The document discusses the stages of speech comprehension development in children, highlighting that comprehension typically precedes speech production. It examines the ability of mute individuals to understand language without the ability to speak and addresses the theories regarding fetal sound perception. The presentation also emphasizes the importance of context and thought in language acquisition and the need for children to be exposed to relevant language in their environment.

1. THE DEVELOPMENT OF SPEECH
COMPREHENSION
Abdulaziz Assanosi
6/1/2016 1
Prince Sattam ibn Abdulaziz University Saudi Arabia

2. REVIEW
• Children pass through many stages to develop
comprehensible speech? What are they?
• When do children normally utter their first (recognizable
proper word)?
• Describe the development of deaf children language.
• What is the approximate age for children to speak a
comprehensible sentences (include lexical and functional
words) 6/1/2016Abdulaziz Assanosi azizsanosi@gmail.com 2

3. GROUP WORK (BRAIN STORMING)
1. When do children start to understand speech?
2. What come first speech comprehension or production?
3. If a Saudi child born in japan for Saudi parents, what is the first word s/he
will utter? AR, or JPN?
4. What would his first language be?
5. If we keep saying (cat-room) for an Arabian child for Arabian family in
Arabian country , will he learn the meaning, and understand it?
6. 7 minutes to think, discuss and provide your answers
6/1/2016Abdulaziz Assanosi azizsanosi@gmail.com 3

4. DEVELOPMENT OF SPEECH COMPREHENSION
• In your opinion, what comes first (speech
production/comprehension?
• When do a child start to comprehend speech?
• Can children understand speech that they cannot utter?
• Is there a relationship between a language and its speed of
comprehension
6/1/2016Abdulaziz Assanosi azizsanosi@gmail.com 4

5. BEFORE BIRTH
• Researchers found that fetuses can receive sounds.
• They can distinguish their mothers’ sounds over the
heartbeat and blood flow sounds.
• Their heartbeats became faster when they hear their
mother voice.
6/1/2016Abdulaziz Assanosi azizsanosi@gmail.com 5

6. BEFORE BIRTH
• If this is true, it can explain why infants prefer their
mothers’ voice from very early age.
• This theory is under dispute,
• If fetuses can hear sounds, do their ears send these
sounds to the brain? Can brain process them?
6/1/2016Abdulaziz Assanosi azizsanosi@gmail.com 6

7. BEFORE BIRTH
• Another theory is that infants get used to their mothers’ voice
in the 12 hours after birth.
• Mothers’ speech with her children gives children the first
human sounds that he will prefer later.
• If this so, fetuses hearing theory will be under more dispute.
• Even if fetuses hear, these sounds will be different from the
sounds they hear after birth.
6/1/2016Abdulaziz Assanosi azizsanosi@gmail.com 7

8. CASES OF SPEECH COMPREHENSION DEVELOPMENT
• Speech comprehension happens without speech
production.
• Speech comprehension develops before speech
production.
• Speech production lags behind speech comprehension.
6/1/2016Abdulaziz Assanosi azizsanosi@gmail.com 8

9. SPEECH COMPREHENSION HAPPEN WITHOUT SPEECH
PRODUCTION.
• The ability to utter speech is a good indicator to language
knowledge.
• The absence of utterance IS NOT indicator of to lack of
language knowledge.
• Mute children can comprehend language but they cannot
utter it.
• Some people may not be able to utter a word. But
understand language very well.
• Examples ……… 6/1/2016Abdulaziz Assanosi azizsanosi@gmail.com 9

10. SPEECH COMPREHENSION HAPPEN
WITHOUT SPEECH PRODUCTION.
• Christopher Nolan: (Australian)
• Born with brain damage. Cannot control his muscles.
Cannot utter understandable speech. Cannot sit up by
himself. But hear and understand well.
• Became a writer by using sticks to point to letters. Of his
books (Dam-burst of dreams).
6/1/2016Abdulaziz Assanosi azizsanosi@gmail.com 10

11. SPEECH COMPREHENSION HAPPEN
WITHOUT SPEECH PRODUCTION.
• Ann McDonald (American)
• Had brain damage. Cannot speak or control hear muscles.
Trained to use print devices and wrote books about
philosophy of fine arts.
6/1/2016Abdulaziz Assanosi azizsanosi@gmail.com 11

12. SPEECH COMPREHENSION HAPPEN
WITHOUT SPEECH PRODUCTION.
• Mute people can comprehend speech without producing
it.
• This is not the normal relation between speech
comprehension and production.
6/1/2016Abdulaziz Assanosi azizsanosi@gmail.com 12

13. SPEECH COMPREHENSION DEVELOPS BEFORE SPEECH
PRODUCTION
• This is the normal pattern most children follow.
• First children understand speech they try to produce it.
• If children do not understand language, s/he cannot
produce it.
• This does not mean ALL the language, progress go step by
step.
6/1/2016Abdulaziz Assanosi azizsanosi@gmail.com 13

14. SPEECH COMPREHENSION DEVELOPS BEFORE SPEECH
PRODUCTION
• Comprehension and production go in parallel.
• Children try to apply what they comprehend directly after
they acquire it.
•…comprehension
•…Production
6/1/2016Abdulaziz Assanosi azizsanosi@gmail.com 14

15. SPEECH COMPREHENSION DEVELOPS BEFORE SPEECH
PRODUCTION
• Babies can recognize speech starting from 6 month of age.
• However, no evidences of UNDERSTANDING.
• After 8-9 month children start to connect speech to objects.
6/1/2016Abdulaziz Assanosi azizsanosi@gmail.com 15

16. • Normally children COMPREHEND more than what they
PRODUCE.
• They can understand complex utterances but produce simple
ones.
• They respond to complex requests, order, information, but
they cannot produce similar ones
6/1/2016Abdulaziz Assanosi azizsanosi@gmail.com 16
SPEECH PRODUCTION LAGS BEHIND SPEECH
COMPREHENSION.

17. SPEECH PRODUCTION LAGS BEHIND SPEECH
COMPREHENSION.
• Not normal: some children speak after a long time of their
comprehension.
• Usually those children DELAY at the HOLOPHRASTIC (one-word)
stage.
• If the child stop development until the age of two year, it is
better for his/her parents to take him to speech pathology
doctor. 6/1/2016Abdulaziz Assanosi azizsanosi@gmail.com 17

18. CHECKPOINT
• The theory about fetuses hearing is under dispute, why?
• What are 3 cases of speech comprehension development?
• The absence of utterance IS NOT indicator of to lack of language
knowledge, prove.
• When do children try to apply what they comprehend?
• When do normal children connect speech to objects?
• In what stage do children with speech problem stop development?
6/1/2016Abdulaziz Assanosi azizsanosi@gmail.com 18

19. CHECKPOINT
• T or F
• Speech comprehension can happen without speech production.
• The absence of production doesn’t mean absence of language
knowledge.
• Children normally speak, then they start to comprehend.
• The optimal age for speech production is two years after
holophrastic stage.
• Children produce more than what they comprehend.
6/1/2016Abdulaziz Assanosi azizsanosi@gmail.com 19

20. PAUCITY OF COMPREHENSION STUDIES
• Speech production studies and research are much more
than speech comprehension.
• We know more about speech production than speech
comprehension.
• Why:
• Speech production follow-up is easier.
• Speech production is directly observed.
• To study comprehension, more subjects need to be studied.6/1/2016Abdulaziz Assanosi azizsanosi@gmail.com 20

21. Speech Production <> Speech Comprehension <> thought
• There is a relationship between speech
comprehension/production and thought.
• Child first comprehend then speak.
• Comprehension = listening + thought.
• Without thought there is no production
6/1/2016Abdulaziz Assanosi azizsanosi@gmail.com 21

22. Speech Production <> Speech Comprehension <> thought
production
hearing
comprehension
thought
6/1/2016Abdulaziz Assanosi azizsanosi@gmail.com 22

23. Speech Production <> Speech Comprehension <> thought
• Sometimes children may utter words without
understanding, (echoed sounds).
• Children are born without language knowledge,
• It is necessary they be exposed to language to learn it.
• The speech directed to children should be related to
children environment, need etc.
6/1/2016Abdulaziz Assanosi azizsanosi@gmail.com 23

24. Speech Production <> Speech Comprehension <> thought
• There should be meaning + context for children speech
to be considered language, parrots can imitate.
• Thought is important for language, without it, speech is
just MEANINGLESS SOUNDS.
• Thought come from surrounding culture, environment.
• If you repeat the word (milk) for Arabian child it means
nothing (the converse is true).
• Words like (here, go, come, now) are just sounds if you
don’t know the context.
6/1/2016Abdulaziz Assanosi azizsanosi@gmail.com 24

25. TERMINUS
• Why do we know more about speech production than about
speech comprehension?
• Describe the relationship between production, thought and
speech comprehension?
• How should the speech directed to child be so as to make them
develop language?
6/1/2016Abdulaziz Assanosi azizsanosi@gmail.com 25

26. THANK YOU
• This presentation is for classroom usage, it contained gaps to be
filled by classroom discussion for more detailed information
consult the reference book:
• An introduction to Psycholinguistics, second edition (2006)Danny
Steinberg and Natalia, Sciarini.
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