Linguistics

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Early communication

Communication development:

Development is predictable and milestones emerge in a predictable sequence.

They emerge or are mastered in a timeline that is consistent for most children, and although development varies across children, most achieve milestones within a predictable age range.

Developmental skills fall under the broad areas of motor development (gross motor & fine motor), cognitive development (gesture, memory, attention, play including symbolic play, motivation), and sensory development (hearing, smell, taste). Language is very much a cognitive process that develops in a social context. In other words, it is acquired through interaction with caring and responsive adults rather than formal instructions.

Learning and use of language are influenced by the interaction of biological, cognitive, psycho-social and environmental factors. In addition, there is a predictable relationship between and across all areas of development. Observation of development in one skills area builds the expectation about the level of development in other skills areas. So, for example, some gesture milestones predict language milestones, and motor, play, and language skills develop in parallel. Children walk and say their first word around the same time. Pointing gestures precede first words, and when the child is combining words, they are also likely to be combining play schemes.

Typically developing children are highly competent communicators well before the appearance of recognisable words. By the end of the first year, children can attract and direct an adult's attention, indicate a range of emotions, make clear requests and even make comments, or ask questions using a range of non-verbal communication strategies.

Characteristics of early communication exchanges:

• Caregivers talk to new-borns as if they understand & even though the infant does not 'talk back'

• Communication takes place in a social context

• Much is non-verbal

• Exchange has the appearance of a conversation, maintained by carer, adults support/control early attempts to communicate

• Adults speech is modified: 'baby talk' - higher pitch, sing-song quality, regular rhythm

• Speech is simplified: use of shorter sentences, emphasis on key words, use of gestures and lots of pauses for the child to contribute

• Establish joint attention: - make and maintain mutual eye -contact - follow the infant's attention and talk about what they are looking at - infant responds/copies/mimics adults

There are ways in which we can engage in more effective infant communication: