Sophia: No bed!

Mom: I know you're upset that it's bedtime. We can play more tomorrow. Would you like a hug?

Vocabulary begins expanding

Sophia is frustrated that it's time to go to bed but she doesn't know how to communicate that and can only put a few words together at a time.

Sophia: No bed! *cries*

Mom: I know you're frustrated sweetie. Sophia is able to loosely communicate a want but is learning to expand her words.

Journey of Language Development

by Meagan King

"yes baby! She is a dog, good job!"

"D-Dog"

Mom and Sophia are spending time in Sophia's room. Sophia sees her dog, points and says, "d-dog!" Mom happily responds, "Yes baby! That is your dog. Good job!" Sophia claps happily and continues to try out the new word. She is able to copy sounds and form simple words one at a time.

Early stages of language

"Yay!! Catch me, momma!"

"Of course I'll catch you, Sophia. Is this fun?"

Sophia is having fun on the slide. She says, "yay!! please catch me, momma!" Her mom responds, "Of course I'll catch you Sophia. Is this fun?"

Sophia then runs back up the play gym and says, "Again please mommy". She has begun putting multiple words together in her sentences.

Sentence Formation, cont.

Complex Sentences

"Momma, the ball is blue!"

"Yes Sophia, you're right! The ball is blue!"

Sophia begins putting more words together in her sentences. Her and her mom are playing with her toys. Sophia says, "Momma the ball is blue". Her mom is proud of her and says "Sophia, you're right! The ball is blue"! Sophia continues describing her toys in more complex sentences. 

"Wow! Great manners and vocabulary Sophia! I will get that for you right now"

"Hey momma, can you please get me some juice?"

Sophia is now able to model manners and put sentences together more effectively. She asks, "Hey momma, can you please get me some juice"? Her mom is pleasantly surprised by her politeness and sentence structure. "Wow! Great manners and vocabulary Sophia! I will get that for you right now". Sophia continues to on to say, "Thank you! Can we go play after we eat"? Her mom quickly agrees and they continue to hold conversation through out their meal. Sophia's language development has reached a high level.

Language mastery

Sentence Formation

"Hmmm? Oh! Are you saying firefly? Yes they are so pretty! It's so cool that they light up the sky at night. You're getting so big"!

"Fi-fly Pretty!"

Sophia notices a firefly and says, "Fi-fly pretty"! Her mom is confused at first, "Hmm? Oh! Are you saying firefly? Yes they are so pretty! ..." she says. Sophia is able to put two words together and communicate more than before.

Sophia is able to successfully develop her communication through language over time. Her development is nurtured by her mother who helps her learn to communicate and meets her needs. Sophia started by learning sounds that she eventually formed into one word at a time and with time she was eventually able to put together full, properly structured sentences. Her journey shows the importance of a caregiver or parent being involved in development, specifically language development in this scenario.