Preschool Age Children Language Development Preschool Age Children

The ability to understand language. Receptive Language The ability to understand language. (Can be non-verbal)

Able to actually speak and use words meaningfully. Productive Language Able to actually speak and use words meaningfully.

Definitions: Speech = Communication through words Linguistics = Study of how people learn to speak

7 Stages for Learning to Speak:

1. Undifferentiated Crying: 0-1 month old Cries to get everything it needs: food, sleep, diaper changed, etc.

2. Differentiated Crying: 2 months old Cries are different for each thing child wants http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gPXsoZ_F0SA

3. Cooing Begins at 3 months Elongated vowels sounds A, E, I, O, U http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IQoD1bCl9OA&feature=related

4. Babbling 6 months Putting together consonants and vowels to make simple words Ma, Ma http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bPGekZreJLc&feature=related

5. First Word: 1 year old http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uaurzbTgm3k

6. Two word sentences: 2 years old Noun and verb sentences Me eat Go car

7. Multi-word sentences: 3 years old Putting together sentences may or may not make sense short sentences I draw picture of the sun today.

Other Facts about Language A child’s first word is said around their first birthday. A 2 yr. old child has a vocabulary of about fifty words. A child can understand many more words than they can actually speak.

What Parents Can Do to Help: Development of Language in Children

Helpful Hints: Expose children to a rich language base-talk Praise Positive Feedback Play-back or restating (say it over and over – repeating) Elaborate

More Helpful Hints: Interactive-reading, ask open ended questions (who, why, when, where, how?) Language tour guide Grocery Store Department Store Zoo Toy Store

Helpful Hints (con’t): Take children’s comments seriously listen to them Avoid baby talk and babbling Correct their speech