Role of the caregiver is to provide

the opportunity for learning.

• We DO NOT directly teach language
• Language is a SOCIAL tool 

Babies are born with the

potential to speak any language

• language they hear is the one they will speak first
• need a long period of exposure to native language before they discern the patterns
• capable of expressive communication before developing speech (the oral expression of language)
• learn the prosodic patterns of native language (pitch, loudness, rhythm) - look for patterns

• GAZE is first form of two-way communication
• if eye contact avoided: have trouble relating to child
• have parents look in mirror - the face they see is the voice child hears 

• the frequency of the human voice
• prefer human voice to other sounds
• favorite voice: MOM 

Infants learn the stimulus -

response sequence

• learn power of communication
• they signal, caregiver corresponds
• immediate, positive parental responsiveness increases child's motivation to communicate 

• crucial to learning
• to notice an object, action or event 

• shared behaviors, familiar context (routines), games, etc. that lead to turn taking and conversational skills 
• PLAY IS CRUCIAL FOR LEARNING!

Parantese

(baby talk)

• appropriate/consistent adult responses are important for early communication
• maternal: often strings of utterances referring to same object, action or event, leads to increased comprehension
• content/object centered: baby can see/hear/feel/taste/smell
• REDUNDANCE and CONSISTENCY

Parental/caregiver input that

influences the acquisition

of communicative competence ...

Prompts: any parental behavior that requires child to respond - DIRECT COMM. ON OMISSION (Excuse me), INDIRECT (What is the magic word?; DIRECT COMM. ON ERROR (Don't talk with your mouth full), INDIRECT (What did you say?); ANTICIPATORY SUGGESTION (Don't forget to say goodbye)

Modeling: parent says "Excuse me" as child coughs or mom/dad role play desired behavior

Reinforcement: "I like the way you said ..."

Other forms: Hypothetical Situations "what if ..."; Retroactive Evaluations "Isaac ate all of his lunch"; Address child's comment "I'm not"

1. locutionary act: saying a sentence that makes sense & refers to something
2. illocutionary act: speaker's purpose
3. perlocutionary act: effect of sentence on the listener