CE320 Unit 3 Seminar: Language Development for Infants and Toddlers Language Development in the Young Child

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In this week’s seminar, we will discuss the role of the early childhood professional in developing language in infants and toddlers. Tonight we will… Review definitions of key terms Sharing books with infants Symbolic gestures with toddlers Applying sign language with infants/toddlers Home to School Connections that foster language development UPDATES AND REMINDERS

Unit Outcomes and Expectations At the end of this unit you should be able to: 1.Differentiate between the five aspects of language knowledge (phonetic, semantic, syntactic, morphemic, and pragmatic) 2.Identify the interaction patterns needed to create an environment conducive to language development in infants and toddlers

KEY TERMS Prosody Reflexive vocalizations Nonreflexive vocalizations Cooing Verbal play Babbling Echolalic babbling Jargon Intonated babble Selective reinforcement Emergent literacy Direct experience Vicarious experience Referent Symbol formation Protowords Idiomorphs Holophrasic stage Fast mapping Telegraphic speech Representational/symbolic gesture homesign

CAREGIVERS INTERACTIONS AND SHARING BOOKS 1.How is language development impacted by caregiver’s interactions in sharing books with infants and toddlers? How can you apply this information to your own work with infants and toddlers? Phonetic Knowledge Semantic Knowledge Syntactic Knowledge Morphemic Knowledge Pragmatic Knowledge

CAREGIVERS INTERACTIONS AND SHARING BOOKS Phonetic Knowledge -Infants learn about phonemes in their language as well intonation -Exposed to animal sounds, rhyming text, songs and environmental sounds -Beginning emergent literacy in infants -Toddlers begin to associate sounds and sound patterns with print and their environment

CAREGIVERS INTERACTIONS AND SHARING BOOKS Semantic Knowledge -Infants learn shared reference -Adults name and label items often found in the child’s environment -Children who have been included in storybook sharing from early infancy often can predict upcoming text demonstrated by verbal and nonverbal behavior -Toddlers become aware of print on logos and labels -Also explore drawing and writing -Expanding concept knowledge and vocabulary

CAREGIVERS INTERACTIONS AND SHARING BOOKS Syntactic Knowledge -Infants and toddlers who are involved in storybook interactions are exposed to more complex syntactic structures -Can facilitate toddlers’ use of phrases and short sentences in questions that they are asked

CAREGIVERS INTERACTIONS AND SHARING BOOKS Morphemic Knowledge -Infants and toddlers are exposed to grammatical morphemes such as prepositions and verb tense

CAREGIVERS INTERACTIONS AND SHARING BOOKS Pragmatic Knowledge -Toddlers are becoming aware of ways that print is used to communicate intent or purpose.. “Wha da say?” -Learn how to hold a book and turn pages -Zone of proximal development is created to teach meaning -Knowledge of written language begins with making marks on paper -Learn about communicative intent when they “read” printed text (cards, brochures, books, mail) -Learn print awareness

SYMBOLIC GESTURES FOR TODDLERS 2. What are symbolic gestures and what are some of the benefits in using them with toddlers?

SIGN LANGUAGE 3. After investigating the online resources in your text, please respond to this question: Is sign language a tool that you might consider using with an infant or toddler? Why or why not?

HOME-SCHOOL CONNECTIONS 4. How might you create positive home-school connections that will foster language development in the children you care for throughout your career?

THANK YOU FOR COMING!

REFERENCES Motluk, A. (2004). Babies get hands-on with language. New Scientist, 183(2456), 8. Otto, B. (2010). Language Development in Early Childhood, 3rd ed. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc. Jupiter Images Corporation, (2010). Clipart.com. Retrieved May 10, 2010 from