How Language Comes to Children

How Language Comes to Children PDF Author: Bénédicte de Boysson-Bardies
Publisher: MIT Press
ISBN: 9780262541251
Category : Language Arts & Disciplines
Languages : en
Pages : 300

Book Description
Psycholinguist Boysson-Bardies presents a broad picture of language development, from foetal development to the toddler years. She addresses questions of particular concern to parents, such as how one can facilitate language learning.

Child Language

Child Language PDF Author: Barbara C. Lust
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
ISBN: 1139459279
Category : Language Arts & Disciplines
Languages : en
Pages : 411

Book Description
The remarkable way in which young children acquire language has long fascinated linguists and developmental psychologists alike. Language is a skill that we have essentially mastered by the age of three, and with incredible ease and speed, despite the complexity of the task. This accessible textbook introduces the field of child language acquisition, exploring language development from birth. Setting out the key theoretical debates, it considers questions such as what characteristics of the human mind make it possible to acquire language; how far acquisition is biologically programmed and how far it is influenced by our environment; what makes second language learning (in adulthood) different from first language acquisition; and whether the specific stages in language development are universal across languages. Clear and comprehensive, it is set to become a key text for all courses in child language acquisition, within linguistics, developmental psychology and cognitive science.

Women Talk More than Men

Women Talk More than Men PDF Author: Abby Kaplan
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
ISBN: 110708492X
Category : Language Arts & Disciplines
Languages : en
Pages : 311

Book Description
A detailed look at language-related myths that explores both what we know and how we know it.

Raising Multilingual Children

Raising Multilingual Children PDF Author: Tracey Tokuhama-Espinosa
Publisher: Praeger
ISBN: 0897897501
Category : Education
Languages : en
Pages : 0

Book Description
Evaluates the most recent research in linguistics, neurology, education, and psychology and reinterprets the findings in an easy-to-follow format. Case studies illustrate the many ways families combine ten key factors in order to successfully raise multilingual children. The book encourages parents and teachers to reflect on their personal situations and helps them to foster multilingual skills in the children around them.

The Resilience of Language

The Resilience of Language PDF Author: Susan Goldin-Meadow
Publisher: Psychology Press
ISBN: 1841694363
Category : Family & Relationships
Languages : en
Pages : 286

Book Description
Imagine a child who has never seen or heard any language at all. Would such a child be able to invent a language on her own? Despite what one might guess, the children described in this book make it clear that the answer to this question is 'yes'. The children are congenitally deaf and cannot learn the spoken language that surrounds them. In addition, they have not yet been exposed to sign language, either by their hearing parents or their oral schools. Nevertheless, the children use their hands to communicate - they gesture - and those gestures take on many of the forms and functions of language. The properties of language that we find in the deaf children's gestures are just those properties that do not need to be handed down from generation to generation, but can be reinvented by a child de novo - the resilient properties of language. This book suggests that all children, deaf or hearing, come to language-learning ready to develop precisely these language properties. In this way, studies of gesture creation in deaf children can show us the way that children themselves have a large hand in shaping how language is learned.

Constraints on Language Acquisition

Constraints on Language Acquisition PDF Author: Helen Tager-Flusberg
Publisher: Psychology Press
ISBN: 9780805806670
Category : Language Arts & Disciplines
Languages : en
Pages : 228

Book Description
After decades of research most scholars generally agree that language acquisition is a complex and multifaceted process that involves the interaction of innate biologically-based mechanisms devoted to language, other non-linguistic cognitive and social mechanisms, linguistic input, and information about the social and physical world. Theoretical work in the field of language acquisition now needs to focus in greater depth and detail on some specific aspects of this general model, which is the main goal of this book. The chapters in this volume provide some new insights into one of the most remarkable accomplishments achieved by almost all children. The particular questions that are raised by contributors include: * What kinds of constraints operate on the process of language development? * Which aspects of the acquisition process depend on language-specific mechanisms? * Are there critical brain structures necessary for the acquisition of language? * What role do cognitive and social mechanisms play in language development? * How critical is perceptual input about the physical and social world? * What is the specific role played by linguistic input in the child's construction of a linguistic system? Questions are addressed from the perspective of children who come to the task of acquiring language with many hurdles to overcome, including deafness and blindness, mental retardation, autism, and prenatal or perinatal brain damage involving the left hemisphere. Each section contributes some insight on how an innate language-specific biological substrate interacts with cognitive and social factors, as well as external information, to support the child's construction of a linguistic system. Studies of atypical children offer a singular contribution to this enterprise by allowing us to see the specific influences of each component, and in turn, they shed new light on how all children are able to acquire language so effortlessly and during such a brief period of development.

Children's books, brain development, and language acquisition

Children's books, brain development, and language acquisition PDF Author: Ralf Thiede
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 1351113976
Category : Language Arts & Disciplines
Languages : en
Pages : 269

Book Description
This book correlates English-speaking children’s brain development and acquisition of language with the linguistic input that comes from children’s books. Drawing from the most current research on the developing brain, the author demonstrates how language acquisition is exclusively interactive, and highlights the benefit that accrues when that interaction includes the exploratory language play found in early childhood literature. Through discussions of specific domains of grammar, the relation of these domains to children’s literature through scaffolding, and the resultant linguistic and cognitive advantages for the child, this volume offers an innovative approach to early brain maturation.

The Resilience of Language

The Resilience of Language PDF Author:
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages :

Book Description
Imagine a child who has never seen or heard any language at all. Would such a child be able to invent a language on her own? Despite what one might guess, the children described in this book make it clear that the answer to this question is 'yes'. The children are congenitally deaf and cannot learn the spoken language that surrounds them. In addition, they have not yet been exposed to sign language, either by their hearing parents or their oral schools. Nevertheless, the children use their hands to communicate - they gesture - and those gestures take on many of the forms and functions of language. The properties of language that we find in the deaf children's gestures are just those properties that do not need to be handed down from generation to generation, but can be reinvented by a child "de novo"--The resilient properties of language. This book suggests that all children, deaf or hearing, come to language-learning ready to develop precisely these language properties. In this way, studies of gesture creation in deaf children can show us the way that children themselves have a large hand in shaping how language is learned.

The Bilingual Edge

The Bilingual Edge PDF Author: Kendall King
Publisher: Harper Collins
ISBN: 0061870862
Category : Education
Languages : en
Pages : 406

Book Description
It's no secret that parents want their children to have the lifelong cultural and intellectual advantages that come from being bilingual. Parents spend millions of dollars every year on classes, computer programs, and toys, all of which promise to help children learn a second language. But many of their best efforts (and investments) end in disappointment. In The Bilingual Edge, professors and parents King and Mackey wade through the hype and provide clear insights into what actually works. No matter what your language background is—whether you never passed Spanish in high school or you speak Mandarin fluently—King and Mackey will help you: select the language that will give your child the most benefits find materials and programs that will assist your child in achieving fluency identify and use your family's unique traits to maximize learning Fancy private schools and expensive materials aren't needed. Instead, The Bilingual Edge translates the latest research into interactive strategies and quick tips that even the busiest parents can use.

Language Building Blocks

Language Building Blocks PDF Author: Anita Pandey
Publisher: Teachers College Press
ISBN: 0807772690
Category : Education
Languages : en
Pages : 225

Book Description
Language Building Blocks is an accessible resource that familiarizes early childhood professionals with linguistics, the scientific study of language. Knowledge of linguistics will enable early childhood educators to successfully teach young children core competencies, ranging from phonemic awareness, reading and math, to health literacy and intercultural awareness. The text includes numerous real-life examples for diverse age groups and learning styles. The online Resource Guide provides hands-on activities and contributions by top scholars in the field. This resource shows teachers how to systematically empower and include all children. This teacher-friendly book: Provides an enhanced understanding of language and language acquisition, minimizing misdiagnoses of special needs.Makes language come alive for children and educators preparing for the Praxis Test.Demonstrates that children develop key skills when they can (dis)assemble language.Highlights approaches Dr. Seuss used to make reading fun for young readers.Offers innovative language and literacy observation and enhancement strategies, including multilingual math and literacy, language exploration, and play.Illustrates the value of observation, collaboration, and inquiry in early learning. “The great value of this resource is that it offers numerous 'bridging' reflections, strategies, and specific instructional interventions. It is a must for any educator that must understand the significant link between language and achievement in schooling contexts.” —From the Foreword by Eugene García “An extraordinarily informative, useful, and highly accessible tool for educators of young children of all language backgrounds. An excellent resource for teacher preparation and professional development.” —Dorothy S. Strickland, Samuel DeWitt Proctor Professor of Education, Emerita, Distinguished Research Fellow, National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER), Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey “Informativo! Educators must know how to break down language, how discourse mirrors culture, and how Spanish and other languages promote success in core content areas.” —Rossana Ramirez Boyd, President, National Association for Bilingual Education “A truly necessary guide to understanding language for early childhood teachers in today’s multicultural and multilingual world. Pandey clearly explains the fullness and potential of linguistic knowledge in teaching, honoring the role of the reflective teacher, and celebrating the uniqueness of young children and their languages worldwide.” —Debora B. Wisneski, University of Nebraska at Omaha, President, Association for Childhood Education International (ACEI) Anita Pandey is professor of linguistics and coordinator of Professional Communication in the Department of English and Language Arts at Morgan State University, Baltimore, Maryland.