The Process of Learning Language

Language begins when a child hears spoken words. This actually starts in the mother’s womb. Often the child will kick or move in reaction to sounds or noises. Speaking, singing, playing music all enhance the unborn baby’s life. After birth, a child accumulates word understanding by listening and watching the people in his/her environment. This is called receptive language. The child begins to

understand that when a person says, “water” and holds a glass of water while saying the word water, that the cup with water in it is “water.” When the young child wants to drink water, he/she will say a form of the word “water.” The child may even point to a cup or glass as they say the word “water.” By naming what he/she wants is the beginning of expressive language.

As children learn language they become interested in pictures and picture storybooks. The variety of picture storybooks presents numerous ways for a child to acquire language. These special books highlight colors, shapes, numbers, letters or a combination of them. One or two words or short phases and sentences illustrated with pictures, provides an introduction to written language.

Picture storybooks that are written in rhyme, use word or phrase repetitions help to increase a child’s knowledge of words and the pronunciation of words. Storybooks that ask questions increase a child’s reasoning skills.

Books are vital to helping children learn to understand and use language and should become an integral part of a child’s environment in the home.