Archive How Do Children Learn Language Effortlessly?

The Wonders of Child Language Acquisition

Mohammad

Mohammad

Table of contents:

    When it comes to how kids effortlessly pick up language, the starting point is a straightforward question: How does a child learn the language spoken around them? Whether it’s English in Australia or Russian in Russia, the process is remarkably adaptive. In this blog post, we’ll delve into the practical aspects of how children learn language and what challenges they face in the process.

     

    How Do Babies Learn Language?

    An important question which can be our starting point is, “how can children learn any language?” As a language acquisition example, let’s say the child is born in Australia; then they’ll be learning English, whereas in Russia, they’ll learn Russian. What makes infant brains plastic enough to learn any language they’re exposed to in a relatively short time? To explain the process of language-learning that infants go through, let’s take a look at Heidi M Feldman, MD PhD, Professor of Pediatrics’ article, “How young children learn language and speech”.

    We can get an idea regarding how children learn language using computer simulations. The idea is that each unit of the computer simulation that activates at the same time as another unit develops a connection with the other unit. As these communications grow, they become networks. These networks stay the same, but simulations designed to mimic the brain’s functionality and structure show us that as children learn new things, the patterns of activity between their brain cells change, leading to new networks. So, as children learn through new experiences, the way their brain works literally changes.

    This means that children’s brains don’t necessarily have to have any bias or be pre-ready for a certain language. Instead, based on the environment they grow up in, in this case, the language spoken in their environment, their brain cells will base their communications and networks off that. So, as the article puts it, such computer simulations “explain how infants can learn whatever language they are exposed to.”

     

    Mother playing with infant smiling

     

    Challenges of Learning a First Language

    Infants face specific challenges when learning their first language. Here are some of those challenges and the interesting ways in which they overcome them.

     

    What Sounds are Words?

    To an infant, all sounds are the same. To be able to differentiate between words, knowing where one word ends, and another begins is a complex activity. So how do children know what sounds are words? The answer lies in what is called “statistical learning”. If we count the sounds that occur in words, and the sounds that occur between two words, the former will be significantly more. Infants can tell the difference and learn to focus on the sound that occur more frequently, in turn making them more likely to correctly differentiate words from other sounds. This same explanation can be used to show how children learn syntax, since they notice that some sounds are heard more frequently with others.

    When parents use “baby talk”, they’re really using this statistical learning to their advantage. In “baby talk”, parents usually use a limited vocabulary in short sentences. They also repeat themselves multiple times and exaggerate their intonations and pronunciations.

     

    Where Do Babies Hear Words?

    Babies have to hear language in order to learn it. According to a 2019 study, television doesn’t have as much of a positive effect on language acquisition as people often think. What facilitates learning is “Warm, mutually respectful, low stress exchanges.” This is because children’s learning is an active process, it doesn’t happen passively. For example, as they use a word and hear the discrepancy of the word’s meaning in another person’s language, they will actively look for the discrepancy and progress in learning parts of language such as syntax or semantics.

     

    Mother baby talk to an infant

     

    How Do Children Learn a Second Language?

    If a child learns a second language before the age of three, they count as simultaneous bilinguals. The same mechanisms that work in the acquisition of the first language, also work in acquiring a second language, especially when young. This usually happens when parents are bilingual or the environment in which the child is growing up speaks a different language from what is spoken at home (such is usually the case of immigrant families).

    Bilingual parents usually use code-switching as a tactic to teach a child a second language. Code-switching is the practice of changing languages mid-conversation, sometimes mid-sentence. It is a very common phenomenon among bilingual speakers. According to a 2022 study, “parents code-switched more between sentences than within a sentence” when talking to their infants. This was usually to improve their child’s vocabulary and has proven to be effective.

    With all its faults, technology can help bilingualism in children. There are apps such as Duolingo that can help children as young as elementary school engage with a second language. Though, as with all things, there is a dark side to technology as well. That’s why we suggest you use a parental control app like Safes which is available on iOS and Android. Sign up for a free trial to experience it’s benefits firsthand.

     

    Conclusion

    Breaking down how kids learn language gets us into the practical side of their cognitive processes. From statistical learning to interactive exchanges, the journey from babbling to fluent speech involves hands-on experience with the language around them. Facing challenges like figuring out sounds and diving into a second language, it’s clear that kids aren’t held back by preset biases. Their language development thrives on real-life experiences and interactions, building a rock-solid cognitive and social foundation through the process of language acquisition.

    Mohammad

    Mohammad

    At auctor lacus fusce enim id tempor etiam amet. Et consequat amet eu nulla nunc est massa dui consequat. Facilisi adipiscing nec condimentum sit laoreet non turpis aenean in. Aliquam cursus elementum mollis sed accumsan nisl ullamcorper in.

    Want to know more about digital parenting?

    Our newsletter is your go-to source for staying updated with the latest information on parenting and online child safety. Subscribe to our once a week must have tips, to simplify parenting in the digital age. Read the editor’s top pick of the week to ensure a safe online experience for your child.

    More from Our Blog

    From Screen Time to Green Time: A Parental Review of Seek by iNaturalist
    Let’s discover how Seek by iNaturalist helps your kid transition from screen time to green time. We’ll cover how the app works, its features, & safety tips
    Sina

    Sina

    This guide is here to help if you have a non binary child. From their challenges and tips to keep them safe online, we discuss everything you need to hear.
    Rana Mazahernasab

    Rana Mazahernasab

    The List of Books About Cyberbullying for Kids
    Explore top books about cyberbullying for children to help them understand, cope, and build confidence in the digital age. Choose the right book now!
    Rana Mazahernasab

    Rana Mazahernasab

    Digital Distractions
    Dive into the world of digital distraction. Explore its concept and how it affects children’s ability to study and develop social skills.
    Baharan

    Baharan

    Get Weekly Parenting Must-Knows in Your Inbox

    Deepen your parenting knowledge with our tips and tricks. Receive our editor’s top picks in your inbox once a week—no spam guaranteed.

    Download Safes Kids for Chrombook

    1. Install the Safes Kids app on your Chromebook from Google Play. 
    2. Pair Safes Kids with parent app. Follow the instructions in the app to pair your child’s device with your parent device.  
    3. Add the Safe Kids Chrome extension. Open Chrome and go to the Chrome Web Store. 
    4. Navigate to the Manage extensions page. Click the three dots in the top right corner of Chrome and select “Extensions”>”Manage Extensions”>”Details”
    5. Turn on “Allow in incognito mode” This will allow the Safe Kids extension to work in incognito mode, which is important if your child uses incognito mode to try to bypass the parental controls.
    6. Select Safes extension and follow on-screen instruction

    Download Safes Kids for Android

    Download the Android Kid’s app directly to get the full features!

    Download Safes Kids App on Play Store

    Download Safes Kids App on Safes.so

    Safe Kids is available on the Google Play Store, but if you download it directly from our website, you will get access to Call and SMS monitoring feature, You can monitor the phone calls of your child’s device, as well as the contacts and messages they have sent and received, including those containing inappropriate content.