Development of Language, The

by Jean Berko Gleason, Nan Bernstein Ratner

Note: This is the bound book only and does not include access to the Enhanced Pearson eText. To order the Enhanced Pearson eText packaged with a bound book, use ISBN 013441201X. Featuring a multi-disciplinary approach and chapters written by outstanding scholars known for their expertise in the areas they discuss The Development of Language focuses on language acquisition throughout the lifespan, with new coverage of linguistic achievements in the first year of life and through the middle school years. It examines what we know about language development using biological, social, and cultural contexts, while also investigating individual differences, atypical development, literacy, and language development in adults. Each chapter is written by world-renowned scholars and cutting-edge researchers, and each chapter provides a helpful summary, list of key words, a comprehensive text glossary explaining each term, and extensive links to video resources that help bring the concepts to clarity, through examples of child communication behaviors, insights into how research into child language is conducted, and first person interviews with influential researchers in the field. The new edition emphasizes language development in children who are learning languages other than English or are bilingual and includes new information about children with risk factors for language delay or disorder. Within each topical area, such as speech production, vocabulary, syntax, pragmatics, and literacy, the authors integrate discussion of potential problems or differences in how children learn the various aspects of language. Cultural influences that lead to group and individual variation in children s language environments and profiles of language development are addressed throughout. The Enhanced Pearson eText features embedded videos. Improve mastery and retention with the Enhanced Pearson eText*
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Genres: Linguistics, Language, Psychology, School, Parenting, Teaching, Education

432 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 1985

Reviews

[Sirr Tahirah · Rating 4 out of 5]

good intro but i dislike several factors. also note that i read the 7th edition and did not both paying more for the 8th.

the summary is that this is a good generalized textbook with accurate information to the field of FLA. however i felt like information in this and other resources are presented as givens with little room for variation, which is what occurs in reality. that is, not every child acquires specific milestones at the same age. these are averages and generalizations. it doesn't take into account children of other backgrounds, for example the social issues that may influence child first language (or simultaneous multi/bi lingual) aquisition. poverty, immigrants (from what cultures?), single parent households, different non-mainstream educational challenges were generally not presented. it spoke briefly about deaf and autistic acquisition points. additionally it did not cover that sequential bilingualism is actually L2, which doesn't mean too much in terms of the information. ONLY that there are a lot more variables in acquisition and i felt this textbook did not take such things into account as it should have. the audience is a generalized student population, and i have children so i know a thing or two about it. i am able to test out some of these 'givens' and offer exceptional evidence to some "given milestones" and it bothers me that "scientists" come into the field learning things which may or may not be true. fortunately i had an awesome teacher to accompany the text.

i do not have an alternative "better" or more appropriate text and i would suggest this still as an introduction, after acknowledging these points to the students of such a text. they might also learn that through an assignment where they are expected to collect data, and analyze it in a write up, an academic term paper with specific standards. (I took SLA theory first so this textbook was really light in comparison, and focused more on the stating information vice learning to collect info. I suggest for SLA/Data collection on FLA/SLA Ellis & Barkhuizen actually.)

[Ellen · Rating 5 out of 5]

A textbook that's well-written, in-depth and fascinating is a rare treasure. This is a wonderful introduction to the very complex physical, cognitive, psychological and social aspects of receptive and expressive language development - typical and atypical - from birth to old age. Brilliant insight #1: Women have two language centers of the brain and men only have one, making it doubly difficult for men to process their own internal language as well as the language of others. As men age, their ability to process language decreases which explains why they start to shut down verbally and why men are less likely to recover verbal ability after a stroke than women.

[Merry Packard Gravett]

I actually read the 7th edition, published in 2009, but Good Reads doesn't have it. It was okay. I'm not really educationally/occupationally interested in first language development, but the information was interesting and I'm sure I'll think about it again when I have my own kids!

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Probably the best resource I have found for normal lang. development. Simple enough for an undergrad, but still useful later on.

[Ariellathomas · Rating 3 out of 5]

Helpful to understand the development of language in young children.

[Rebekah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read it for my Second Language Acquisition class. It was really well written and interesting.

[Jennyrose Salvador]

It about language aquisition.