What Is Oral Language Development?

Theories/Speculation

• Some researchers view a child's oral language development in terms of an innate capacity to learn language, meaning that a child is born with the capacity to develop language. These researchers refer to the fact that children progress through a series of developmental stages regardless of their cultural or environmental situations. For example, it is typical that a young child anywhere might say "Mommy no go to town" or "Daddy Jim go to work." The parent understands what the child is saying, but the sentence is not an imitation of an adult's language.

  Others view language development as an imitative process. This view is supported by the evidence that babies imitate sounds, intonations and expressions and learn vocabulary as it is presented to them.

  Still others see language development as a combination of factors, indicating that there is an innate capacity but that some features require imitation, such as vocabulary, correct grammar usage and sound development.

  The factors contributing to language are not limited to an innate capacity or to an ability to imitate. Environmental factors, language stimulation, experiences and a child's cognitive abilities contribute to the development of language as well.

Stages

• Children typically progress through a series of developmental stages. The infant cries to express discomfort. At about three months old, he "coos" when content. Differences in the type of cry will occur as he begins to attempt to communicate discomfort or hunger. Later, he will begin to make sounds repetitively, sometimes called babbling. This usually occurs between four and six months of age.

  The young child may say his first word at about twelve months old; after which, single-word vocabulary will continue to grow. By two years of age, he should be putting two words together, such as "eat apple" and "go bye-bye".

  As the child matures, his vocabulary should increase, and word strings or "sentences" will become longer, usually two or three words in length. Between three and four years of age, he will combine four or more words, and speak so that most people can understand him. He will relate experiences that happen to him. Between four and five, the child should speak clearly and use longer detailed sentences. He should be able to tell a story and use appropriate sentence structures. He may have difficulty making some sounds such as "s", "r" or "th", but in general speech is intelligible.

Environment

• A child's environment has been found to be an important factor in her language development. Children raised in environments in which they lack new experiences and language stimulation typically have poorer language development than children raised in experience-rich environments. A young children needs to be talked to and responded to when she speaks. This reinforces that she is understood and that communication is an important part of her world.

  The young child also needs to experience a variety of activities that will stimulate her thinking as well as her language. Taking a young child for walks, to the park, to a children's museum and to the library provide her with invaluable experiences and help her to understand her world and increase her language base. Young children need to be talked to about experiences and activities to enhance their vocabulary and language skills.

Considerations

• A child's oral language development is also dependent on his ability to listen and comprehend what is said to him.Talking to your child and asking questions about daily experiences encourages his listening and comprehension skills. Reading to your child is another way to expose him to vocabulary and language structures that he may not hear otherwise. Considering the theory that imitation plays a role in language development encourages us to provide as much language stimulation as possible.

Suggestions

• Keeping a few basic ideas in mind can help a child develop good oral language skills. Listen to and talk to your child. Provide him with a variety of experiences. Read to him daily. Try not to compare your child with siblings or neighbors' children. Remember that although there are stages in language development, there is a wide range of normalcy. However, if you have concerns that your child is not developing oral language consult your pediatrician or a speech and language pathologist for an evaluation and suggestions.