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| |    How to Nurture Language Development - Newborns and Infants by Robert Needlman, M.D., F.A.A.P. reviewed by Laura Jana, M.D., F.A.A.P. Your baby starts learning language right from minute she is born. Although you won't see the results immediately, the language nurturing you do during the first year of life builds a foundation for later verbal development. Because early language is so connected with emotional development, things that help develop language also strengthen the feelings of love and attachment with your baby. Here are some time- and research-tested tips: Talk to your baby a lot. It seems simple, but it's true: The more words a baby hears, the more words she learns. Talk to your baby when you are giving her a bottle, changing her, and giving her a bath. Even newborn babies enjoy being talked to. They won't talk back right away, of course, but when they do start talking, all of those hours of listening will pay off. You don't need to talk all the time, of course. Follow your baby's lead. If she turns away, starts falling asleep, or gets irritable, she needs a little quiet time. Once she seems ready, start talking again. Narrate your daily activities. Keep your baby near you while you do chores, and tell her what you are doing: "Now we're wiping up the table. What a mess. Here goes-all clean!" Better yet, narrate your baby's activities: "Here's that rattle now! Pull it! I'm pulling back! Now you've got it!" Have "conversations." Children learn language best when they can see the effects their words have on others. Even as young as four months, babies love it when parents listen and respond to them. Your baby coos; you coo back. Your baby listens, then giggles; you giggle back. You can see the delight in your baby's eyes as you take turns communicating back and forth. Talk in the language you know best. If you speak more than one language, talk to your baby in whatever language you feel most comfortable. Babies need to hear language spoken correctly, so that they can most easily figure out the rules of grammar. Once they've got the idea in one language (for example, Spanish, if that's what you speak best), they can easily pick up a second language (such as English). Read out loud. It doesn't matter what you read, as long as you make your voice lively. Poetry is wonderful, because the rhythms and rhymes make the language vivid for babies. Choose board books that are durable and designed not to rip, and that have bright, simple pictures. For more on reading aloud, see Literacy in Babies: Birth to Six Months. Sing songs. Babies love songs, because the rhythms, rhymes, and melody all make the language come alive. If you know some nursery rhymes, and you like them, great. If you know pop tunes, they're good, too. If you don't know any songs, make up nonsense rhymes. Your baby will love these all the same. Play with your baby. See what your child is interested in, and join in the fun. If your baby has found a pot to bang on, you can say "bang" when he bangs, or find something to bang on yourself while sitting next to your child. How can you tell if you're doing it right? If his face is serious and concentrated, he's engaged and learning. If he's smiling or giggling, he's also learning. If he's fussing irritably or laughing too excitedly, it may be time to move on to a quieter activity or take a break.
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