more adult-like however, teens tend to use made-up words, especially with each other. Teens are most likely to use text messaging and find ways to shorten words when messaging as well.
At one year of age, babies typically only have a few words in their vocabulary. When the child is about 1.5 years old, they start to put words together into phrases such as "all gone" or "mommy up". Children create their own phrases to fit their needs. Once the child hits age 2, they experience what is called a "vocabulary burst" where they start to master their language and are able to communicate clearly with words. It is best not to correct a child's grammar during these early stages because the child may get frustrated and discouraged.
Preschoolers development of language:
At age 3, most children are putting together multi-word sentences. Children in this stage tend to use egocentric speech which is that their speech and sentences have to do with things in relation to them specifically. They also assume that everyone knows that they know and can speak that way. For example, a child might say, "I went to that place and saw that thing spinning round and round" assuming that who they are speaking to knows that they meant the turnstile at the grocery store.
Language development in school-aged children:
School-aged children start to develop metalinguistic abilities meaning they develop the ability to think about and talk about language. This is the stage that children learn to read and write, putting their language skills to the test. Children start to be able to differentiate between knowledge telling (a style of writing, typical of young children, in which the writer proceeds with little or no evidence or organization of ideas, with the goal of telling as much as he knows about the topic) and knowledge transforming (a style of writing, typical of older children and adolescents, in which the goal is to convey a deeper understanding of a subject by taking information and transforming it into ideas that can be shared with a reader so that the reader understands and learns from those ideas).
The Language of Teenagers:
Sentences begin to become longer and more adult-like however, teens tend to use made-up words, especially with each other. Teens are most likely to use text messaging and find ways to shorten words when messaging as well.