Part 1
Congratulations are in order! Year one is complete and the changes that occurred during the baby’s first year were unbelievable. Physically the baby body has changed into an upright position. Large and small muscles have strengthened, generating the ability to walk. Mobility opens up the whole world for the baby. These new toddler experiences are now contributing to an expansive brain building rush. They are “action figures” contained in a small pint size — ready to learn!
Yes! It’s a busy active time for a toddler. Along with their new mobility brings the transformation of language. Children at this age span start off slowly developing their oral vocabulary—like a small snowball rolling down a hill –but as the days fly by that snowball transforms itself into a mountainous pack of snow. Vocabulary development is similar, starting slow with just a few words and gathering speed as phrases and sentences begin to be spoken more naturally.
One must remember that every child acquires and uses their vocabulary at their own pace. Toddlers are processing what the words mean that are spoken to them and trying to get their mouth to reproduce the sounds needed to speak each word. At this stage learning how to produce their words correctly is a big challenge. Babies under the age of one do practice making sounds constantly, representing a name of a person or object.(maaa maaa og for dog) In these next two years the toddler brain is a “word learning machine”, an active listener and language practitioner. Communication becomes a toddlers’ major goal, there’s now a highly energetic Communicator in the house.
Language Development— Where there’s a want—there’s a way!
There are two main aspects to consider in language development: receptive and expressive.
Receptive is the ability to understand the language received. Listening & watching will be first in a child’s life. Hearing spoken words accompanied by observing body language, gestures, facial expressions all impact a young child’s language development.. Later – viewing their surrounding environment and other visuals will play a bigger role.
It’s the intake of the words along with their sensory systems that are relayed to the brain that start those synapses firing. The immediate job of the brain is to interpret all this information and figure it out- “the making sense process”.
Expressive is the ability to produce language to communicate, mostly done by talking. The actual accurate verbal skill, articulation of a language develops slowly. A child does start by speaking sounds, followed by words-phrases, and after much practice sentences pour out. From the very beginning all attempts to communicate may be complemented by their body expressions and gestures As a child gets older creating visual presentations-drawing etc. and writing content will be other aspects of their expressive language.
The goal of the brain is to speak clearly one’s ideas, needs, thoughts or feelings.
It’s the output of language produced by the brain that’s used to communicate- ”the vocabulary production process”.
Vocabulary knowledge that a child learns as a toddler and preschooler impacts their success as a reader. “Oral language is often called a “bedrock” of reading and writing. Students’ comprehension of spoken language is a defining factor for their reading comprehension — the ultimate purpose of reading — as well as for writing ability.” as stated by Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, Professor Nicole Patton Terry.
Receptive Language Development
Brief Review: A baby in their first few months will begin to intently listen to what is being said to them. Their main focus is on an adult’s facial expressions and voice tone . Usually around the age of six months a baby starts connecting meanings of words to familiar items. By one year a baby may make a gesture of waving—thereby, sending the message good-bye or responding to the word “NO”. Understanding language is forming at a deeper level.
Expressive Language Development
Brief Review: A baby in their first few months will start to coo. Soon those sounds are followed by babbling noises which kick off their language production. The babbling is a way for them to practice a few vowels and constants. Their mouth is learning how to make these beginning word sounds. This is followed up by their first word around one year of age.
Expressive language occurs as a child selects the correct words to speak when communicating. Their talking may first start off as simply wanting something—by saying “doggie” and pointing to their stuffed animal or can be followed later by putting a few words together to get their idea across— by saying “more milk”.
FLASH BACK!
In the section within this website called The Developing READER, an introduction regarding these foundational language skills are explained in further detail — listening (receptive) and speaking (expressive). Other specifics about language development may be found in the Blogs posted for pre-birth to one-year olds. This model on the right shows the interaction which occurs for The Developing READER between language and literacy.
Now, for the 50 million dollar question–what can be done to ensure a child has a strong vocabulary foundation. Future posts will take a closer look at what one can do to help their toddler become a successful Communicator. Expansive language will prepare a child for their preschool years…..and life. Words and more words are really what it’s all about!
Happy days to you,
Kylene
“For the things we have to learn before we can do them, we learn by doing them.”
Aristotle
Dese, Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, (2022), Oral Language, Terry, Nicole-Patton, Professor , Florida Center for Reading Research at Florida State University, https://www.doe.mass.edu/massliteracy/literacy-block/oral-language.html#:
Dese, Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, (2022),
Oral Language, Terry, Nicole-Patton, Professor , Florida Center for Reading Research at Florida State University, https://www.doe.mass.edu/massliteracy/literacy-block/oral-language.html#:
Jana, Laura A., MD, (2017), The Toddler Brain, Nurture the Skills Today that Will Shape Your Child’s Tomorrow, Da Capo Press
Mayo Clinic, (2023), Infant and toddler health, Hoecker, Jay L., MD, https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/infant-and-toddler-health/expert-answers/toddler-speech-development/faq-20057847
NAPA, (2023), Receptive Language vs Expressive Language, Wallace, Amanda, Speech Language Pathology Assistant, https://napacenter.org/receptive-vs-expressive-language/
