Introduction Language and literacy development are major domains of early childhood development. They involve development of the skills used to communicate with others through languages (language development), as well as the ability to read and write (literacy development). An example of language and literacy development in childhood learning is to speak the native language of one's parents and read basic words in that language. This type of development begins from birth, even though babies are not yet able to speak using language. The following article covers the key areas of knowledge one should have in regard to early childhood language and literacy development, including key concepts, ways that adult caregivers can support the language and literacy development of babies and young children, and common communication disorders. Key Concepts Language has been defined as "a system of symbols that is used to communicate." 2 Related to this, bilingualism is the ability to speak at least two languages. Children are born with the brain capacity to learn language because it is an innate feature of the human brain. The brain regions responsible for language development are Broca's area, which controls speech production, and Wernicke's area, which controls the understanding and cognitive processing of language2. Language develops through children's interactions with other people around them. For example, a baby hears his or her mother talk directly to him or her, as well as to other people. Hearing the mother's speech may encourage a baby to try to imitate the sounds that he or she hears over time. Furthermore, the baby will quickly learn which words are connected to certain objects or people, and which words may produce particular responses from others. Literacy is defined as the ability to read and write1. Like language, literacy develops through the interactions a child experiences with others. In early childhood, for example, literacy can develop through hearing stories read from books and showing children pictures with words. It is important that adults do not attempt to force adult levels of reading onto children in their early development, as this is considered developmentally-inappropriate and may actually work against healthy development1. For example, a child who is pushed to learn to write too soon may come to connect the activity of writing with failure and disappointment.
Ways to Support Language and Literacy Development in Early Childhood There are simple ways that adult caregivers can help support the language and literacy development within early childhood. One way to do this is through books. The following tips help support children's healthy development in this area using books1:
For some children, language development does not occur in a typical fashion and a communication disorder may emerge. Such disorders are characterized by deficits in children's skills in speaking, listening, and/or communicating with others2. Common communication disorders include2:
Conclusion Language and literacy are major domains of early childhood development. These are connected areas, but refer to different things. Language development involves the development of the skills used to communicate with others through languages, while literacy development involves the ability to read and write. Babies are born with the capacity for development in these areas. There are simple ways that adults can support this development. In addition to understanding basic behaviors, adults should also be aware of common communication disorders, which may impede language and literacy development. Developmental milestones are typical changes that occur for children as they grow from birth throughout childhood. They are reached at different times for different children and may be impacted by developmental disabilities. Research has helped shed light on the developmental milestones that occur for most children within all of the major domains of development, including physical, cognitive, emotional/social, and language/literacy development. The following section presents the key milestones that babies and toddlers should reach in the first five years of life. Milestones in Physical Development Physical development is a major domain of early childhood development. It encompasses the biological development of the body -- such as body growth and organ development -- and skills that are performed using the body. The following chart summarizes the key milestones that are typically reached in physical development in early childhood.
Source: Adapted from information by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention1
Milestones in Cognitive Development Cognitive development is a major domain of early childhood development. Cognition involves operation of the mind, or thinking. Examples of cognitive development in childhood include children learning to distinguish between behaviors that will be rewarded, versus those that will be punished by their parents, and then making decisions (e.g., to follow directions) based on this reasoning. The following chart summarizes the key milestones that are typically reached in cognitive development in early childhood.
Source: Adapted from information by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Milestones in Emotional and Social Development Emotional and social development are major domains of early childhood development. This type of development is critical to human functioning and rooted in the biology of human beings -- and a critical one for healthy functioning throughout life. The following chart summarizes the key milestones that are typically reached in emotional and social development in early childhood.
Source: Adapted from information by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention1
Milestones in Language and Literacy Development Language and literacy development are major domains of early childhood development. They involve development of the skills used to communicate with others through languages (language development), as well as the ability to read and write (literacy development). An example of language and literacy development in childhood is learning to speak the native language of one's parents and read basic words in that language. The following chart summarizes the key milestones that are typically reached in language and literacy development in early childhood.
Source: Adapted from information by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention1 |