Child Directed Speech

What is CDS? A specialised way of speaking to young children/a way of direct teaching A specialised way of speaking to young children/a way of direct teaching Parents may make use of: Parents may make use of:  Repetition  Interrogatives  Simplified tone of voice  Language focused in the here and now

Ferguson Framework Speech is more slow – helps children to understand Speech is more slow – helps children to understand Higher pitched voice to engage Higher pitched voice to engage Shorter utterances – helps memory and attention span Shorter utterances – helps memory and attention span Well formed sentences – subject, verb, object (no ellipses) Well formed sentences – subject, verb, object (no ellipses) Sentences are in simple structure Sentences are in simple structure Repetition of lexical items Repetition of lexical items Special baby words Special baby words Topics related to here and now Topics related to here and now Expansions Expansions

Reformulation (Shatz) Similar to repetition, parents say the same thing in a different way Similar to repetition, parents say the same thing in a different way Aids understanding if children don’t get it the first time Aids understanding if children don’t get it the first time Accounts for approx 4% of maternal speech Accounts for approx 4% of maternal speech

Frequency of Items in Adult Speech (Wells) Words and constructions which occur frequently in adult speech will occur early in child speech Words and constructions which occur frequently in adult speech will occur early in child speech In the development of modal auxiliaries (could/would etc.) the order of acquisition roughly follows the frequency of those words in adult speech In the development of modal auxiliaries (could/would etc.) the order of acquisition roughly follows the frequency of those words in adult speech

Fine Tuning Hypothesis (Cross) Proposed that parents subconsciously attune their output to the child’s level of development Proposed that parents subconsciously attune their output to the child’s level of development However much research points out that parents attune their speech to the child’s needs (attention, entertainment etc.) However much research points out that parents attune their speech to the child’s needs (attention, entertainment etc.)

Language Teaching – Gleitman and Gleitman Examined speech of 15 mothers interacting with their daughters Examined speech of 15 mothers interacting with their daughters Discovered that mothers used more questions and imperatives than declaratives Discovered that mothers used more questions and imperatives than declaratives Mothers used more declaratives in the second session 6 months later Mothers used more declaratives in the second session 6 months later

Selectiveness – Gleitman and Gleitman Proposed that children have an inbuilt filter which allows them to choose what they pay attention to Proposed that children have an inbuilt filter which allows them to choose what they pay attention to The child is selective in what he uses from the environment provided; he is selective about when in the course of acquisition he chooses to use it The child is selective in what he uses from the environment provided; he is selective about when in the course of acquisition he chooses to use it Child up-take is not matched in any straight forward way to adult input Child up-take is not matched in any straight forward way to adult input

Effect of No CDS (Heath) Researched in Traction – a black working class community in the USA Researched in Traction – a black working class community in the USA Found that adults rarely address speech to young babies Found that adults rarely address speech to young babies Children in Traction are an integral part of family life, so hear plenty of speech around them Children in Traction are an integral part of family life, so hear plenty of speech around them Children develop at the same rate of acquisition as children in other communities suggesting that CDS is not essential Children develop at the same rate of acquisition as children in other communities suggesting that CDS is not essential

Joint Enterprises (Wells) Adults can help children learn language by talking about things that interest them and engaging them in joint enterprises Adults can help children learn language by talking about things that interest them and engaging them in joint enterprises Tendency of girls to be ahead of boys is due to different treatment by parents Tendency of girls to be ahead of boys is due to different treatment by parents Girls are often kept in the house to help with family chores, boys are sent out to play games Girls are often kept in the house to help with family chores, boys are sent out to play games

CDS Feature of CDSWhat does it do? Higher pitch and exaggerated intonation and stress Engages child and aids understanding Repeated sentence frames whereby the gap is filled with a different word each time Improves vocab, foundations of grammar, scaffolding Repetition and partial repetition of adult’s own words Improves vocab Questions and commandsIncludes child, initiates response, social, turn taking, regulatory Frequent use of child’s name and absence of pronouns Teaches them their name, shows interest, direct attention Absence of past tensesSimplifies lang, here and now, easy to understand

CDS Feature of CDSWhat does it do? A large number of one word utterances Improves vocab, simple language Use of simple sentencesMemory, simple structure, scaffolding Omission of inflections such as plurals and possessives Tuning to child’s needs, simplification Fewer verbs, modifiers and function words Tuning to child’s needs, simplification Use of concrete nounsImproves vocab, daily routine, links to objects/concepts Use of expansionsModels correct grammar, aids understanding Use of re-castingAcknowledgement, memory

LASS (Bruner) Bruner identified 4 types of utterance used by adults interacting with children – highlights importance of adult interaction Bruner identified 4 types of utterance used by adults interacting with children – highlights importance of adult interaction 1.Gaining attention 2. Query 3.Label 4.Feedback

Scaffolding (Bruner) Method used by parents to encourage children to speak, it can be used in the context of informal speech at home and in more formal educational contexts e.g. in the classroom Method used by parents to encourage children to speak, it can be used in the context of informal speech at home and in more formal educational contexts e.g. in the classroom Parents make it easy for children to speak Parents make it easy for children to speak Models correct grammar and helps improve vocabulary Models correct grammar and helps improve vocabulary

Appropriacy (Dell Hymes) Dell Hymes argued that in addition to acquiring linguistic competence children also develop communicative competence (how to behave linguistically in a given situation) Dell Hymes argued that in addition to acquiring linguistic competence children also develop communicative competence (how to behave linguistically in a given situation) These features include: These features include:  Manners  Listening  Responding  Not using expletives