Language SPEAKING

Speaking is the expressive part of language, it is communicating one’s wants, needs, thoughts and ideas. A baby does this almost immediately! Not speaking but producing vocal sounds. Crying is one of the first ways an infant will let a parent know a “need”. Feed me or change me are at the top of their list! Later different sounding cries are communicated, signaling a specific “want”. As the baby grows older other sounds will begin to develop. These beginning non-sensical sounds will lead to later speech patterns.

Cooing and gurgling start usually within the first few months. This is an important first step in learning to talk. The baby brain is coordinating its physical body to develop  ooh  aah  sounds. These cooing vowel-like sounds are formed by using the roof of their mouth, tongue and lips. Cooing is followed by babbling.

Babbling is really the beginning of the talking process. It starts around six months and continues throughout the first year. Babies are getting more control over their speaking muscles enabling them to  form word sounds. First one syllable sounds pop out–ga, ga--which later change to 2 syllable sounds - baba nana. These are followed by multiple syllable sounds dagaba. 

Language play is all about practicing sounds. Soon these babblers are communicating with their parents. This progression of language learning leads to putting together the correct speech sounds to form a word which carries meaning. Mama or Dada may be blurted out when calling for that specific person.