Infant and Toddler Development

Observation 4: Infant & Toddler Language Development (Birth – 36 Months)
Objective:
Spend two hours observing in an infant and/or toddler room at an early education site, focusing on language development. During your observation, look for evidence of the following:

1. Classroom Language:
   o What types of language do you hear in the classroom? Provide examples.
   o What types of language do you see in the classroom? Provide examples
2. Use of Books:
   o Observe how adults use books with children. What strategies do they use to engage children’s interest?
   o How do they keep children’s attention on the books?
   o Are books used in one-on-one interactions, small groups, or both?
3. Fostering Language Development:
   o How do adults support language development? For example, do they ask questions, read books, or play games involving sounds and words?
4. Guidelines for Fostering Literacy:
   o Refer to the “Ten Guidelines for Fostering Literacy in Infants and Toddlers” from Chapter 9. Identify how many of these guidelines are being used to promote literacy.
5. Focus on One Child:
   o Select one child to observe closely. How does this child use language to communicate?
   o Does the child use language to express needs? Provide examples of both receptive (understanding) and expressive (speaking) language.
6. Routine Times:
   o Observe language used during different routine times (e.g., meal times, playtime, diaper changes).
   o Provide multiple examples from various routine interactions observed during the two-hour period.
   Assignment Requirements:
7. Observation Documentation:
   o Provide five examples for each of the concepts listed above, documenting your observations.
8. Reflective Paper (2-3 Pages):
   o Using your field notes, write a 2-3 page paper on infant and toddler cognitive and language development.
   o Include explanations of why cognitive and language development is important for infants and toddlers, with examples from your observation. Mention both observed and unobserved behaviors, where relevant.
   Submission:
   • Observation Notes: Submit photos of your field notes.
   • Reflective Paper: Upload your completed paper.
   • Tracking Form: Ensure Observation 4 is included on the tracking form.