2. WHAT IS LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT?
Language development refers to the growth and
improvement of language skills in an individual over
time. This includes the development of linguistic
competence, or the knowledge of the rules and
structure of language, as well as the development of
language performance, or the ability to use language
effectively in communication.
3. WHAT IS LANGUAGE ACQUISITION?
Language acquisition refers specifically to the
process by which individuals learn language, either
as a first language or as a second language. This
process typically involves the development of
linguistic competence, as well as the development of
pragmatics, or the ability to use language
appropriately in different social contexts.
4. LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT VS. LANGUAGE
ACQUISITION
Language development
refers to the growth and
improvement of
language skills over
time.
Language acquisition
refers specifically to the
process by which
individuals learn
language.
Both concepts are related and overlap, but language development has
a broader focus, including the development of linguistic competence
5. STAGES OF LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT
1. Prelinguistic Stage (Birth to 2 Years): This
stage is characterized by the emergence of
nonverbal communicative behaviors such
as crying, cooing, gurgling, and babbling.
During this stage, infants start to develop
the ability to perceive sounds, differentiate
between speech sounds, and make sounds
in response to their surroundings. They also
start to use gestures and facial expressions
to communicate their needs and wants, for
example, reaching for an object to indicate
a desire to hold it.
2. First words stage (1-2 Years): This stage
marks the emergence of a child's first
words and the ability to understand basic
instructions. Children typically produce
their first word around 12 months of age
and have a vocabulary of about 50 words
by the time they are 2 years old. During this
stage, they also start to show a basic
understanding of word meaning and begin
to form simple word combinations.
6. STAGES OF LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT
3. Two-Word Stage (2-3 years): Children
at this stage start combining two
words to form short phrases and
sentences, such as "mommy come" or
"dog run." This stage is characterized
by a rapid expansion in vocabulary and
the emergence of telegraphic speech,
where only the most important words
are used to convey meaning.
4. Telegraphic stage (3-4 Years): During this
stage, children's speech becomes more
sophisticated and they start to produce
complete sentences. They also become
more accurate in their use of grammar and
are able to understand more complex
instructions and questions. Children at this
stage also start to understand the use of
different types of words, such as nouns,
verbs, and adjectives, and they begin to use
these words in their own speech.
7. STAGES OF LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT
5. OverGeneralization stage (4-7 Years): In
this stage, children continue to refine their
use of grammar, but may also make errors
by overgeneralizing rules they have
learned. For example, a child might say "I
runned" instead of "I ran" because they
have learned that adding -ed to the end of
a verb makes it past tense. This stage is also
characterized by the development of more
advanced language skills, such as the ability
to understand and use figurative language,
such as idioms and sarcasm.
6. Advanced Language Skills Stage (7
years and beyond): As children
continue to develop their language
skills, they become more accurate in
their use of grammar and are able to
understand more complex instructions
and questions. They also develop more
advanced language skills, such as the
ability to understand and use figurative
language, such as idioms and sarcasm.
8. It is important to note that the stages of language
development are not absolute and rigid. Children
develop at different rates and may move through
the stages in a slightly different order, depending on
various factors such as their exposure to language
and individual differences in their cognitive and
linguistic abilities. However, these stages provide a
general framework for understanding the process
of language development and acquisition.
9. REFERENCES
• Fernald, A. (2017). The role of perception and action in early language development. In Handbook of Child Psychology and
Developmental Science (pp. 1-46). John Wiley & Sons.
• Bates, E., & Goodman, J. C. (1997). On the emergence of grammar from the lexicon. In R. Jakimik, J. J. Gegenfurtner, & L. R.
Gleitman (Eds.), Perception, linguistics, and language: An attempt at integration (pp. 175-225). University of Pennsylvania
Press.
• Brown, R. (1973). A first language: The early stages. Harvard University Press.
• Bloom, L. (1970). Language development: Form and function in emerging grammars. MIT Press.
• Pinker, S. (1984). Language learnability and language development. Harvard University Press.
• Berk, L. E. (2017). Child Development (9th ed.). Pearson Education, Inc.
• Chomsky, N. (2015). Reflections on language. Penguin.
• Pinker, S. (1994). The language instinct: How the mind creates language. HarperPerennial.
• Tomasello, M. (2003). Constructing a language: A usage-based theory of language acquisition. Harvard University
Press.
• Krashen, S. D. (1982). Principles and practice in second language acquisition. Pergamon Press.
