Oral Language Development

Similar Routes in First and Second Languages

First Language Development• Birth to Three months

– Vocal Play (vowel-like, rising and falling volume + pitch, full range of sounds gradually fade)

– Distinguish verbal from non-verbal sounds– Within a few days after birth babies are highly

responsive to speech sounds– Preverbal infants can discriminate between /b/

and /p/

The Brain is a pattern detector...

.... It keeps track of recurring segments of speech and continually updates guesses about language and its underlying rules within the context of the speech act.

Three to Six Months

Vocal Play [consonant sounds: lips(/m/b/p/); tongue (/t/g/l/)]

Six to Nine Months

Babbling [Repeated sound combinations, consonant/vowel combinations (mama,baba)]

Emergence of first true word (holding meaning) around eight months.

Nine to Twelve Months

Receptive language much more noticeable

Deaf children stop babbling and rarely produce words

Twelve to Fifteen Months

Jargoning (babbling with tone and inflection - sentence-like)

One-word stage• (use different intonation to signal different

meanings)• multi syllabic words become reduplicated button,

baby, butter - bubba• single syllable words become consonant/vowel

combination duck - du Approx. 3 words*

Fifteen to Eighteen Months Imitation with more recognizable

words - continued jargoning Approx. 22-25 words*

Eighteen to Twenty-Four MonthsPhrases (short and often ungrammatical

combinations, often difficult to understand)Beginning use of pronouns (but still refers

to self by name)Begin to acquire regular patterns of

pronunciation (after approx. 50 words)Approx. 272 words*Two-word stage.

Twenty-Four to Thirty-Six Months (2-3 yrs) Sentences/Questions (2-3 word

sentences to 4-5 words) Accurate discrimination of speech

sounds develops Why, What, Where (for information,

understanding contexts for use and conversational turn-taking)

Approx. 896 words

Thirty-Six to Forty-Eight Months (3-4 yrs)

Paragraphs

Non-fluency possible in expressive language (to approx. 5 yrs. of age)

Approx. 1870 words*

Forty-Eight to Sixty Months (4-5yrs)Nearly full control of grammarContinued growth in Metalinguistic

awareness, Literacy and “Communicative Competence” [grammatical; sociolinguistic: requests, suggestions, complaints; discourse: narrative, argumentation; strategic competence] continues through life span.

Approx. 2289 words*

Sources

* Samples taken from children of average IQ. - Source Diagnostic Methods in Speech Pathology, p.192

• Schwarts, S. & Heller Miller, J.E. (1988). The language of toys.: Teaching communication skills

to special-needs children. Washington, D.C.: Woodbine House

• Durkin, D.B. (Ed.). (1995). Language issues: Readings for teachers. New York: Longman.

• de Villiers, P.A. & de Villiers, J.G. (1975). Early language. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University

Press.

* These are general descriptions because of great range of variable such as varying levels of L1, cognitive development and individual differences.

B. Noel

L1 L2L1

Elaborations on Venn- L1:L2Elaborations on Venn- L1:L2 BabblingBabbling Occurs as a result of physical maturation instead of exposure to Occurs as a result of physical maturation instead of exposure to

speech. Similar across various languages. Social rewards affect the speech. Similar across various languages. Social rewards affect the frequency but do not influence the range of sounds produced. frequency but do not influence the range of sounds produced. Common patterns in babbling and early words.Common patterns in babbling and early words.

- few consonant clusters (one of the last aspects of the English - few consonant clusters (one of the last aspects of the English phonology acquired;phonology acquired; spoon - poon) spoon - poon)

- frequent reduplicated syllables - frequent reduplicated syllables - more initial consonants the final consonants- more initial consonants the final consonants - initial consonants are voiced and final consonants unvoiced- initial consonants are voiced and final consonants unvoiced Physical maturation of speech organs determine sound preferences Physical maturation of speech organs determine sound preferences

and influence the types of errors and substitutions in early words.and influence the types of errors and substitutions in early words.

One-Word StageOne-Word Stage Function precedes form. Objects are named at varying levels of Function precedes form. Objects are named at varying levels of

generality. generality. Over-extensionsOver-extensions - use one word to refer to objects that - use one word to refer to objects that normally fall outside the range of application. (Doggy - cows, normally fall outside the range of application. (Doggy - cows, horses, sheep, cats). Temporary until new words are learned. horses, sheep, cats). Temporary until new words are learned. Connects the meaning of the word with only one property - most Connects the meaning of the word with only one property - most commonly shape, size, sound, texture. Under extensions animal commonly shape, size, sound, texture. Under extensions animal only means mammal. Children usually learn words at an only means mammal. Children usually learn words at an intermediate level of generality plants - flower - roses. Will learn intermediate level of generality plants - flower - roses. Will learn flower before plants or roses. Often because of naming practices of flower before plants or roses. Often because of naming practices of care givers who adjust their speech. Referential - Expressive care givers who adjust their speech. Referential - Expressive continuum influenced by mother’s verbal style (de Villiers p. 39). continuum influenced by mother’s verbal style (de Villiers p. 39). Single words first accompanied by gestures, pointing, grasping Single words first accompanied by gestures, pointing, grasping object. Then intonation is added to signal different meanings.object. Then intonation is added to signal different meanings.

Two-word stageTwo-word stage

Word combinations to express actions (Me Word combinations to express actions (Me Fall), possession (My Teddy), Location Fall), possession (My Teddy), Location (Mommy outside), etc.(Mommy outside), etc.

Prefabricated routines. Formulaic Speech. Prefabricated routines. Formulaic Speech. (Howdoyoudo) Sentences reproduced (Howdoyoudo) Sentences reproduced without being composed often in a vertical without being composed often in a vertical format.format.

Grammatical morphemesGrammatical morphemes

overgeneralize rule (holded), first to overgeneralize rule (holded), first to denote activities that show completion denote activities that show completion (dropped, closed)(dropped, closed)

Question FormationQuestion Formation First signaled by rising intonation. (I have some?) Occasionally First signaled by rising intonation. (I have some?) Occasionally

auxiliary gets placed in mid sentence (We can go home?) Instead of auxiliary gets placed in mid sentence (We can go home?) Instead of at the beginning. Negative question formations and constructions at the beginning. Negative question formations and constructions are rare in children’s language because they are very complex.are rare in children’s language because they are very complex.

Wh- tagged at end for more emphasis until it gets incorporated into Wh- tagged at end for more emphasis until it gets incorporated into the sentence.the sentence.

Can answer what, who, and where questions earlier because their Can answer what, who, and where questions earlier because their own sentences can handle the responses for agents, objects, and own sentences can handle the responses for agents, objects, and locations. locations. WhyWhy questions take longer because they still need to questions take longer because they still need to understand the concepts of manner, causation, purpose, or time. understand the concepts of manner, causation, purpose, or time. They often give wrong answers to wh-questions because they don’t They often give wrong answers to wh-questions because they don’t understand their underlying ideas. They ask why questions to understand their underlying ideas. They ask why questions to understand the conditions for their use. Adults ask questions for understand the conditions for their use. Adults ask questions for many other reasons than just to gain information. (Would you many other reasons than just to gain information. (Would you mind...? how many times do I have to tell you ...?) Direct and mind...? how many times do I have to tell you ...?) Direct and indirect speech. Rhetorical questioning (what color is this?).indirect speech. Rhetorical questioning (what color is this?).

Caveat

• First and second language learners [are]... different in what they bring to the learning situation but similar in their capacity to acquire language and similar in what they end up with through the acquisition process provided that there is equal amount of time and the learning contexts are similar (Hakuta, 1986, p. 132).