Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Motherese and language development

Before the age of one, a lot happens in a babies' brain regarding language development.  During this time, the child not only begins to recognize the sound of her caretakers voice, but the baby also "learns" the specific sounds associated with the language of the people around her.  After the first year, it becomes increasing difficult to distinguish sounds that are different from the native language. After the age of 7, language acquisition declines, and after puberty, an accent is inevitable.  Patricia Kuhl explains the fascinating world of language acquisition in babies:


 Speaking Motherese and developing language in ones children at an early age is critical. Although I don't have any kids of my own, this is definitely something to take note of for the future.  

 Steph from Modern Parents Messy Kids unwraps motherese and gives practical tools in building your child's language skills.  She also made colorful printables to hang around the house to serve as a reminder.


Find a breakdown of the stages of communication development in babies here. 

No comments:

Post a Comment

LinkWithin

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...