Language Development Hypotheses

Language development in Children

Rashed Alsubaie

Hall, Edward P

CD 361

7/7/14

Reading to a child every day (even an infant) is beneficial for language development.

Introduction

Language development is essential during the early age in child development. Various theories that explain the process which children understand and speak language. A child learns language as early as when he or she is in the womb and continues to learn after birth. This can be observed when the child responds to various familiar voices that she hears. These theories argue around nature and nurture what contributes to language successful language development. Despite the fact that biological factors and environmental have always caused debate of their extent in the language development influence, it is agreeable to some point that within a certain range in age, children record some similarities in language development. This involves crying, babbling, cooing and later speaking simple words to constructing sentences that later develop to complete speech. Such theories are;

Theories that support language development

According to naturists’ theory, children have a natural desire to interpret the world. Children use language as a way getting the meaning from spoken words to understand the world around them. Use of language is inborn in the human species and therefore every child is born with it. According Chomsky, there is a language acquisition device that is found in the human brain. Children learn language easily but lack mental ability that helps analyze logic structure of language and Chomsky recommended that there should be a mechanism to assist children acquires the language structure. Though the device he states is not physically located, most people accept that there must be something in the brain that makes the human brain programmed that is hardwired for language development. It is evident that children are able to differentiate sounds in specific language system. The child starts with making sound to babbling and later speaks. As early as four months a child understands the native language. Language rules assist the baby make presumptions and estimations of the language that they hear. It is from these presumptions and estimations that the baby is able to work out grammar. With regular repetition the grammar is well built to resemble that of adults. Chomsky stood the point that, a child is born with capability in the brain to take language and understand its rules through listening. He developed concepts of surface structure, transformational grammar, and deep surface. Transformational grammar transforms sentences while surface structures are written words while deep structure is the meaning of a statement.

Skinner in his theory on behaviorism stated that behavior is conditioned and with training one can acquire skills almost to be natural. Skinner therefore supports that parents play a vital role in enhancing their children’s language development. In this regard; babies imitate those who are close to them like parents and caregivers. Skinner in this case goes against Chomsky who believes that hereditary factors play a major role in child development and language acquisition. Piaget on the other hand focuses much on cognitive development where language is controlled by the mind. A child must grasp what to say even before he utters a word. Bruner seems to agree with Chomsky on LAD by bringing in Language acquisition support system (LASS) where a parent or caregiver can use images and books to develop the ability for their children to name things and also engage in conversations. LASS helps draw the child’s attention to the image. Through this he or she may ask questions regarding the image and also help the parent identify the object. It also helps the parent to interact with the child as they respond to them. Interactionists like Vygotsky argue their point that both biological and social factors play an equally important part in a child’s stage of language acquisition. He looks into the fact that conversations with adults enable a child linguistically and cognitively. Nature and nurture play a substantial role in language acquisition. Most psychologists and researchers acknowledge the contribution of biological factors and those of the environment in language development. Human beings have innate capability to acquire language rules but the environment also plays an equal role in language development.

Ways to Encourage Language Development

Adults have the tendency of using particular styles of interacting with infants and young children. They use a language called parentese that provides platform for children to learn language. It does not mean baby talk but it is more of how adults can speak to pets using a higher pitch, shorter and simpler sentences, repeating of words, pauses and exaggeration compared to normal speaking. A person may also use simplified language to explain the present happenings. Infants may initiate communication to adults through cooing, smiling, taking turns and maintaining eye contact with people. Adults can then take their cues from the infant's efforts by taking turns vocalizing, smiling, and cooing while maintaining eye contact. The environment that the child grows in matters much when it comes to language development. The surrounding should be free from stress and any kind of abuse to ensure that the brain is free to create necessary connections in language. Care-givers and parents should ensure that the child has such an environment to encourage a child’s effort in language acquisition however primitive. Some of such suggestions that will help child development in infants and young children below six years are;

a) An infant’s attention to language can be drawn through songs and games that the parent or caregiver engages the baby into. Songs and rhymes are repetitive and also help move infants body rhythmically and easily helping them pay attention to words especially if they enjoy these rhythms and movements.

b) A parent may use colored or black and white books with pictures of familiar objects to kindle infants. Though they may not necessarily follow the story, they are neurologically kindled by the language flow in the book reading.

c) Older infants may enjoy snapshots especially if they love family members being pointed out, talked about or named and thus would enjoy viewing family snapshots. One may use these photos to help identify people and their actions.

d) Outings may also help young children to learn new concepts and words. A parent should take advantage of every opportunity to enlarge their child’s world since such adventures brims together with language possibilities.

Reading books and how it helps a child in language development

Reading to infants helps them open to new ideas and also learn the structure of language. Children tend to imitate much of what they see around them and thus, continuous reading will make them adopt the virtue making it easier to speak and understand both spoken and written language in future. Even though reading books has been associated with success in reading in the future for the child, it is also important in the early years as the child learn the languages that are used in their environment. The child may not fully understand whatever is being read to them, but, the rhythmic structure and repetition of words as one emphasizes on objects may help the child identify new things and be able to name them easily. It is also good to read books that have bright pictures that may assist the child identify some things found in their environment. Bright colors help capture the attention of the child and hence fix something in their mind to understand the message being conveyed. Reading books increases a child’s exposure to language by using stories that rhyme so as to help in teaching language skills and speech acquisition and help them love the language. By engaging the children with books, their imaginations are stimulated such that they get very imaginative and also introduce them to things and places that they may not encounter physically in their life for example the dinosaurs and its looks. Reading also helps children to work out their feelings about the surroundings. Many books that are used for children have topics that encourage discussion between the child and the caregiver or parent.

Things to consider while selecting reading books for children

Children love to see bright colored pictures and they will always pay attention to them. It is therefore important for the parent to choose such books and also help take the child through the book pointing on such pictures to draw their attention. These books should have materials that are easy for the child to touch depending on age. Books made from cardboards or cloth like material are easy for a child to turn and are the most preferred at such young age. additionally, books with much actions would be of greater help and the child is encouraged to point to familiar objects making sounds that are made by these objects. For example if he or she points to a cat, the parent may help he or she identifies the sound made by the animal. It is important for every parent to create time to read together with their children and as it becomes a routine, the child will always be eager for the moment. The parent ought therefore, to visit the library more often so as to identify new topics that they need to cover with the child and those that interests him or her.

Conclusion

Understanding the process of language development helps parents and caregivers to take their position in the process. They should provide a secure and safe environment and giving the child all the necessary materials that can enhance language development. It is very important to listen to children, speaks to them, and also encourages conversation as early as possible since infancy and all the way as they grow. Children who have been involved with interactive reading tend to have fewer difficulties in speech in their future life as compared to those who do not. It also creates inbuilt confidence of what they know and may end up being good speakers.

Reference

Reference Manual for Communicative Sciences and Disorders: Speech and Language [RC423 .K46 1994 Ref] - contains information on the subjects of communicative sciences and disorders and focuses particularly on the functions of speech and language.

Appendix

Database

Communication & Mass Media (EBSCO) Abstracts over 600 journals in communication studies, speech, mass media, journalism, linguistics, and communicative disorders. Full text for more than 240 journals. Dates vary, 1915-