Scenario
Your brother and his wife just had a baby and they are wondering when their baby will begin talking. They hope soon, and they have begun saying “mama” and “dada” to their baby.
Questions
What can you tell them about the course of language development during the first year of life? When answering the question, be sure to talk about:
The critical period
Language acquisition device (LAD) – Chomsky
Sample Solution
The first year of life is a critical period for language development. During this time, the baby starts to acquire their native language and differentiate it from other languages. As such, parents can play an important role in encouraging their baby’s language development by introducing simple words and phrases like “mama” and “dada” early on.
Sample Solution
The first year of life is a critical period for language development. During this time, the baby starts to acquire their native language and differentiate it from other languages. As such, parents can play an important role in encouraging their baby’s language development by introducing simple words and phrases like “mama” and “dada” early on.