Week 6: Reflecting on Language Development

Introduction

Congratulations! You have acquired a foundation for understanding the basis of human communication: language. Without doubt, one thing you have learned in the past 5 weeks is how much there is to know and how truly amazing the process is that children follow in learning to form and articulate speech; learning the rules of pronunciation; learning how to put words together into phrases and sentences; and learning the social rules for using language. It is a lot for children to master, yet most children do so within a relatively short time frame.

In this course, you have also learned about factors that influence children’s language development. You have come to understand that different domains—physical, cognitive, and social-emotional—have a role in language learning; that interaction with important adults can foster children’s language development; how bilingual children adapt to learning two languages; and how physical or cognitive conditions can impact children’s language development.

As the course wraps up, your goal is to reflect on what you have learned about language development and how you will integrate this new knowledge into your ever-expanding understanding of young children’s development.

Learning Objectives

A student will:

• Reflect on what you have learned and experienced in the course, recognize prior misconceptions with regard to language acquisition and develop

  Reflection

  Reflect on the knowledge and concepts you have learned in this course. With these thoughts in mind, complete the following:

  • Describe three or more ways that your knowledge about language acquisition and development has increased.
  • Summarize three or more insights you have gained about young children in relation to language acquisition and development.
  • Identify any misconceptions or assumptions you held about language development that were dispelled in this course, and explain how and why each was dispelled.
  • Reflect on the four observations and interviews you conducted during the course. In what ways, did these firsthand experiences demonstrate for you the uniqueness of the process of language development? Use specific examples from the observations and interviews to support your response.

  Assignment length: 1–2 pagesment, explain new insights, and apply new knowledge