Language And Language: The Importance Of Language Development

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Introduction
Language plays a fundamental role in the experiences of a child’s everyday life. Language can be both seen and heard in the words we use, our body language, how something is said, gestures, posture, facial expressions and body movements. Language can be oral, written, sign language and brail. Language can be diverse, for example, there are more than 6000 natural languages in the world, 400 of which are spoken in Australia (Woolfolk & Margetts, 2013) and over 200 different types of sign language. Language changes over time to accommodate cultures needs and values (Woolfolk & Margetts, 2013). Language can be standard. In Australia, English is the standard language as it is spoken by majority of the population. It is therefore the most socially valued and most appropriate for formal and educational purposes (Fellowes & Oakley, 2014). With out language there is no communication, a need that is had by all human beings to feel connected. If children cannot speak and listen effectively, they are disadvantaged in many ways (Fellowes & Oakley, 2014), which is why the Early Years Learning Framework (DEEWR, 2009) includes an ability to communicate effectively as …show more content…

Oral language is a skill acquired naturally by the young, it is a platform for learning to read and write (Fellowes & Oakley, 2014). When babies are first born they can absorb the statistic, or different sounds, of the world’s languages. By the time they reach one year of age they change from citizens of the world to cultural bound citizens, only understanding the statistics from their own culture (Tedtalksdirector, 2011). Bilingual children however, need to keep 2 sets of statistics and switch between them both as needed (Tedtalksdirector,

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