INFANT LANGUAGE AND LITERACY Chapter 8

Language: our most “human” achievement. Language: our most “human” achievement. Any symbolic expression that has meaning Sensitive Period: babies perceive language differently from other sounds Sensitive Period: babies perceive language differently from other sounds

BRAIN IS WIRED FOR LANGUAGE DEV Receptive communication: babies understand words before they speak (about 6 months) Receptive communication: babies understand words before they speak (about 6 months) Parents should speak to their (unborn) child: Parents should speak to their (unborn) child:Menchu Infants communicate through gesture, noises, crying before they use words Infants communicate through gesture, noises, crying before they use words First form of communication is crying. Babies whose parents respond to their cries have improved communication competence First form of communication is crying. Babies whose parents respond to their cries have improved communication competence

BABBLING Repetitive vocalization in child’s first year.NOT considered real communication Repetitive vocalization in child’s first year.NOT considered real communication DOES encourage interaction with caretaker DOES encourage interaction with caretaker Earliest: open vowel cooing Earliest: open vowel cooing 4-5 months: add consonants 4-5 months: add consonants 9 months: vowel-consonant-vowel 9 months: vowel-consonant-vowel months: expressive jargon resembles adult speech months: expressive jargon resembles adult speech

WORDS Begin about months Begin about months Overgeneralization Overgeneralization Overrestriction Overrestriction Referential (objects) Referential (objects) Expressive (social expression) Expressive (social expression)

BILINGUAL CHILDREN 1/2 children in world are bilingual. Growing number in U.S. 1/2 children in world are bilingual. Growing number in U.S. Children learn same size vocabulary, split between two languages Children learn same size vocabulary, split between two languages Before 18 months: mental dictionary Before 18 months: mental dictionary After 18 months: mixed speech After 18 months: mixed speech Bilingual kids put 2 words together at same age as monolingual kids do despite different rules (syntax) Bilingual kids put 2 words together at same age as monolingual kids do despite different rules (syntax)

BILIINGUAL CHILDREN, continued Children use various strategies to make sense of different rules and vocabulary Children use various strategies to make sense of different rules and vocabulary

TODDLER LITERACY It is never too early to read to children: books, ads, signs, food boxes, etc. Parents should use scaffolding to develop literacy skills

LANGUAGE DELAYS Hearing: babbling decreases at about 6 months Hearing: babbling decreases at about 6 months Early detection is CRUCIAL Early detection is CRUCIAL ASL is learned like verbal language ASL is learned like verbal language Be responsive to communication attempts Be responsive to communication attempts Use language to dev. residual hearing Use language to dev. residual hearing Use total communication Use total communication Initiate turn taking in conversation Initiate turn taking in conversation

GENERAL LANGUAGE DELAY One of the most common disabilities One of the most common disabilities Unknown cause Unknown cause Minimal brain dysfunction Minimal brain dysfunction Stress Stress Poverty Poverty

CLASSROOM STRATEGIES Name things Name things Expansion Expansion Expatiation Expatiation Initiate conversation Initiate conversation Scaffolding (naming game) see page 162 Scaffolding (naming game) see page 162