What are the three main stages of childhood language development
The three main stages of childhood language development are:
1. Prelinguistic Stage: This stage occurs from birth to approximately one year old. During this stage, infants engage in nonverbal communication through crying, cooing, and babbling. They also start to recognize and respond to familiar sounds and voices, such as their mother's voice.
2. Linguistic Stage: This stage occurs from approximately one year to five years old. During this stage, children begin to develop vocabulary by learning words and their meanings. They start using single words and then progress to two-word phrases and eventually start forming more complex sentences. They also acquire grammar and syntax rules during this stage.
3. Metalinguistic Stage: This stage occurs around five years old and continues into adulthood. During this stage, children acquire a more advanced understanding of language, including the ability to reflect on and analyze language itself. They develop metalinguistic awareness, which allows them to think and talk about language structure, elements, and meaning. They also develop better listening and reading comprehension skills and improve their writing abilities as they progress through this stage.