CSDS Chapter 5 part 2

Infant Communication Development (7 to 12 Months)

Primary Modes of Expression

• Gestures and Vocalizations

  • The primary modes of expression for infants aged 7 to 12 months include gestures and vocalizations.

  • Infants begin to exert more control over interactions with caregivers.

  • They learn to communicate intentions more clearly.

  • Example gestures include:

    • Waving

    • Pointing

    • Reaching (e.g., come here)

    • Head nodding (as a form of acknowledgement)

Interaction with Toys and Objects

• Infants in this age range show an increased interest in toys and various objects.

  • They start to follow conversational cues and parents begin to label objects, events, and people.

  • Joint attention and action become more pronounced as infants become more alert.

Gross Motor Skills

• Development of Mobility

  • By this age, infants can sit independently, crawl, and move around.

  • Increased exposure to language due to their interaction with the environment and caregivers.

  • Parents begin to reference more objects, leading to infants demonstrating selective listening and complying with simple requests (e.g., understanding the word "no").

Imitation and Joint Attention

• Imitation Skills

  • At 8 to 10 months, infants can imitate simple motor behaviors like waving bye-bye.

  • They follow maternal pointing, which enhances their understanding of shared attention and communication.

Communication Intentions

• Developing Intentionality

  • Between 8 and 12 months, infants use gestures to express intentions.

  • Infants demonstrate intentionality by seeking to convey messages (e.g., pointing to objects they want).

  • This period marks a development from gestures to the beginnings of verbal communication.

Joint Reference and Attention

• Importance of Shared Focus

  • Joint attention is key for language acquisition as it allows for the development of gestural, vocal, and verbal signals.

  • It involves two individuals focusing on the same object or event, establishing a common ground for communication.

• Three Aspects of Joint Reference:

  1. Indicating: Using gestures or vocal signals to draw attention.

  2. Dixis: Utilizing terms dependent on the speaker’s perspective (e.g., here, there).

  3. Naming: Calling attention to objects/events and associating names with references.

Maternal Communication Behaviors

• Modifications of Caregiver Interaction

  • Caregivers adjust their behaviors to engage infants effectively.

  • Preparatory Activities: Soothing infants to transition them to sleep (e.g., rocking, swaying).

  • State-Setting Activities: Manipulating the environment for optimal interaction (e.g., positioning toys within visibility).

  • Maintenance of Communication Framework: Using strategies to sustain attention and interaction (e.g., child-directed speech and maintaining focus on actions).

Infant-Directed Speech

• Characteristics:

  • Short sentences, simple syntax, focused on immediate present topics.

  • Use of exaggerated expressions, facial gestures, and maintaining close physical proximity.

  • Frequent questioning and treating infant behaviors as meaningful.

  • Adjusted pitch and rhythm of speech to engage the infant.

Understanding Phonetic Patterns

• Clustering: Recognizing predictable sound patterns in words to assist in language development.

  • Example: Knowing which sounds frequently follow others in language.

• Bracketing: Using prosody and rhythm to detect divisions between phrases and clauses.

Phonologically Consistent Forms**

• Development of Sound Formation:

  • By 8 months, some infants can comprehend around 20 words.

  • They begin using phonetically consistent forms, which aid in moving towards first words.

  • This culmination marks the transition to the symbolic stage of communication, whereby they start forming recognizable words.

Conclusion**

• The communication evolution from pre-intentional gestures to intentional communication and the use of first words reflects the critical role of caregiver interaction in cognitive and language development during this crucial period of growth.

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more detailed below

Infant Communication Development (7 to 12 Months)

Primary Modes of Expression

Gestures and Vocalizations

Infants aged 7 to 12 months develop their primary modes of expression through increasingly complex gestures and vocalizations. During this stage, infants begin exerting more control over their interactions with caregivers, employing gestures to communicate more effectively and clearly.

• Example gestures include:

  • Waving: Often used to say hello or goodbye, serving as an introduction to social interactions.

  • Pointing: Represents a significant cognitive leap as infants indicate specific objects or events they want to draw attention to.

  • Reaching: Infants reach out to express desires, often communicating requests for caregivers to approach or for objects they want.

  • Head nodding: Serves as a form of acknowledgment, facilitating basic conversations with caregivers.

Interaction with Toys and Objects

At this age, infants demonstrate an increased curiosity and interest in toys and various objects around them. They start following conversational cues from their caregivers, who label objects, events, and people, significantly enhancing their understanding of language.

• Joint attention and action become more pronounced: Infants are more alert and responsive during interactions, actively engaging in shared experiences with caregivers through play and exploration.

Gross Motor Skills

Development of Mobility

By 7 to 12 months, infants achieve significant milestones in mobility, as they can sit independently, crawl, and explore their environment fully.

• Increased exposure to language: As they move around, infants interact more with their surroundings, resulting in heightened language exposure by their caregivers who reference various objects and experiences.

• Selective listening emerges: Infants begin to demonstrate selective listening skills, indicating comprehension of simple commands or requests, such as understanding the word "no." This period signals a notable shift in their responsiveness to verbal interactions.

Imitation and Joint Attention

Imitation Skills

Between 8 to 10 months, infants develop their ability to imitate simple motor behaviors, such as waving goodbye. They also start to follow maternal pointing, which enhances their understanding of shared attention and communication.

Communication Intentions

Developing Intentionality

From 8 to 12 months, infants display growing intentionality in communication through gestures. They actively seek to convey specific messages, such as pointing to an object they desire, indicating their developing needs and wants more explicitly. This period marks a critical transition towards verbal communication, where gestures begin to pave the way for the production of spoken words.

Joint Reference and Attention

Importance of Shared Focus

Joint attention serves a foundational role in language acquisition, allowing infants to develop their gestural, vocal, and verbal signals effectively.

• Key aspects of joint reference:

  1. Indicating: Using gestures or vocal signals to capture the attention of another.

  2. Dixis: The use of terms that are dependent on the speaker's perspective, such as "here" or "there."

  3. Naming: Infants learn to associate names with objects or events, enhancing their vocabulary with tangible references.

Maternal Communication Behaviors

Modifications of Caregiver Interaction

Caregivers intuitively adjust their interactions to engage infants constructively.

• Preparatory Activities: Such as soothing infants to transition them to sleep, using calming actions like rocking and swaying to promote a secure attachment.

• State-Setting Activities: Caregivers manipulate the environment strategically, positioning objects and toys within the infant's visibility to encourage exploration.

• Maintenance of Communication Framework: Caregivers utilize strategies to sustain infants' attention and maximize engagement, employing child-directed speech that captures and holds their interest.

Infant-Directed Speech

Characteristics of infant-directed speech include:

• Short sentences and simple syntax focused on immediate, relevant topics.

• Use of exaggerated expressions and facial gestures, creating a rich visual and auditory experience.

• Physical proximity during speech, fostering connection.

• Frequent questioning and interpreting infant behaviors as meaningful cues, encouraging reciprocal interactions.

• Adjustments in pitch and rhythm, making speech more engaging for infants.

Understanding Phonetic Patterns

Clustering and Bracketing

• Clustering: Infants begin recognizing predictable sound patterns in words, which aids their language development significantly. For example, they learn which sounds are likely to follow others in conversational settings.

• Bracketing: Infants use prosody and rhythm to detect divisions between phrases and clauses, facilitating their understanding of sentence structure.

Phonologically Consistent Forms

By 8 months, some infants are capable of comprehending approximately 20 words. As they begin using phonetically consistent forms, they pave the pathway towards their first recognizable words, indicating a crucial step towards symbolic communication.

Conclusion

The evolution of communication from pre-intentional gestures to intentional communication and the emergence of first words underscores the pivotal role of caregiver interaction in supporting cognitive and language development during this crucial period of growth. Through enriched environments, shared attention, and responsive interactions, infants build the foundational skills needed for effective communication as they continue to develop.