Language Development in Early Childhood

Beverly Otto, Northeastern Illinois University, Chicago

Provides the foundation of knowledge to develop learning environments that enhance children’s language acquisition!

Language Development in Early Childhood, Third Edition, provides foundational, comprehensive coverage of language development theory, and guidelines for enhancing language development in children from birth to age 8. It not only helps readers achieve a basic understanding of the phonetic, semantic, syntactic, morphemic, and pragmatic aspects of language knowledge acquired by young children, but also offers concrete ways in which this acquisition process can be enhanced in early childhood settings. Acquisition of the knowledge of written language is also included as part of children's language development.

This edition includes the following key changes:

• Updates the section on the role of brain maturation in language development--Provides awareness of the connections between physical, cognitive, and language development.
• Describes the techniques used by researchers to discover the perceptual abilities of infants to distinguish speech sounds and patterns of intonation—This helps students understand the complexities of research with very young children.
• Provides templates for observing and documenting infant and toddler language development in the assessments chapter—This shows practical ways for teachers to begin to systematically observe individual children’s language development.

“The acquisition of language is essential to children's cognitive and social development.” From the NAEYC position statement, November 1995.

Readers of this book will receive a solid foundation for understanding language development from birth to age eight. The text supplies a basic overview of phonetics, semantic, syntactic, morphemic, and pragmatic aspects of language knowledge, while also providing practical suggestions for interactions with children and templates for observing and documenting infant and toddler language development. The appendices provide supplementary information on additional readings. The new edition has been extensively revised with coverage of the latest research and hot topics in the field such as:

New To This Edition:

• Updates the section on the role of brain maturation in language development—Provides awareness of the connections between physical, cognitive, and language development.

• Describes the techniques used by researchers to discover the perceptual abilities of infants to distinguish speech sounds and patterns of intonation—This helps students understand the complexities of research with very young children.

• Provides templates for observing and documenting infant and toddler language development in the assessments chapter—This shows practical ways for teachers to begin to systematically observe individual children’s language development.

• Includes guidelines and strategies for interacting with English language learners at each developmental level, providing practical ways in which teachers can enhance language development among ELLs.

• Reviews current research on autism and its connection to early language development.

Beverly Otto, Ph.D., an early childhood educator for over 25 years, is a professor in the Teacher Education Department at Northeastern Illinois University. She earned her doctorate at Northwestern University in Teaching and Learning Processes with a focus on emergent literacy. Dr. Otto teaches courses in language and literacy development for preservice and in-service teachers, along with research for classroom teachers. She also serves as advisor for the MAT: Language Arts-Elementary Education and MSI: Language Arts-Elementary programs. Her major professional goal is preparing teachers to support children’s life-long learning through language and literacy development. Dr. Otto has also served as department chair as well as associate dean in the College of Education.

Dr. Otto is the author of Literacy Development in Early Childhood: Reflective Teaching for Birth to Age Eight, (© 2008 Pearson)and has also authored articles published in international, national and state professional journals. Her field-based research on emergent literacy has been presented at international, national, state, and local conferences. She has served as a consultant to early childhood centers, school districts, as well as the Illinois State Board of Education.