Language acquisition article

It’s one of those famous ‘baby milestones’ and something we, as parents anticipate almost as much as the birth – your baby’s first words. Making that step from babbling to forming actual words helps you and your baby cross the barriers of communication. In today’s climate of competition we all want to give our children the best possible start in life, but when can we expect our babies to say their first words, or should we just accept that all babies are different?

Research has shown that, regardless of culture, children tend to pick up language at the same time, so it looks like children have an inbuilt language device. As the child’s brain develops their language capacity increases. This might suggest that their ability to talk is internally controlled, but there is also lots of evidence that shows that babies learn from the people around them.

You will probably find yourself talking to your baby in motherese where you speak in shortened, simple sentences, leaving out unimportant words such as ‘is’. While you may sound a bit ridiculous to the onlooker, this interaction is really important because it engages the baby and helps them to master the turn-taking element of conversation.

Language development is a steady process and there are no strict time limits – so don’t panic if your baby seems to take longer than others! Babies show an understanding of language before they can utter it themselves, but by 12 months they can usually say one or two words. By asking them short questions, you will give your baby something to mimic and at this age they are likely to show some understanding of single instructions. They will begin to grasp two part commands from about 24 to 36 months.

As children get older, they learn certain rules of speech, such as adding ‘s’ to a noun to make it plural, and often over generalise these rules – so don’t be surprised if your child calls out ‘sheeps’ as you drive passed a field. This is all part of the learning curve and they will begin to correct themselves as they encounter language more and more. Just remember, children learn best when they’re relaxed, so keep things fun!

What can you do to help?
Eye contact – just as you would an adult, look at your baby when you’re communicating with him.
Make ‘conversation’ – you might not get the same response as an adult, but just talking to him and watching for a reaction will teach him the basics of conversation.
Respond to reactions – whether they’re waving their arms, smiling, kicking or (more often than not) crying, your baby’s physical reactions can tell you a lot.
Listen to the babble – what they ‘say’ may not make much sense to you, but just showing that you’re pausing your speech will give your baby something to model.