Types of Language Development

An understanding of language development helps parents and teachers recognize when children are developing language skills normally and when they are not. The vast majority of children develop language skills at a normal rate, but some may develop more quickly or slowly than what experts consider to be typical. Regardless of the rate of a child's language development, reading and talking to him will help him learn and develop at a healthy pace.

  1. Normal

    • Most children develop language skills in a typical manner. For example, normal language development for a 6- to 12-month-old includes responding to her name, paying attention to conversations, and babbling expressively. By the time a child is 12 to 18 months old she can probably say two words spontaneously, repeat a few words, and identify an object in a picture book. A child who is 2 to 3 years of age rapidly adds words to her vocabulary, uses simple sentences, and enjoys simple rhymes and stories.

    Delayed

    • Some children develop language skills more slowly than others. This may signal a problem, or it may simply mean a child is developing differently than other children his age. Parent worried that a child's language skills are delayed should take the child to see a pediatrician. Pediatricians are trained to recognize language problems and can refer parents to speech therapists if necessary. A speech therapist can determine whether a child's speech is actually delayed. If it is, the therapist can provide speech therapy to the child. The pediatrician or speech therapist may also refer the child to an audiologist to have the child's hearing tested since hearing problems can interfere with language development. Some warning signs of a possible language delay include an infant who does not babble, a toddler who does not use gestures, and a child over the age of two who does not produce words spontaneously. If a child exhibits any of these signs, it does not necessarily mean he has a speech delay; it simply means he should be evaluated by a health professional to determine whether he requires further testing.

    Advanced

    • Some children have more advanced language development than their peers, and this may be a sign of giftedness. According to a 2005 issue of "Friends for Gifted Education Newsletter" from the Francis A. Karnes Center for Gifted Studies at the University of Mississippi, "accelerated language development is evidenced by their large vocabularies, enjoyment of self expression through discussion, and use of advanced grammar and sentence structure." If a preschooler exhibits these signs of advanced language development, she may be a gifted learner. However, advanced language development is not proof a child is gifted, but many gifted children have advanced language development.

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