Name : Ajeng Diar Kartika

NIM : 201110100311200
Class : VI-D

Childs Language Development

Introduction
There are many different languages in this world and human being acquire a
language with a different approach. Rahimpour cited in Stork and Widdowson
(1974), described that there two major factors involved in language acquisition. The
acquisition of a language depend on the interaction of two factors, they are:
1. An innate human potential for the acquisition of a language
2. A linguistic environment
Language is something that we can understand. According to John Field in
Psycholinguistics Book, the definition of language is a voluntary, symbolic, and
systematic. Language is crucial to young childrens developtment. Moreover,
language is a key for learning, for communicating and building relationship with
others. Rahimpour cited in Kess (1993:303) stated that no child fails to learn a native
language, and it is learned largely before the age of 5. Children has different
language stages in acquiring their first language. Therefore, in this paper the writer
tries to describe what typical language that children has, based on their ages
development.
Contents
Analyzing the stage of childs language development has different approach. The
study of childs language is a crucial, because we should know how does a child learn
his/her language? and what is course of language that they learn?
The stages of childs language development
Age of child Typical language skills

Age 0 to 6 months

- Child begins to recognize voices and sounds.
- Crying in different ways to say.
Age 6 to 12 months

- Child tries to responds to name
- Understands names of some familiar objects
- Shows interest in picture books
- Pays attention to conversation
- Says first word
- Says Da-da and Ma-ma.

Age 12 to 18 months

- begins to identity family members and familiar objects.
- Points to a few body parts such as nose, ears
- Follows simple, one step instruction
- Says two or more words
- Limitates familiar noises like cars, planes, birds
- Repeats a few words
- Looks at person talking
- Ask for something by pointing or using one word

Age 18 months to 2 years - Says about 50 words, but can understand many more.
- Talks to self and jabbers expressively.
- Says names of toys and familiar objects.
- Uses two to three word sentence like Daddy bye-bye.
- Tries to sing simple song.
- Points to eyes, ears, or nose when asked.

Age 2 to 3 years - Identities up to 10 pictures in a book when objects are
named.
- Uses simple phrases and sentences.
- Responds when called by name.
- Responds to simple directions.
- Enjoys simple stories, rhymes, and songs.
- Uses two to three words sentences.
- Enjoys looking at books.
- Points to eyes, ears, or nose when asked.
- Repeats words spoken by someones else.
- Vocabulary expands up to 500 words.

Age 3 to 4 years - Talks so 75 to 80 percent of speech is understandable.
- Says own first and last name
- Understand location words like over, under, on, and in.
- Understand now, soon, and later.
- Asks who, what, where, and why questions.
- Enjoys repeating words and sounds over and over.
- Listens attentively to short stories and books.
- Likes familiar stories told without any changes in
words.
- Recognizes common everyday sounds.
- Identities common colors such as red, blue, yellow,
green.

Age 4 to 5 years - Recognizes some letters
- Recognizes familiar words in simple books or signs.
- Speaks in fairly complex sentences.
- Enjoys singing simple songs, rhymes, and nonsense
words.
- Learns name, address, and phone number if taught.
- Asks and answers who, what, why, where, when if
questions.
- Names six to eight colors and three shapes.
- Likes to talk and carries on elaborate conversations.
- Loves to tell jokes that may not make any sense to
adults.

Age 5 to 6 years - Speaks with correct grammar and word form
- Expresses self in pretend play
- Writes first name, some letters, and numbers.
- Reads simple words.

Age 6 to 9 years - Responds to simple word
- Increasing variety of sounds and reduplication.

Age 9 to 12 years - Responds to simple comments
- Uses first words.

Age 12-18 years - Increasing responses to more complicated sentences.
- 20 words + jargon.


In another discussion, describing the development of language in children
faced by two important skill, they are receptive skill and expressive language skill.
Receptive skill begins at birth when the born infant immediately exposes the
different kinds of noises where the expressive language skill begins when the infant
active in speech and language. The infant responds vocally to pain such as hungry,
pleasure, or satisfaction.
Months Receptive skills Expressive skills

0 - 3 Recognizes human voice Reflex sounds

3 6 Learn to distinguish affection
from scolding
Babbling begins
6 9 Responds to simple word Increasing variety of sounds
and reduplication
9 12 Responds to simple
comments
Uses first words
12 - 18 Increasing responses to more
complicated sentences
20 words + jargon
concatenation

Conclusion
Based on the explanation of the childs language stages, it can be concluded that
when the infant born, he/she has already had a typical language skill. It shows that
the infant has a language.

References:
Oesterreich, Lesia. 2004. Understanding Children Language Development. Iowa State
University. Journal. http://store.extension.iastate.edu/product/pm1529f-pdf.
Rahimpour, Massoud. Developmental Stages of Child Language. Journal of Faculty of
Letters and Humanities Year. 47 No.190.