Language Development

Lenenberg - Based his ideas on neural maturation. Hemisphere specialization. Specializing that occurs between one and two 1/2 years of age acts as a mechanization to language development. Left hemisphere takes over. When the brain is ready, the language spurts ahead! Left side of the brain used to be called dominant. Educational system is so language based. There is hemisphere specialization even in the fetal brain. The fetal brain is bigger on the left than on the right in right handed persons. There is right brain synthesis. The right. ear is better for music except for musicians. Left handed people tend to be more bilateral and male brain is more specialized and lateralized (one track). The corpus callosum is the last thing myelinating [i.e., the sheathing of nerve channels and nerve bundles for the best transmission of impulses and structures which develop in terms of efficient working or coordinating of the two hemispheres of the brain --in terms of the coordination and proportion of structures and in the efficient transmission of impulses--also, of course, in terms of limiting/inhibiting and structuring functions in each one and the other hemispheres, etc.

The brain does more associating than processing and producing.

Tool use begins at 18 months. The hand becomes a tool at 3 years. From 3-5 years hand dominance slows up. At ca. 7 yrs. meylenization in the cerebellum brings smoother movements overall. With smoothing of movements, information flows more directly.

LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT
The brain does more associating than processing and producing. There is an innate predisposition to acquire language. Experience is required to develop it. It does not have to be vocal. There is gestural communication.

Language is a way of manipulating information--doing representational thought. Constructs start multiplying. Thinking in words.

Internal symbol system. Representation. Sign. Language represents ideas. It has a rapid onset. A critical period.

Deaf children have a babble stage--but don't go beyond it. [Thus--implicit in this experience is interaction.]

Thinking in words. Most in society do this and think this is all there is to cognition. Is it? Maybe this is the reason for learning disabilities. Some people may have, instead, phenomenal Math specialization or Imagery specialization, but may have difficulty of applying a remarkable mathematical system or Imagery specialization to practical reality of daily functioning.

A good substate is essential to development. Internalizing and projecting.

There is a great deal of individual variability of language. A major milestone for variability is through language. And, there is a sensitivity to speech sounds and in understanding language. From 6 weeks to 4 months a child can make and discriminate all sounds possible and phonemes (basic parts of speech) of different languages. This ability is lost with age and a different way of processing language.

GENERAL STAGES FROM A CHILD'S 1ST YEAR THROUGH SCHOOL AGE
1st year through 15-18 months: The child picks up nouns: "Ball", etc. Then, ahah!--sudden realization of what the words mean. Then, suddenly, this accelerates to 30 words a month!

2 year-olds: The child is putting two words together.

3 year-olds: The child now puts three words together. Telegraphic speech. The child will leave out everything non-essential.

Preschool 4-year-old: Full sentences. The child is very regulated with grammar. Ego-centric speech in that they do not adapt to the listener. They don't show any attempt to check whether or not the listener understands. Not logical.

School-age: Metalinquistics. The child is using language to think about language. Communicative competence. The child starts to judge whether or not they are being heard and understood. They look for cues from listener--they start to modify their speech.

At the age of 8: The child will challenge someone if the message is unclear--if the question is senseless. They begin to understand complex sentence structure --no longer just the sequential order of younger children. They begin to recognize subtle differences in words. It is necessary to be very clear in directions. Kids my interpret "I doubt it" as "maybe" since they are both inbetween all things being equal --yes or no. At the age of 8 they have the ability to understand metaphors--that the same word can have different meanings --they enjoy this as it occurs in humor.

ACQUISITION OF LANGUAGE
Language: The system of signs. Although, the first words the child learns do not immediately serve as signs. It is only gradually that the child realizes that the word cat is not part of the thing he knows, but rather, a representation of it. The child mediates his thinking through the use of concrete symbols, but eventually he acquires the ability to mediate his thinking through the use of highly abstract symbols (signs) such as words and he learns to distinguish between a word and what that word represents. Clearly the child must be able to call forth an image.

Signs: They have public meanings which are shared and understood by society, and are thus used to communicate. They bear no resemblance to what they represent so that their meanings must be slowly assimilated by the child.

Symbols: They are private and personal and often understood only by the individual using them. They may bear a resemblance to what they signify.

Concepts: A way of organizing information so that it is applicable not only to a specific object or event, but to other similar objects and events as well.

The Development of Concepts: First a person will use a word to refer only to a specific object or event rather than a class of similar objects or events. The acquisition of concepts is a major step in cognitive growth, and it is significant because it greatly simplifies learning.

Classification: Some of the more abstract concepts, such as the concept of number or of space, are acquired very slowly

SYMBOLIC FUNCTIONING .
The ability to understand, create, and use symbols to represent something which is not present. A word made up of the letters h-a-m-m-e-r is a highly abstract symbolic representation of the object--there is absolutely no resemblance to the object it represents.

The degree of correspondence between an actual object, say a hammer, and symbolic representation of that object can vary from highly concrete to highly abstract. A word made up of the letters h-a-m-m-e-r is a highly abstract symbolic representation of the object--there is absolutely no resemblance to the object it represents.

NOTE: A good substrate is essential to development--internalizing and projecting. And, "Combining" in the language is happening at the same time as imitation.

BEHAVIORS WHICH REFLECT THE USE OF SYMBOLS TO MEDIATE THINKING:
Deferred Imitation . Ability to imitate a behavior and to pretend to be someone or something else--shows that one has a stable mental image of what one is pretending to be and also that one is able to hold this image over time and recall it later. And extracts only some of these attributes and in this way becomes a symbol of that person or object. And the way one symbolizes whatever one is pretending to be is usually individualized and not readily understood by others. In time the imitations become more closely related to what is being imitated.

Symbolic Play . Allows assimilation of the objects encountered in experiences. A real horse or a real train is transformed into a mental construction of the world, so one eventually acquires the meanings of objects. To learn how objects are used, one engages in pretend activities that reflect these uses. At first, such symbolic play is directed toward oneself, but eventually it is directed toward others as well. Becomes increasingly adept at using objects as if they were something else. The ability to play imaginatively is a precious characteristic which may be, in essence, the creativity and individuality we value in older children and adults.

GRAMMATICAL SEQUENCE IN DEVELOPMENT
Nouns. Names of things or people.

Verbs. Action words.

Modifiers. Imitation is developing at the same time.

THERE ARE 3 MYELOGENETIC CYCLES
The functional centers for language skills begin their development early in life but their maturation takes several years to complete and is associated with myelogenetic cycles, periods during which myelination occurs at particular functional centers within the brain. There are 3 myelogenetic cycles that occur which seem to be associated with increased language ability of the child:

l. Involving the brainstem. Starts before birth and is related to the ability of the infant to produce sounds.

2. Starts around birth and continues to occur at a rapid rate until about 4. Related to the acquisition of language skills during the preschool period.

3. Involves the upper cortex, is not complete until adolescence.

Myelination of nerve fibers which are used in the control of voluntary movement--increases capability to master fine motor skills such as those required in holding a pencil or tying shoe laces. Myelination of these fibers is complete around the age of three or four.

1. Crying:
The first monthy [0-1month]. Piaget's Reflex Activity. Focused on body. Innate, involuntary sensory motor activity--reflexes. Involuntary practice coupled with self organization through reflexes, many of which disappear after a few weeks due to neurological maturation of the brain. [A good substrate is essential to development. Internalizing and projecting.] Reflexes considered building blocks of cognitive growth by Piaget. First schemes. They become gradually more efficient and voluntary. Sucking, rooting, grasping, looking... Cycling movements especially hand / arm movements (repetition). Increasing voluntary control over those movements. Sucking. No differentiation between self and not self. No recognition of environmentally controlled or external direction. Is not aware of any boundary between self and objects in the environment (This is clearly considered underestimated by researchers now). [Attachment is considered to be one of the most important of the infant's emotional experiences at this time. The strong and enduring bond, the feeling of love, if you will, that develops between the infant and the person s/he most frequently interacts with. First Several Weeks. First or preattachment phase --the baby does not discriminate among people and is as likely to be delighted with or conforted by someone else as by the mother.

2. Cooing, crying:.
[1-4 months. Piaget's Primary Circular Reactions. Focused on body. Repeated (hence the word circular) actions. Infants initial sensorimotor schemes become more refined, infant attempts to repeat actions stumbled upon by chance or from which pleasure is derived. Body focused but chance movements lead to interesting results, so repeated. And, some rudimentary coordination between the schemes now appears. Look and then grasp... Beginning of eye-hand coordination. Linking schemas. Some connecting. Focus on movement--the action--but by end of this period is the beginning of object awareness. And, acquires the notion that objects are separate entities. Infant will stare at place where an object was last seen before dropped. But then--out of sight, out of mind. Still focused on self rather than environment or object.] [Attachment, by 3 months, discriminates between familiar and unfamiliar people and responds differently to them.]

3. Babbling, cooing, crying:
Babbling sets up initial patterns of imitation. Exercise. Prior to use. Some think of it as a language--a rhythmicity of speech and tonation. Deaf children have a babble stage--but don't go beyond it. [Thus--implicit in this experience is interaction.]

At 6 weeks to 4 months a child can make and discriminate all sounds possible and phonemes (basic parts of speech) of different languages. This ability is lost with age and with a different way of processing language.

At 4 to 9 Months. Piaget's Secondary Circular Reactions. Attention is now centered on objects (hence the word secondary). Object focus. Will hit mobile. Interest in seeing it move. Picking up block and mouthing / eating it. Banging objects together. Beginning of cross-modal association--bringing the senses together--such as hearing and vision, a coupling of action with results: turning to look at a noise. Really getting things together. Repetition for results the actions bring about rather than merely for pleasure. Repeats for that outcome--sound of the rattle when shaken, etc. Infant will not seek object when paritally covered--will attempt to uncover it. But, out of sight, out of mind if the object is completely covered. [Attachment, beginning at About 6 to 8 Months, the infants exhibits preference for his mother and is said to have established an emotional bond with her.]

4. Vocalization coupled with gesture.:
10 months. Clearly communicative and interactive. And, there is frustration of not being able to get point across.

[8-12 months. Piaget's Coordination of Secondary Schemes. Infant shows clear intention to solve a problem. Start of goal direction. Intentionally exercising one scheme as the means by which to exercise an other scheme in order to obtain a goal. The appearance of intentional means-ends behavior. Familiar strategies in new situations. Purposeful or directed imitation. Can imitate an action initiated by an adult because she is able at this point to modify his or her schemes somewhat. Can retrieve a completely hidden object (object permanence) even if it is completely hidden from view--However, not capable yet of figuring out displacement or "a" not "b" error. So, even if done in full view--the child will persist no matter what to seek the object where first hidden--as though they can not inhibit that initial understanding or memory. Can't be taught--it just eventually gels.]

5. Start really using a word.:
1 year. [Attachment to mother peaking at One Year, the infant will seem wary and uncomfortable in the presence of strangers, especially when in unfamiliar situations.]

6. Pick up nouns [Ball, etc.]:
1st year to 15,18 months. It is only gradually that the child realizes that the word cat is not part of the thing he knows, but rather, a representation of it.

15 Months. About 10 words. Then, ahah!--sudden realization of what the words mean. Then, 30 words a month!

12-18 months. Piaget's Tertiary Circular Reactions. Highest level of purely sensorimotor activity. Now actively searching for novel experiences. Stage of active experimentation--to see consequences. Directed, purposeful play. New ways of manipulating and moving. More goal orientated--to see what happens. All sorts of different things are done to the same object. Mobility and really good fine motor control combined. Really observing specific causes of specific actions. Very repetitive. External reinforcement has nothing to do with this compulsion of knowing cause and effect. And capable of walking--so greater chance to explore the environment. Can solve the "a" not "b" error. However--can not find when object hidden beneath a multitude of covers--not necessarily persistent.

7. Vocabulary explosion:
18 - 20 Months. Begins combing words. Tool use begins at 18 months.

[Hemisphere specialization between the ages of 1 and 2 1/2 is a mechanization to language development. Left hemisphere is taking over. When the brain is ready, the language spurts ahead!]

Piaget's final sensorimotor stage - Beginning of Representational Thought. Fully developed notion of object permanence--becomes capable of retaining a mental image of objects or events. Capable of representational thought. Capable of retaining and retrieving a mental representation of imitated activity--even when the person s/he imitates is no longer present or the activity is no longer seen. Has important real-life implications--now that the infant can maintain an image of an object in his or her head, s/he experiences a keen sense of loss when that object is missing. Progresses in ability to solve problems. Can go over trail and error and manual method mentally before acting. In other words, the infant is now capable or reasoning and also of imagining and inventing solutions to problems that confront him or her. Language starts coming in. Words symbolizing actions and objects. Can use words to manipulate objects. More mental problem solving than through experience of trial and error (solving problems internally to effect a change).

Symbolic Play begins. Allows assimilation of the objects encountered in experiences.

18 months. A real horse or a real train is transformed into a mental construction of the world, so one eventually acquires the meanings of objects. To learn how objects are used, the child engages in pretend activities that reflect these uses. At first, such symbolic play is o directed toward oneself, but eventually it is directed toward others as well. Becomes increasingly adept at using objects as if they were something else. The ability to play t imaginatively is a precious characteristic which may be, in essence, the creativity and the individuality we value in older children and adults.]

Deferred Imitation. Ability to imitate a behavior and to pretend to be someone or to be something else--shows that one has a stable mental image of what one is pretending to be and also that one is able to hold this image over time and recall it later. And extracts only some of these attributes and in this way becomes a symbol of that person s c h o o l or object. And the way one symbolizes whatever one is pretending to be is usually individualized and not readily understood by others. In time the imitations become more closely related to what is being imitated.

8. 2 year-olds:
Put two words together. [Attachment to the mother During the 2nd Year of Life begins to wane --gradually --and the baby becomes increasingly sociable and at ease with others.]

9. 3 year-olds:
Put three words together. Then a sentence. Seems more intentional. Telegraphic speech. Leave out everything non-essential. And, they are more mobile, more autonomous, interacting with things afar--all this occurring at the same time. The hand becomes a tool at 3 years.

[From 3-5 years hand dominance slows up. Meylenization in cerebellum brings smoother movements overall. With smoothing of movements, flow of information becomes more direct. Myelination of nerve fibers which are used in the control of voluntary movement increases capability to master fine motor skills such as those required in holding a pencil or tying shoe laces. Myelination of these fibers is complete around the age of three or four.

10. Preschool 4-year-old:
Full sentences. Very regulated with grammar. Ego-centric speech in that they do not adapt to the listener. They don't show any attempt to check whether or not the listener understands. Not logical.

11. School-age:
Metalinquistics. Using language to think about language. Communicative competence. They start to judge whether or not they are being heard and understood. They look for cues from listener--they start to modify their speech. At 8 they will challenge if message is unclear--if the question is senseless. They begin to understand complex sentence structure--less the sequential order of younger children. They begin to recognize subtle differences in words. It is necessary to be very clear in directions. Kids my interpret "I doubt it" as "maybe" since they are both inbetween all things being equal--yes or no. At 8 they have ability to understand metaphors--that the same word can have different meanings. Humor.