Question

Write an agreement paragraph.

What I found particularly interesting about this week's chapter is the action of infant directed speech. Many times I would read online about how parents particularly avoid speaking to their child in a "baby- like" manner, because this is detrimental to their language development, and if it is not beneficial then there is no use for it. So naturally, I took the view that speaking to babies in this manner does not benefit them in their development. I've seen many people say speaking to a baby like an adult causes them to develop faster because they are speaking "proper" . For example, using full sentences causes a baby to be able to form grammatically correct sentences according to syntactic rules faster than babies who experienced IDS. However, it is mindblowing for me to find out how IDS actually contributes to the environment infants need in order to aid in their language development. This is because infants prefer IDS compared to ADS, which was confirmed in the largest infant study to date using 2000 babies across the world. So the exaggerated pitch and facial expressions attract their attention, causing them to pay attention to an adult's words and (for example) learn how to discriminate between vowel sounds. Overall, it was very shocking for me to see something I thought was wrong, is actually correct and this attention aids them in their overall language development.

Answer 1

In light of this week's chapter, I would like to acknowledge and express my agreement with the insights regarding infant-directed speech (IDS). What I found particularly intriguing is the way IDS contributes significantly to the language development of infants. I must admit that I previously held the belief, like many others, that speaking to infants in a more "baby-like" manner might not be beneficial and could even hinder their linguistic growth. This perspective often led to the avoidance of IDS in favor of what was perceived as more "adult" speech.

However, the chapter has reshaped my understanding. It has brought to my attention that IDS plays a pivotal role in creating the ideal environment for infants' language development. Contrary to my prior belief, research indicates that infants prefer IDS over adult-directed speech (ADS). This preference is so widespread that it was confirmed in the largest infant study to date, which involved 2000 infants from diverse backgrounds across the world. The exaggerated pitch and facial expressions characteristic of IDS capture infants' attention, drawing them into the world of language.

Furthermore, the chapter illustrates that IDS contributes to vital processes, such as the development of an infant's ability to discriminate between vowel sounds. This newfound appreciation for the importance of IDS in language development has challenged my previous assumptions and underscored the significance of providing infants with a nurturing linguistic environment.

In conclusion, I am in agreement with the revelations presented in this chapter, which have reshaped my perspective on IDS. It is indeed remarkable to realize that what I once thought to be incorrect is, in fact, an essential and beneficial component of infants' language development.