2.2 Summarise stages of language acquisition

This guide will help you answer 2.2 Summarise stages of language acquisition.

Language acquisition is the process by which children learn to understand and produce language. It starts at birth and occurs in distinct stages as they grow. These stages are a roadmap showing how communication develops in a child’s early years.

Although all children develop at their own pace, the stages of language acquisition follow a general pattern. Understanding these stages helps you support children’s communication skills effectively.

Pre-Linguistic Stage (0–12 Months)

This is the foundation of language development. Babies communicate without using words during this stage. Instead, they rely on crying, cooing, and gestures to express their needs and feelings.

Key milestones in this stage:

• Crying: The first sound babies make. It’s how they signal hunger, discomfort, or tiredness. Crying varies in tone depending on their need.
• Cooing: Around 6 to 8 weeks, babies produce vowel-like sounds such as “oo” and “ah.” Cooing usually happens when they are content.
• Babbling: At around 4–6 months, babies start repeating simple sounds like “ba” or “da.” This sound play helps them experiment with their vocal cords.
• Gestures: By the end of this stage, babies begin to point or wave, showing they can communicate non-verbally.

During this stage, babies respond to the tone of voice rather than the actual words spoken. Caregivers play a crucial role in encouraging communication by talking, singing, and making eye contact with the child.

Holophrastic Stage (12–18 Months)

At this stage, toddlers begin to use single words to represent entire sentences or ideas. These single words are called “holophrases.” For instance, a child might say “milk” to mean, “I want milk.”

Key features of this stage include:

• Single Words for Multiple Meanings: A single word can have different meanings depending on the context and intonation.
• Naming: Toddlers often name objects, people, or familiar things around them. For example, “dog” or “mummy.”
• Repetition: Toddlers frequently mimic words they hear from adults.

Although vocabulary is limited at this stage (typically 10–20 words by 18 months), understanding far exceeds speaking.

Caregivers can support this stage by being patient, repeating words, and responding to the child’s attempts to communicate.

Two-Word Stage (18–24 Months)

During this stage, children begin combining two words to form simple phrases. These combinations are meaningful but lack grammar, often referred to as “telegraphic speech.” For example, “want toy” or “go park.”

Key developments in this stage include:

• Word Pairing: Children pair words to convey desires or describe situations.
• Early Grammar Concepts: Without using full sentences, toddlers start to show an understanding of word order.
• Increased Vocabulary: By 24 months, most children know around 200 words.

Communication becomes more interactive because children can express basic needs and feelings more clearly. Adults should continue to model good language by speaking slowly and clearly while responding positively to attempts at conversation.

Telegraphic Stage (24–30 Months)

This stage is named after telegraphs, as children’s speech resembles short, precise messages without unnecessary words. They use three or more words per sentence but omit smaller words like “the” or “is.” For instance, “want go park” instead of “I want to go to the park.”

Important aspects include:

• Sentence Structure: Sentences include nouns, verbs, and adjectives but lack prepositions or conjunctions.
• Questions: Children start forming simple questions such as “What’s that?” or “Where mummy?”
• Negatives: By adding “no” or “not,” they express refusal or denial (e.g., “No want food”).

At this stage, children start developing better conversational skills. You can support them by encouraging open-ended questions and introducing new vocabulary words.

Preschool Stage (30 Months–5 Years)

Language skills develop rapidly during these years. By the time children reach three years old, they begin constructing longer, more complex sentences and understand basic grammar.

Key features of this stage:

• Expanding Vocabulary: Vocabulary jumps to around 900–1,000 words by age 3 and continues growing quickly.
• Use of Pronouns: Children correctly use pronouns like “he,” “she,” and “me.”
• Improved Grammar: Sentences become clearer and grammatically accurate. For example, “I am eating” instead of “Eat.”
• Telling Stories: Children start retelling events or imaginary stories using a sequence of sentences.

By age four or five, children can engage in back-and-forth conversations and ask a variety of “why,” “how,” or “when” questions. Their sentences include connecting words like “and” or “because.” Support this stage through reading, storytelling, and answering their questions to sustain curiosity.

School-Age Stage (5+ Years)

When children reach school age, their language development becomes more refined. They learn how to use language for different purposes, such as explaining, questioning, and describing abstract ideas.

Characteristics include:

• Understanding of Rules: Children become aware of rules like plurals or past tense.
• Learning New Words: Vocabulary dramatically increases due to reading and formal education.
• Complex Sentences: They can form fully structured sentences, such as “I went to the park with my friend yesterday.”
• Social Language Skills: They learn to adjust the way they speak depending on the audience, such as speaking formally to a teacher and informally to friends.

Adults play a big part at this stage by encouraging reading, engaging in discussions, and helping children learn new words effectively.

Importance of Early Interaction

Throughout the stages, interaction with caregivers and peers is essential for language growth. Children learn language through listening, imitating, and practising. Rich and varied experiences with spoken and written language give them the tools to communicate effectively.

Tips to support language acquisition include:

• Talking regularly and listening attentively.
• Reading books and singing songs.
• Asking questions and encouraging answers.
• Spending time with children in meaningful conversations.
• Being patient with speech errors and offering gentle corrections.

Factors Affecting Language Development

Several factors can influence how a child acquires language. These include:

1. Hearing Ability: Babies and toddlers need to hear sounds clearly to imitate and learn them. Hearing difficulties can delay development.
2. Environmental Stimulation: A language-rich environment, like one where adults talk to and read with children, supports stronger skills.
3. Biological Factors: Some children may experience language delays due to developmental disorders, such as autism or speech apraxia.
4. Cultural Differences: Ways of speaking, interaction styles, and exposure to multiple languages can affect language progression.

Language Acquisition and Multi-Lingual Children

Multilingual children develop language skills in similar stages, though they may divide vocabulary and grammar knowledge between the languages. It’s perfectly natural for a child learning two languages to temporarily appear behind peers in either one.

Encouraging communication in both languages equally and avoiding pressuring the child will lead to long-term language confidence.

Conclusion

The stages of language acquisition illustrate how children progress from simple sounds to full conversations. Early years practitioners play an important role in promoting children’s language skills. Offering a language-rich environment filled with encouragement, opportunities to communicate, and exposure to varied vocabulary sets children up for successful communication in later life.