How Babies Talk: How Babies Talk: The Magic and Mystery of Language in the First Three Years of Life

This terrific book is a very readable overview of how babies and toddlers learn to communicate, first without words and then with words. The book has occasional boxes with tips for things that we parents can do with our kids to observe their language development and to help them develop their language, too. The book is very reassuring for parents whose kids may be slower to get to that first word. I've recommended it to a lot of new parents and they've enjoyed it, too. This is not a great choice for someone who is looking for something more technical with brain scans or linguistic analysis. It's definitely for readers who are parents, will soon be parents, or who work in childcare settings.

I looked and looked for a book like this. I just wanted to learn how a baby manages to learn language - and why my daughter's first ten words included such irrelevant words as 'duck' and 'buckle.'The book does an excellent job at explaining just how scientists believe a child is learning at each stage. It also explains the experiments that they use and how the conclusions are reached - fascinating. This is NOT a book to help you guage whether or not your child needs assistance. This is NOT a book to make your baby into a super-baby. This is a book that gives you clear insight into how his mind is developing. I would buy this book for anyone with a baby.

I found this book extraordinarily helpful in understanding and tracking my daugher's learning. I gained three valuable insights from this book: (1) a clearer understanding of how language acquisition occurs (2) specific examples of how I can assist my child with the language acquisition process (3) a valuable insight to how much my daughter can understand prior to her ability to communicate it.This book brought additional enjoyment because after reading this book, I immediately noticed additional examples of my daughter's progression in language learning that I'd previously overlooked. Additionally, the book contains a balanced mixture of research and specific examples. This combination makes it both credible and readable. I actually found it hard to put down, which is very impressive for a research based book!I'd also highly recommend Baby Signs by Linda Acredolo

How Babies Talk is a fascinating study that puts the latest discoveries from the Infant Language Laboratory of Temple University and the Infant Language Project at the University of Delaware into the hands of parents everywhere. Written in an easy style and organized in a usable form, this highly useful book belongs in nurseries everywhere. In the introduction the background of our knowledge of language growth is summarized, and the reader is brought up to date on the importance of this new field of study of the development of the very young. Then the first chapter actually discusses the language experiences of the child who is still in the womb and gives suggestions on early stimulation and interaction. Next, the auditory and verbal environment of the infant is addressed. Equipped with the very latest research on what the best environment for the very young is, the new parent can enter into the child's world with confidence that what is being done will insure the best foundation the child could possibly have. Each chapter covers a new stage of development from four months of age to thirty-six months. First the stage of development is discussed and then questions that may arise are answered. Difficulties are also addressed, such as "When should you worry?" and "It's never too early to start learning a second language." Questions that have always troubled parents are answered with up to the minute research and experience. Then, at the end of each chapter, is a feature entitled "Try This:" that will involve the parent with the child in an interactive activity. How Babies Talk is a book that parents have needed for a very long time, and it will answer more questions than most of us have thought to ask. It belongs in every home where young children are growing up.

This is a must for every parent!! The most concise, understandable and enjoyable book about how children acquire language. If you have children or grandchildren get this book.