Brain Research and Its Influence on Language Development...

Brain Research and its Influence on Language Development and Acquisition Tasha Maxon Ashford University Language Development in Young Children ECE 315 Pilar Carroll August 23, 2010 Brain Research and its Influence on Language Development and Acquisition Language acquisition is one of the most fundamental human traits, and it is obviously the brain that undergoes the developmental changes (Sakai, 2005, p. 815-819). During the years of language acquisition, the brain not only stores linguistic information but also adapts to the grammatical regularities of language. Recent advances in functional neuro-imaging have substantially contributed to systems-level analyses of brain development (Sakai, 2005, p. 815-819). Perhaps no aspect of†¦show more content†¦The brain encodes the words and actually rearranges its brain cells into connections or networks to produce language (Fleming, Family Life Specialist, 2002). Brain research clearly indicates that language development must be fostered early in children or be impaired or lost. If a child hears little or no human sound, the brain waits in vain and eventually will retire these cells from this function and give these cells a different function. By age ten, if the child has not hear d spoken works, the ability to learn spoken language is lost (Fleming, Family Life Specialist, 2002). In an Indiana study, implants used in young deaf children to introduce human sound actually changed the brain structure so that these youth could begin constructing a vocabulary. The use it or lose it principle applies to the brain and language development (Fleming, Family Life Specialist, 2002). A University of Chicago study showed that babies whose mothers talked to them more had a bigger vocabulary. By twenty four months, the infants of less talkative mothers knew three hundred fewer words than babies whose mothers spoke to them frequently (Fleming, Family Life Specialist, 2002). Babies are listeners and spoken language reinforces brain connections, which encourage more language development. Another study that scanned brain activity of children revealed that between the ages of four and twelve an enormous amount of brain restructuring takes place (Fleming, Family Life Specialist, Show MoreRelatedLanguage Acquisition : What Is Encompassed By The Phrase Meaning Making Within Early Childhood? Essay1654 Words   |  7 Pageswill be the theme, language acquisition, because this is one aspect of how children make meaning of their world. However, there are other factors that need to be considered, these include Language and thought, attunement and attachment. 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