The Journey of Language Development
The Journey of Language Development
Participant Handout
Receptive and Expressive Language
Here are the definitions of receptive and expressive language for your reference.
Receptive Language: Refers to the capacity to listen, hear, and understand what is communicated.
Expressive Language: Refers to the ability to speak and convey messages.
Activity: Aspects of Language Knowledge Development
Please fill in the graphic below to help you remember the 5 aspects of language knowledge
development.
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The Journey of Language Development
Aspects of Language Knowledge Development
Phonetic Knowledge refers to knowledge relating to speech sounds and sound-symbol relations in
language.
Semantic Knowledge refers to understanding that symbols and words have meaning. This knowledge is
referred to more commonly as “vocabulary.”
Syntactic Knowledge refers to the ability to know how to combine words to create meaningful
expressions. It is knowledge of the system of rules unique to each language system and is often referred
to as “grammar.”
Morphemic Knowledge is the knowledge of word structures. Morphemes are the smallest units of
meaning.
Pragmatic Knowledge is knowledge of how to use language differently in different settings and
situations.
Use the following to take notes as we discuss each aspect of language knowledge development in more
depth:
Phonetic Knowledge
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Semantic Knowledge
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The Journey of Language Development
Syntactic Knowledge
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Morphemic Knowledge
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Pragmatic Knowledge
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Activity: Syntactic Knowledge in the Infant and Toddler Years
Grammar / Meaning Pattern
Example
Person + action
mommy sit
Your Example(s)
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Action + object
eat cookie
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Person + object
mommy purse
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Action + location
go home
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The Journey of Language Development
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Object + location
doll bed
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Possessor + possession
daddy book
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Object + attribute
doll sad
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Demonstrative + object
This candy
Morphemic Knowledge in the Infant and Toddler Years
1. present progressive
(ing) “playing”
2. prepositions
in and on
3. plural
(s ) “cats” “dolls”
4. irregular past
“came” “broke” “fell”
5. Possessive
(‘s) Mommy’s , Jaiden’s
6. Verb “to be” as main verb
“I am here”
7. Articles
(a, an, the) “the truck” , “ I want a cookie”
8. Regular past tense
(ed) “he jumped”
Pragmatic Knowledge
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Using language for different purposes
o Greeting – knowing when to say hello and goodbye
o Informing – telling what you are going to do – “go potty”, “I put jacket on”
o Demanding – telling what you want – “I want to go outside”
o Requesting – using a polite manner to ask for something - “Can I have that
please”
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Changing language according to the needs of a listener or situation
o Talking differently to a baby than an adult. Interestingly researchers found that
even babies know to change simplify their language when talking to a baby.
o Speaking differently indoors versus outdoors.
o Using language of a given peer group
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The Journey of Language Development
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Following rules for conversation and story telling
o Knowing to take turns in a conversation – knowing you wait for someone to
finish what they are saying or wait for a pause to say something
o Staying on topic – You know this from when you ask questions during story time
- definitely not something young speakers know in those early toddler years!
o Rephrasing when misunderstood
o Using verbal and nonverbal signals – knowing that if someone seems irritated,
you should probably not talk with him or her at that moment
o Knowing how close to stand next to someone when speaking to them
Note: These rules may vary across different cultures and within cultures so it is important to be aware of
some of these cultural differences for the children in your care.
Activity: Review
1) Morphemic Knowledge
A) Related to speech sounds and sound-symbol
relations
2) Pragmatic Knowledge
B) Related to vocabulary
3) Semantic Knowledge
C) Related to grammar
4) Syntactic Knowledge
D) Related to units of meaning /word structure
E) Related to language in social contexts
5) Phonetic Language
Matching Activity Answers: 1) D, 2) E, 3) B, 4) C, 5) A
Video: The Crying Stage
How is this child communicating his thoughts and feelings both verbally and non-verbally?
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How is the caregiver reading and responding to the child’s cues?
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The Journey of Language Development
Video: The Babbling Stage
As you watch the video, note how the child conveys her interest in the toy and how the caregiver uses
language to support her exploration.
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Let’s Review
The stages for language acquisition:
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Crying
Babbling
One Word / holophrastic
Two—word
Telegraphic
Let’s Review: Video 1
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Which stage is the child in? _____________________________________________________________
Let’s Review: Video 2
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Which stage is the child in? _____________________________________________________________
Answers: Video 1 – Telegraphic (child says multiple words), Video 2 – One-word/holophrastic (child says
“yea”)
Ages and Stages of Language Knowledge
Birth – 12 Months
Receptive Language
Birth - 3 months: Responding and Early Awareness of Sound
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May not understand but does respond with smiling, making noises, cooing, quieting
Recognizes caregiver’s voice
Looks at speaker
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The Journey of Language Development
4- 6 months: Making Sense of Sounds and Discriminating Sounds
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Begins to identify the different sound source
Responds to name
Distinguishes between caregiver and stranger voices
Recognizes tones
7- 9 months: Understanding and Assigning Meaning to Sounds
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Begins to understand interactions
Begins to notice cause and effect
Recognizes some words and names
Enjoys music and singing
Appears to be listening to conversations
Abilities to distinguishing speech increasing
9 - 12 months: Understanding and Interacting
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Interacts more
Understands more common words
Understands some phrases stated in context
Follows simple commands
Expressive Language
Birth - 3 months: Intentional communication
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Communications primarily indicate needs
Responses with “coo” to caregiver’s voice
4- 6 months: Responding
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Responds with vocalizations
Responds to singing
Uses crying to express needs
May reject things by turning their heads
6 - 10 months: Babbling
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Begins to babble and it becomes more complex
Sees communication as a 2-way process
Enjoys initiating the communication
Tries to get the attention of others
Enjoys shared communication experiences
10 - 12 months: Jargon
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Uses long chains of babbled sounds
Sounds like speech but unrecognizable words
Intonations and pitch
Begins using “greetings”
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The Journey of Language Development
12- 18 Months
Receptive Language
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Develops ahead of expressive language
Uses a new word each week
Understands up to 50 words
Follows simple directions
Understands more cause and effect relationships
Knows the names of body parts
Recognizes more familiar phrases
Develops social signals and behaviors by observation and copying
Understands greetings
Expressive Language
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Uses combination of gestures, words, sounds
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Verbalizes 1 or 2 meaningful words
Babbles while looking at books
Uses 10 -20 meaningful words by 18 months
Requests things
Uses social signals like “no”
Touches to direct others
Demonstrates displeasure with gestures / vocalizations
Imitates words
Uses more proficient communications
Learns social skills
18- 24 Months
Receptive Language
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Develops ahead of expressive language
Understands approximately 300 words
Understands a few 2 word combinations
Understands “wh” questions
Points to objects
Discriminates different songs
Begins to understand pronouns
Understands categories
Plays simple games
Imitates adult behavior
Understands simple directions
Shows preference for familiar people
Expressive Language
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Uses around 10 -20 words
Says some simple 2-word combination
Requests things using the name of the object
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The Journey of Language Development
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Refers to him/herself by name
Makes some animal sounds
Says “no”
Uses words more often than gestures
Uses 2 syllable words
Imitates other children
Uses jargon
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Seeks out others to show things and interact
24-30 Months
Receptive Language
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Follows 2-step directions
Understands about 500-900 words
Understands sentences with simple prepositions
Understands words about measurements
Understands number concepts of one and two
Differentiates pronouns
Responds to requests more readily
Expressive Language
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Talks more freely
Uses approximately 200 words
Uses more 2 word combinations
Uses verbs, personal pronouns
Answers “who & what” questions
Initiates pretend play
Waits turn in conversations more often
Engages in parallel play
Speech is 75% understandable to family and friends
30-36 Months
Receptive Language
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Comprehends three-word commands
Identifies objects by their use
Understands one and one more
Matches colors and shapes
Attempts simple counting
Understands instructions with pronouns
Distinguishes plurals
Answers who, what, where, and why questions
Expressive Language
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Uses approximately 450 words
Combines nouns, verbs, adjectives
Uses 3-word sentences
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The Journey of Language Development
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Asks simple questions
Uses plurals
Puts –ing endings on verbs
Uses conjunctions
Uses prepositions and personal pronouns
Recites nursery rhymes
Names colors
States first and last name
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