Encouraging Early Language Development

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Your 9 month old seems to be on the right track for her speech and language development. Infants/Toddlers love to produce the same words and sounds over and over again as they are getting used to different sounds they are saying in their mouth and to the different inflections they can use. She is aware of the social value of language and therefore enjoys the reaction she receives when she is playing with different sounds. Language usually has its beginnings in a non-verbal mode which is important for later effective communication. Maintaining eye contact and attending to you while you speak are important nonverbal communication strategies that we all use as we speak the language aloud. I would not recommend solely focusing on isolated sounds. Language and speech is best facilitated inside of a meaningful context and/or activity. Language rich experiences that are repeated again and again are often some of the best ways children develop their language. For example, going to the zoo and naming the animals and imitating their sounds, going to the grocery store and telling your daughter the different types of food you are putting into the cart are all wonderful consistent language experiences that occur in a meaningful context.

Reading to your daughter will influence her ability to communicate also. I would recommend predictable storybooks. Predictable books use highly predictable language and familiar storybook sequences to encourage more complex language structures and literacy development. "Dear Zoo" by Rod Campbell is a wonderful Predictable book. I also recommend "Brown Bear Brown Bear and The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle. Books such as these encourage interaction between you and your child. Pointing to the print as you read will help your daughter to focus on the letters and words and to develop book awareness, direction of the print, etc.

A good book that I recommend which covers the stages of speech & language development for infants, toddlers and preschoolers is sold and endorsed through the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) and is called: Beyond Baby Talk: From Sounds to Sentences by Kenn Apel and Julie J. Masterson. I think you will find this book quite useful. (Available from productsales@asha.org Item#0112380)

Carney Sotto, Ph.D., is an Assistant Clinical Professor and Undergraduate Director in the Department of Communication Sciences & Disorders at the University of Cincinnati. She teaches graduate and undergraduate students in the areas of child language, literacy and phonology. She has presented on these topics to pediatricians, interns, teachers and speech-language pathologists.