Babies are incredible beings as they learn a language even before birth. They can hear you speak, what you read during pregnancy and get familiar with the sounds of the language. According to Marianella Casasola, Ph.D., who researches babies in her Infant Studies Laboratory at Cornell University, says ‘newborns who hear their mothers reading specific books while in the womb prefer hearing the same books once they are born.’
Babies do not start pronouncing their official words until one year of age although they have their ways of conveying messages either through crying or babbling. In no time, you understand their different cries varying from hunger, tired to bored cries. Also, ‘cooing’ is their way of interacting with you after a month and their reflex smile vanishes at about two months as they learn to smile on purpose.
(Image Courtesy: New Kids Centre)
There is no definite period as to when a baby starts to talk. The time period varies from one baby to another. Language progression is different for every child. Some research shows that kids as young as four and a half months can learn to distinguish the sound patterns of their name from those of similar sounding names.
By six months, their babbles increase exponentially to make small strings of consonant vowel sounds like ‘ba-ba.' These babbles are the foundation of their first words. At this stage, babies can understand everything and are unable to speak. Some of them are even able to link the word ‘mother’ with their caretaker in the first six months.
By nine months, they grasp the art to string sounds together to form innumerable syllables like ‘ba-da-ma.' Babies can comprehend a good amount of language than they can manufacture at this stage as they don’t have motor skills to formulate words with their mouths.
Post nine months, brace yourselves as babies learn to speak their first word around twelve months and talk more fluently by the eighteen months. Their linguistic barriers tend to lessen by twenty-four months as they learn to say full sentences.
There are also ways by which you can teach your baby to talk. They are as follows:
#1. Do More Of Talking
Talk as much you can to your baby as it is related to the number of words they learn. Naming objects along with visual cues can do wonders for your baby especially if it shows a keen interest in knowing new objects.
#2. Usage Of Fewer Pronouns
Use names such as ‘Mommy’ rather than pronouns for your baby to help them in talking. The more they hear, the better they will be at linking names with faces.
(Image Courtesy: YouTube)
#3. Sing Songs
Music and language are interrelated. Also, singing songs to the baby is an antiquated practice which does wonders! “Mothers instinctively know to speak to babies in higher, sing-songy voices, and research confirms that this higher-pitched, rhythmic, slower speech facilitates language comprehension in infants.” says Susan Darrow, a child development expert and CEO of ‘Music Together.'
(Image Courtesy: Learning House Jaipur)
#4. Don't Watch Tv Infront Of Them
Educational programs don’t help babies in learning a language the way a simple talk can do. Communication is satisfying for children as they can link with you and that can’t be gained from the screen.
(Image Courtesy: Static Independent)
#5. Motivate Emulation
Describe what you do in front of your babies to help him label their world. For example, you can say, ‘Mommy is washing Miara’s clothes,' say the term ‘clothes’ by looking into his eyes.
(Image Courtesy: West More Landca)
Give a try to these pieces of advice or help us by giving new suggestions! Comment on the box below to leave your opinions and views. We would love to hear from you!
(Featured Image Courtesy: New Kids Center)
