Article Summary
Research Question
In this paper, the authors investigate the factors that influence the development of language skills, including oral language, in young children. Researchers recognize the multiplicity of such factors: upbringing, environmental aspects, and genetic patterns in all their manifestations (Fernando et al., 2020). One of the work’s primary thoughts is that the destructive or deficient influence of such factors can lead to pathologies. For example, the authors see speech development disorders as a delay in the development of verbal skills or as a partial or complete inability to use linguistic symbols for oral communication.
Method and Findings
For their own study, Fernando et al. conduct a statistical chi-square analysis to determine differences in the developmental level of linguistic skills in young children. The results of this analysis explain the influence of specific factors on language proficiency. For example, it was found that the child’s democratic parenting style, more significant family income, and adequate cognitive development of the parents were more likely to result in the normal development of linguistic skills. Understanding these patterns, driven by statistical analysis, helps predict opportunities for developing young children’s language skills and personalizing the parenting process.
Key Concepts from the Study
Parenting
The first idea expressed by the authors and evaluated with the data is that a democratic parenting style proves to be more advantageous for the effective linguistic development of a child compared to authoritarian and condescending styles. In other words, when parents recognize a child’s freedoms and rights to express themselves, do not limit their choices, and do not allocate family roles rigidly and traditionally, it benefits the toddler.
Most likely, this conclusion can be conditioned by the child’s feeling of inner safety. In such a family, the child has no fear of being seriously punished or encountering domestic violence, including psychological violence. Without internal fears of being hurt, the child is more amenable to learning and is motivated to spend time with their parents, including learning the language. In addition, it cannot be excluded that such a child sets the parents as an example and tends to imitate them; seeing how they use language, the child unconsciously mimics their actions, which helps develop linguistic skills.
Income
An interesting observation from the Fernando et al. article was that families with higher household incomes have more effective language skill development. In this regard, I was born with an ambiguous view of this finding. On the one hand, poorer parents are forced to live under constant stress, which negatively affects the child and generates fear.
Among other things, such parents are forced to work more to provide for the family — this means that the amount of free time they can spend with the child and deal with his upbringing is drastically reduced. Nevertheless, the opposite is also true: more affluent parents usually have to work hard to earn more money, which also affects the development of a child’s linguistic abilities. However, it is not unlikely that wealthy parents will have the opportunity to hire a babysitter for their toddlers, which will help educate and develop essential communication skills.
Cognitive Development
Fernando et al. also pointed out that normal parental cognitive development leads to the normal development of the toddler’s language abilities, as opposed to questionable parental development. As with past concepts, the core of this idea seems clear: balanced, sober parents can feel more comfortable and secure, which also translates to the toddler. Emotionally developed and sensible parents do not require the child to speed up development and adequately deal with their requests, interests, and needs. Consequently, the child feels cared for and safe in the presence of parents and is more motivated to learn.
Summary
This paper proposes to study a research article on promoting the linguistic development of young children. The paper used a statistical approach to assess three varied factors’ influence on this development’s trends. Hence, Fernando et al.’s key findings were that increased income, adequate parental cognitive development, and a democratic approach to parenting were predictors of normal child language development.
Reference
Fernando, F., Pebrina, M., & Fransisca, D. (2020). Factors that affect language development and speech in toddlers. Proceeding International Conference Syedza Saintika, 1(1), 295-302.