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Exploring Language Development: Milestones and Challenges

Dive into human language communication, its benefits, rules, and milestones in development. Explore animal communication, syntax, and semantics.

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Exploring Language Development: Milestones and Challenges

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  1. Psych 125Human DevelopmentChristopher GadeOffice: 1031-GOffice hours: Tu 12-1:30 and by apt.Email: gadecj@gmail.comClass: T 1:30-4:20 Room 2210

  2. Paper Time… • Let’s turn in your second papers • Cumulative grades will be posted after the exam next week

  3. Questions to Debate • Are humans the only species that communicate in a way that we would identify as language? • If not, what species do communicate through language and how do they do it? • If so, what is it about animal communication that doesn’t qualify it as language? • Are we naturally inclined to develop a specific language (e.g. are some people programmed to speak Spanish)? • Are we naturally inclined to develop some form of communication that reflects language?

  4. Defining Today’s Topic • Language – a form of communication, whether spoken, written, or signed that is based on a system of symbols • Types of language • Oral • Sign • Written • Note: written language is HUGE because we don’t even have to be there in order to communicate through this medium

  5. The Benefits Of Language • Let’s list of some of the benefits of language… • An overview: • Allows for effective communication of ideas • Time saving • Topic specific • Aids in exchange of information • Unshared experiences • Different perspectives • Generational information • Current ideas and thoughts • Future plans • Infinite generativity – the ability to produce an endless number of messages

  6. The Rules of Spoken Language • Despite there being a number of different spoken languages, each has a collection of simple rules that must be learned in order to use the language correctly • Phonology – the basic sounds that are used in a language • Phoneme – the basic unit of sound in a language • Note: each language has their own phonemes, some of these overlap between languages, others do not (ex. the rolled r in Spanish, and the “th” and “L” in English) • Let’s try to identify the phonemes… • Just before I went home, I remembered that I had to call Suzie.

  7. Other Rules of Spoken Language • Morphology – the units of meaning involved in word formation • Examples: “run” = 1 unit, “runner” = 2 units, run + er (“er” = one who) • Note: morphology can be of non-words (“er”), and they can change over time (ex. Photogate) • Syntax – the way words are combined to form acceptable phrases and sentences • Syntax often helps us determine order and meaning • “Bob went to Tom’s house for a drink” • “A Tom went to drink for Bob’s house” • Syntax changes dramatically with each language • English = “The cat”, “the cats”, “the mouse”, “the mice” • French = “Le chat”, “Les chats”

  8. Some Final Rules of Spoken Language • Semantics – the meaning of a word • Note: many words can have multiple semantics • “The man hit the bat with a bat.” • “I can can my own vegetables.” • Note: sentences can have proper syntax, but inappropriate semantics • “The grass watched the orange ear run the red shoe” • Pragmatics – the appropriate use of words based on the situation • “Give me that” versus “can I borrow that” • “Vous-etez” versus “est-ceque” in France

  9. Looking into Development and Language By Reviewing a Previous Question • Are we naturally inclined to develop some form of communication that reflects language? • The Wild Boy of Aveyron example (1799, France) • Genie (1970, Los Angeles) • If this shows that language is not innate, which it might not show, how do we perfect our use of language and learn to follow the rules of language

  10. In the next section… • In the next portion of class we’ll look at development and language by examining: • Milestones of language development that occur throughout life • Challenges in language that occur during different stages in development • Changes in language trends that occur during the lifespan

  11. The Infant Development Milestones • Regardless of the spoken language, most infants, when not exposed to extremely atypical situations, experience the same milestones in language development • Early vocalizations • Crying (at birth) to display displeasure • Cooing (2-4 months) to express joy or pleasure • Babbling (6 months – 1 year) – producing strings of consonants • Maybe to practice using language

  12. Other Early Milestones • Recognition of language sounds (birth) • Experiments on phoneme changes and responses • “Citizens of the word” findings (up to 6 months) • Note on how difficult it is to recognize these specifics • Listening for pauses tasks • http://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=weR8hK2u3Q4 • Gesturing (8-12 months) • Gaze following (11 months)

  13. The Big First Milestone: The First Word • Usually occurs between 10 and 15 months of age • Is realistically merely a small step in the language process (sounds, gestures, and recognition of up to 50 sounds have already been accomplished) • Spoken vocabulary – words that a child uses • Receptive vocabulary – words that a child recognizes • There is a considerable gap between the first words and the vocabulary spurt that eventually occurs

  14. Language Development Into Childhood • At 18 to 24 months, infants begin using two-word utterances • These utterances quickly turn into three, four, five, and beyond word utterances (years 2-3) • These masteries involve the child’s ability to recognize the phonemes and semantics of their language • Note: the more languages a child is exposed to, the more phonemes and semantics that child needs to learn. This often slows down this developmental process.

  15. The Amazing Language Abilities of Children • Word mastery • From about 1 ½ years to 6 years of age, children are learning approximately 1 word per waking hour (10-14 words a day) • Morphology learning • Children are constantly presented with challenges to learn the appropriate endings and combinations of sounds that we use with words • “I ate an apple” “I ate a cookie” • “I pet the cats” “Pet the cats” “I ran the race” “Run the race” • “I saw the goose” “I saw the geese” “I saw the cow” “I saw the cows”

  16. A Note on Language Development • Our surrounding environment, in particular our socio-economic status, has a huge impact our vocabulary development

  17. Late Childhood Language Development • By about 5 to 6 years, children begin to develop pragmatic speech skills • Their syntax skills also increase dramatically • Reading skills also begin to develop at this age, this indicates the beginning of a third way to communicate • Recognition of symbols • Phonics approach - Association of symbols with sounds • Whole-language approach - Recognition of combinations of symbols that make specific sounds

  18. The Development of Writing Skills • Much like spoken language development versus recognition of language development writing skills develop much slower than reading skills • Fine motor skill causes • Recognition of the appropriate symbols versus merely identifying symbols • Note: development of good writing skills extends beyond childhood, it also requires a lot of effort • Perfecting syntax • Organizing ideas • Creating coherence

  19. Later Language Development • Adolescence • Marked by increases in vocabulary and use of the vocabulary • Pragmatic skills are increase • The ability to “play” with language also develops • Satire skills (sarcasm, wit, and derision) • Dialect skills (“learning the lingo”) • Adulthood • Vocabulary continues to increase in adulthood, but at a much slower rate • Language skills vary dramatically based on education and experience • Language tendencies also seem to become very set after we reach adulthood

  20. Aging and Language • Though our vocabulary seems to always be increasing with age, our ability to retrieve words appears to decline as we get into our later years (60+) • Memory related • Tip of the tongue phenomenon • Our ability to follow language (conversation) also appears to slow with age • Hearing related (remember the curve) • Reaction time related • Note: any physical ailments related to aging (e.g. Alzheimers) can have a significant impact on the language skills of the elderly

  21. Closing Class By Reviewing a Question • Are humans the only species that communicate in a way that we would identify as language? • Answer: Probably not, but we’re exceptionally good at it compared to other species • Why? • Brain specificity • Broca’s and Wernicke’s areas • Cognitive tendencies (joint attention skills) • Natural teaching skills • Scaffolding • “Baby tone”

  22. That’s It… • This marks the end of the material for this section. • Make sure that you’ve read every chapter associated with this section by next week. • Make sure that you’ve gone over each classes slides by then as well. • You’ll need a #2 pencil and a scantron sheet for this exam, just like the last time.

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