Language Development in Young Children

Hello Friends,

Have you noticed that Early Childhood seems to be on the minds of many in recent days from President Obama down? There was a great article in the New York Times today on the differences in language development between poor children and their more affluent peers. The article emphasizes the importance of the development of oral language for all children and addresses how one study shows how poorer moms can be taught to talk to their children more to decrease the gap. We hear so much about the achievement gap and just think, it starts with very young children. 

The Times article can be accessed here:  http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/04/10/the-power-of-talking-to-your-baby/?ref=opinion

What are your thoughts about language development in young children and how it affects skill development?