Talk to Me, Baby! How You Can Support Young Children's Language Development (Bardige)

Learn more about this book:

Table of Contents

Read the press release

Download an excerpt on
Tips for Talking with Toddlers

Boost young children's language development—just by talking to them!

New!
Talk to Me, Baby!
How You Can Support Young Children's Language Development
By Betty S. Bardige, Ed.D.

"This book contains a wealth of good ideas for things to do with children, activities inviting individual adaptations, and creativity. The chapters on learning to read are among the best a reader is likely to find." —Betty Hart, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus of Human Development and Senior Scientist, Schiefelbusch Institute for Life Span Studies, the University of Kansas

Playful, engaging talk with young children is much more than a social activity: it's the foundation of language, intellectual, and social-emotional development, and it's also the key to narrowing the achievement gap between children from different socioeconomic backgrounds. Now there's a practical, easy-to-read guidebook that shows professionals and parents how to talk to and play with young children in ways that directly support their emerging language skills.

With passion, warmth, and wisdom, early education expert Betty Bardige takes readers on a fascinating tour through six stages in a young child's language development—starting with the "baby babbles"of infancy and ending with the early literacy skills of the preschool and kindergarten years. For each stage, readers will

boost language skills with fun and easy activities that build on children's natural curiosity
get specific, research-based tips on how to talk to children of diverse backgrounds and temperaments, from encouraging their first words to answering their questions
tune into the questions children ask and the stories they tell—with and without words
understand the typical milestones of language development
explore the language challenges children might encounter and how to help
help bilingual children develop skills in both languages
select playful, age-appropriate books, songs, and poems to share and enjoy together
build communities that support every child's language development, as well as their emotional security, confidence, and overall healthy development

A lively, compelling read, this book includes vivid examples of successful adult-child interactions, accessible summaries of what the latest studies say about language development, and a helpful study guide perfect for individual study or group trainings.

Essential reading for all early childhood professionals—and a must to share with parents of infants and young children—Talk to Me, Baby! will support interactions that capture children's imagination, strengthen communicative confidence, and build a framework for lasting success in school.

Talk to Me, Baby! How You Can Support Young Children's Language Development

ORDERING INFO
ISBN 978-1-55766-977-3
Paperback
312 pages / 6 x 9
2009 / $24.95
Stock# 69773

Table of Contents

About the Author
Foreword
Joanne Knapp-Philo
Preface
Acknowledgments

1. The Power of Play Talk
2. Baby Babbles: Birth–1½ Years
3: First Words, First Stories: 10 Months–21⁄2 Years
4: Off Like a Rocket:11⁄2–21⁄2 Years
5. What Will They Think of Next? 21⁄2–5 Years
6. From Language to Literacy: 4–6+ Years
7. Building Language—Supporting Communities

References
Resources for Parents and Providers
Talk to Me, Baby! Study Guide
Worksheets and Handouts for Practictioners and Parent/Teacher Educators
Index