Theory – The Development of Language

DEVELOPMENT OF LANGUAGE

The Nature of Language

“Language lies at the root of that transformation of the environment that we call

civilization.”1 It is through spoken and written language that we communicate feelings,

knowledge, and needs. “Language is one of the characteristics which distinguish man from the

animals.”2 It is often said that humans are social creatures, and like other creatures belonging to a

society, we have a deep need to be understood and accepted by their peers. Not only this, but the

desire to carry the human legacy of art and scientific research down the generational line gives us

even more reason to develop a shared system of communication.

Use of language in our lives is so commonplace that it is easy to overlook how

remarkably we adapt to it, even from birth. Newborn children are exposed to a noisy world to

which they have no exposure, yet they can stand and walk by age two. By age three, it is likely

that the child can speak in full, grammatically-correct sentences. The child does not learn simply

by imitating, but by picking out individual rules and applying them to general situations, one by

one until they can speak with perfection according to the language heard in their environment.

As we age, that environment grows beyond our immediate family members and

schoolmates, into a culture of laws, social norms, and shared definitions. We are inextricably tied

to the culture in which we learn the rules of language. Dr. Montessori writes of various children

found at older ages in the wild who could neither be taught human language nor replicate the

sounds of the animals to which they’d become accustomed.3

1
Maria Montessori. The Absorbent Mind. Chapter 10.
2
Maria Montessori. The Formation of Man. Part III: 110.
3
Maria Montessori. The Formation of Man. Part III: 79.

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 Theory – The Development of Language

Her research suggests that human ears can remember human speech because they are

innately attuned to it, and in fact, babies are much less responsive to non-human noises in early

life. But a child born into one culture and raised in another will not develop in the language of

their native culture unless exposed to it.

Language is an expression of our intellect, a gift of nature specific to humans, that lets us

connect to the world around us and share our inner selves. Basic forms of communication are

found among many animal species the world over, but the ability to speak and write with

abstractness and complexity is wholly human.

“Before man’s arrival on the earth it did not exist. And what is it? Barely a breath! A few

noises strung together.”4 The origins of spoken language are not entirely known, though several

theories have been put forth at various times throughout history. They are harder to trace back

specifically because we have not had the means with which to record it for nearly as long as we

have had written messages carved in stone.

Language and Society

The English language contains nearly half a million words by some estimates, with fully-

grown adults using a regular vocabulary of about 60,000 words. It is generally agreed upon that

the English language contains 44 phonemes, the smallest perceptible unit of speech There are

6,000 languages worldwide, with an approximate range of 400 sounds worldwide.5

Language is a product of collective thought through cooperation and collaboration. For

language to have meaning, the sounds in that language must carry a common meaning for its

speakers. The fact that so many languages exist in the human world is proof of the cooperation of

specific groups in developing shared thought, knowledge, and culture.

4
Maria Montessori. The Absorbent Mind. Chapter 10.
5
https://www/thoughtco.com/sounds-in-english-language-3111166

Michael A. Clapis – Two Summer Blended Course for AMI Primary Certification, 2022
 Theory – The Development of Language

The social aspect of language is a unique factor in intra- and intercultural relations. It

expresses the life and work of the people, and allows that work to spread to every corner of the

globe. Language interacts with every aspect of society. Within any given culture, language is a

great achievement. Those who do not possess a mastery of language in their culture have yet to

tap into the central line of that society.

Spoken language is not the end-all in language development, as “spoken language is like

a breath of air which can reach only the ear which happens to be close to it.”6 Written language is

man’s adaptation to the limits on spoken language when desiring to reach more people around

the world for all times that come after him. “Written language, therefore, must not be considered

merely as a subject in schools, and a part of culture. It is rather, a characteristic of civilized man.

The civilization of our days cannot make progress among people who possess only spoken

language and illiteracy becomes, therefore, the greatest obstacle to progress.”7

“If man is superior to the animals which have no articulate language, then, while written

language is not necessary to be fully human, the man who has the ability to “read and write is

superior to him who can only speak, and it is the man who writes, who alone possesses the

language necessary to the culture of our times.”8 Humans could exist without writing and

reading, but civilizations cannot exist for long or progress without some form of written

language. Even earliest man was driven by the human tendency and need for communication to

write on cave walls –perhaps he also wrote elsewhere, but climate and weather erased the

evidence; caves are much more protected from environmental impacts.

6
Maria Montessori. The Formation of Man. Part III: 110
7
Maria Montessori. The Formation of Man. Part III: 110-111.
8
Maria Montessori. The Formation of Man. Part III: 110.

Michael A. Clapis – Two Summer Blended Course for AMI Primary Certification, 2022
 Theory – The Development of Language

Development of Language in Children

Children are not conscious of developing language. If they were to become conscious of

it within themselves they may choose to not embark on such an overwhelming task. Language is

not only a conquest but an instrument of development with alternate periods of tranquility and

explosion. However simple or complex the language in the environment, the learning of any

language follows the same pattern within the same timeframe.

Language also serves as an illustration of the nature of development. If a child is not

speaking at all by age three, there are likely other development issues elsewhere. A child who

speaks but not the same as others around him, even when he’s spoken to in a clear manner may

perhaps have physical issues between the ears and the brain.

Language determines the way we think – there can be various meanings and connotations

for the same word – a language-rich environment allows the child’s mind to be opened to greater

manners of thought and development. Adults should speak clearly, precisely, and thoroughly,

avoiding sloppy language, in order to provide the child with the greatest possible language

experience.

The child who masters language has great self-esteem, greater self-control, as well as

self-confidence. The mastery of language affects all aspects of life: practical, intellectual,

emotional and spiritual.

Development is autonomous by its very nature. It is something the child must do for

himself and by himself. The child builds language from nothing. Language must be learned by

the child rather than taught. He is born with the potential to learn any language and language

must be developed during the sensitive period for it or any later learning will be difficult and

incomplete at best. Our responsibility is to provide the raw material within the environment,

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 Theory – The Development of Language

including ourselves. Language is developed through human interaction and cannot be learned

through television or other non-human means.

Stages of Language Development in Children

Language development requires four components: a healthy functioning of the auditory

apparatus; healthy functioning of the vocal apparatus; rich language environment; desire to

speak. Early detection of the physical components is better for obtaining the necessary assistance

as well as making appropriate adjustments as needed. If a child is moving well for a while but

starts to lose balance or if he stops babbling after several months of doing so, these may be

indications of something requiring attention; all babies will babble for a time whether they have

functional hearing or not. Providing a rich language environment is not difficult if the

environment is properly prepared for the child; both at home and in the Montessori environment,

the adult is the most important material for language development. The desire to speak is

emotionally based and is most difficult to affect from the outside. The adult should show interest

in the child’s words, encouraging the child to speak, giving time and opportunity for the child to

develop and speak his thoughts.

The early months of language development can be divided into four periods. The auditive

period lasts until about three months after birth; the child listens to sounds, the human voice in

particular. The visual period comes next with some overlap, around four months; the child

focuses on the speaker’s mouth and imitates its movements. The motor period from four to six

months is a time of repetition of specific syllables. Children will babble from the period of about

six months to ten months. The child is absorbing language throughout this time and at about

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 Theory – The Development of Language

eight months, language begins to have a meaning for him, with most first intentional words

occurring between 10 and 12 months.

The Child’s Contribution to Language

The child not only preserves the language that he learns, but he modernizes it,

incorporating new terms and phrases in keeping with his life experiences, current technology,

and general human knowledge. “There is continuity of pronunciation from one generation to the

next.”9 He is also surprisingly clever about clearly demonstrating the idiosyncrasies in the

language of the adults around him. In the child’s seemingly constant questions about the

workings of the world, the adults around him are called to a deeper language knowledge and

appreciation.

Language Difficulties in Children

Most children develop at their own pace, some more quickly than others, some at varying

degrees at varying times.10 A few children, however, will have difficulties and will require

proper assistance to avoid permanent impairment, frustration, low self-esteem, and loss of

academic skills. Language has two aspects: receptive and expressive, each of which should be

looked at individually as well as in relation to the other. Speech refers to sounds in the form of

words formed by our mouths. Listening is an active process of hearing and comprehending, a

key component to proper communication, along with speech.

Problems can occur at any level. Various warning signs can be seen, but the most

important thing is to trust one’s gut feeling about whether something is just part of a child’s

9
Maria Montessori. The Absorbent Mind.Ch 10, 112
10
Excerpt from Patricia McAleer Hamaguchi. Childhood Speech, Language and Listening Problems.

Michael A. Clapis – Two Summer Blended Course for AMI Primary Certification, 2022
 Theory – The Development of Language

personality or if it is truly off. If the child seems to have difficulty understanding basic words or

instructions, or seems disinterested when in fact he cannot understand what is going on.

Overgeneralizations of phrases or terms that continue for a long period of time can be a sign of

expressive language issues and behavior problems of various kinds can be a sign of a

communication difficulty. Frequent ear infections tend to cause problems, and the presence of

them can be a forewarning and a preparation for later delays.

Role of the Adult

Adults should use parent-ese in the early months of a child’s life: higher-pitch, short

utterances, repetition of the child’s sounds, and most other aspects of parent-ese (but including

pronouns in proper places where typical parent-ese would use nouns) to maximize the child’s

interest in language. Keep the baby in focus range at all times so that the child can see the

speaker’s face and mouth. Adults should be facially expressive, matching their facial expressions

to their words and tone, as well as speak slowly and clearly, enunciating each word, but not

laboriously so, using a natural tone of voice. The natural tone also excludes speaking down or

patronizing the child. Adults should use large expressive vocabularies and maintain natural

conversational pauses so that the child learns about taking turns with speech. When the baby

makes sounds, repeat them to show that the adult is listening and trying to understand. Don’t use

baby talk or stop words such as stuff, thing, whatever, whatnot.

Once the child begins babbling, the adult should continue repeating back the sounds,

conversation-style. Once the child actually begins speaking, the adults use proper pronunciation

and grammar rather than imitating and solidifying the child’s errors. Be consistent with names

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 Theory – The Development of Language

that are given to objects (a coffee cup or mug, not interchangeably until the child is older).

Encourage the child to speak, listening as long as it takes rather than filling in for the child.

Michael A. Clapis – Two Summer Blended Course for AMI Primary Certification, 2022