Key Stages In Language Development

Key Stages in Language Development

STAGE ONE Voice recognition is the most difficult part in learning languages. Infants and toddlers can pick up the rich details in a language far better than adults. A baby builds up his voice recognition system in the first 8 months.

Your baby should be able to respond to what you say by the 3rd month. If your baby does not show any response to what you say by the 6th month, it is a sign of trouble. Check if your baby has been brought up under acute deprivation of a language environment and human interaction. And do something about it quickly.

STAGE TWO Immitation to produce sounds. Different babies progress differently. The earliest case we have come across in Le Le Beaumont is as early as 2 1/1 months! Some starts at 8 or 9 months. The majority make the first monosyllable at 13th or 14th month.

If your baby shows good response to what you say, but is not saying anaythig, don't worry. Einstein began to talk not until the age of 4. Send him to a playgroup which gives him much more opportunities to talk.

In the first 15 months, a baby is more interested in sounds and rhythms than meaning. So focus on sound play. Babies love familiar songs, stories and games. Don't change too frequently. Remember, it is sound play that is important, not the contents of the program.

STAGE THREE After the 15th month, a baby's attention shifts from sounds to meaning. A vocabulary spurt follows.

The best way to build up vocabulry is by recognizing actual objects in daily life, through play, conversation and story telling. Reading of big picture books with scanty words can be intrdoced at this stage.

Flash cards help but should be used only as a supplementary learning tool. Overuse of flash cards leads to rote learning. Over indulgence in flash cards eats up valuable time to play (and learn) and and to speak. it runs the risk of killing the interest in learning. (Re: Einstein Never Used Flashcard, Psyschology Book of the Year 2003).

STAGE FOUR By the 3rd year, the baby's attention again shifts. This time, attention shifts from individual words to commonly used sentence patterns.

Playgroup creates enormous opportunities to use English in the context of senstences. Reading should play a more important part at this stage. But read together.

By the end of the 3rd year, your baby will be able to use English in full compliance with the customary rules of English grammar.

STAGES FIVE Vocabulary comes naturally with life experience and usage. At age 4 and 5, your child still likes to run around, explore the world and build up the vocabulary. This is by far the best way to develop the communication skills in English, Putonghua, Spanish or any other language.

Children in Finland spend their time in playgroups up to 6 years of age and start their formal schooling at the age of 7. By the age of 15, students in Finland tops the world. (PISA – Program for International Student Assessment by OECD).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Programme_for_International_Student_Assessment