Contents
Foreword Barb Wilder-Smith xi
Acknowledgments xiii
Introduction 1

PART I: THE SCIENCE OF INFANT AND TODDLER LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT

1. The Nurturing Role of Teachers 7
How to Nurture Healthy Relationships 7
Teachers as Language Models 13
Next Steps for Teachers, Parents, and Caregivers 16

2. The Power of 7% 17
The Words-to-Meaning Ratio 18
Five Ways Healthy Receptive Language Builds a Child’s Brain 20
Next Steps for Teachers, Parents, and Caregivers 22

3. The Five Components of Comprehensive, Meaning-Based Language 23
The 5 Language Links for Meaning-Based Communication 23
Next Steps for Teachers, Parents, and Caregivers 30

4. Receptive and Expressive Language Development Birth-to-3 31
Early Brain Development in Infants and Toddlers—the Invisible Learning Years 31
Early Language Development in Infants and Toddlers 34
Receptive and Expressive Language—Birth to 3 Months 37
Expressive Language in Infants 4 to 12 Months Old 39
Expressive Language in Toddlers 12 to 36 Months Old 41
Receptive Language in Toddlers, Infants, and Newborns 41
Next Steps for Teachers, Parents, and Caregivers 45

5. The COVID-19 Effect: A New Generation of Learners 46
Who Is the COVID Generation? 46
Socializing as a Prerequisite for Comprehensive Language Development 47
Post COVID-19 Outcomes 51
Next Steps for Teachers, Parents, and Caregivers—Discussion Questions 52

6. When Can They Hear You? The Three States of Being 53
Kids in the Red State—Survival 53
Kids in the Blue State—Emotional 55
Kids in the Green State—Executive 59
Next Steps for Teachers, Parents, and Caregivers 61

7. The Four Steps to Active Listening 62
How Infants and Toddlers Process Your Words 62
Best Practice Conversation 65
Next Steps for Teachers, Parents, and Caregivers 67

8. The Syntax of Sentences 68
Layering Language Intentionally—The Five Sentence Types 70
Syntax to Avoid 83
Next Steps for Teachers, Parents, and Caregivers 88

PART II: INTENTIONAL LANGUAGE IN ACTION

9. Ten Linguistic Guidelines for Using Language Intentionally 91
1. I Connect Before I Expect 91
2. I Mean What I Say, and I Say What I Mean 92
3. I Create Side-by-Side Silence 92
4. I Speak in Short, Complete Sentences of Six Words or Less 93
5. I Talk With My Hands 94
6. I Lead With “Yes” 95
7. I Turn “Are You” Questions Into “You Are” Statements 96
8. I Do Not Force Apologies 96
9. I Harness the Magic of Music, Movement, and Melody 99
10. I Do a Linguistic Form Check, Then B.E.N.D. 101

10. Using Intentional Language to Connect, Compromise, and Collaborate With Infants/Toddlers 102
The Trigger-Trap Reaction Cycle 102
Language That Anchors Attention 104
Developmental Points to Remember 108

11. Using Intentional Language to Develop Infant/Toddler’s Emotional Intelligence and Regulation 110
The Power of Pronouns: I, You, and We 111
How to Answer Yes/No Questions 114
I’m Here and I’ll Wait 115
Developmental Points to Remember 117

12. Using Intentional Language to Develop Infant/Toddler’s Identity and Sense of Self 119
Language That Empowers 119
Developmental Points to Remember 126

13. Using Intentional Language to Develop Infant/Toddler’s Cognitive Problem-Solving Skills 127
Choosing Words That Inspire 127
Developmental Points to Remember 132

14. Using Intentional Language to Empower Infants/Toddlers’ Early Choice-Making and Ownership of Consequences 133
Choosing Words That Encourage Choice-Making 133
The “5-to-1 & Done” Choice-Making Framework 137
Developmental Points to Remember 140

Concluding Thoughts 141
References 143
Appendix A: How to Respond to Child-Initiated Conversation 148
Appendix B: How to Engage Children Through Adult-Initiated Conversation 151
Index 153
About the Author 159

Talk to Them Early and Often

A Caregiver's Guide to Intentional Language Development for Infants and Toddlers