Things That Promote Language Development

The French psychoanalyst Jacques Lacan wrote about how human beings are "born into language." The literal meaning of "infant" is to be without speech. Humans learn to speak and enter into the world of language naturally. Babies and infants learn how to speak by imitating their parents and siblings. Child psychologists typically divide language development into three stages: one to two year olds, two to four olds, and four to six year olds.

One to Two Year olds

• Babies and infants learn to speak through imitating parents and siblings and through encouragement and positive reinforcement. Encourage vowel sounds such as "ma" and "da." Make eye contact with the baby and praise her as she attempts to speak. Identify everyday objects, colors and activities. Contemporary research shows that gesturing and pointing significantly aid language development and acquisition in babies and infants. Reading to your child is another essential element of language development. Toys and games are also useful educational tools.

Two to Four Year Olds

• Speak clearly and encourage the child to participate in conversation. Make a habit of repeating what the child says to demonstrate that you understand what she is saying. Asking questions helps the child to place words in a meaningful context. Ask questions that require a yes or no response. Talking about a variety of things and sharing ideas enriches the child's vocabulary. Make a habit of paraphrasing elements of a conversation or reading. Learning to phrase words in different ways gives the child a broader understanding of language. Songs and nursery rhymes make language learning fun, and they are also helpful in building vocabulary.

Four to Six Year Olds

• Acknowledge and encourage a child's efforts to express herself. Give her your full and undivided attention when she is speaking. Pause during your conversations in order to provide an opportunity for the child to participate. Begin introducing larger words and meanings into the vocabulary in conversation and books. Ask the child to follow more complicated directions that involve two to three steps. Continue reading to your child and connect the stories with experiences in your child's life.

Writing and Reading

• Many children begin to read and write by about five or six years of age. Encourage your child to read and write. Learning to write creatively helps your child to develop her language skills and imagination. Make writing a fun activity and don't worry about perfection. Give your child colored papers and markers and motivate her to make her own books. Include your child in family activities such as letter writing and thank you cards. Read the books that she reads so that you can discuss the stories, ideas and characters with her.