Week 3 – Discussion 1

Your initial discussion thread is due on Day 3 (Thursday) and you have until Day 7 (Monday) to respond to your classmates. Your grade will reflect both the quality of your initial post and the depth of your responses. Refer to the Discussion Forum Grading Rubric under the Settings icon above for guidance on how your discussion will be evaluated.

Language Development Milestones

Piper (2012) states, “Cognitive development occurs before children are able to use language. Once they begin to acquire language, that growth is accelerated because language and cognition are intricately linked” (p.166). Having an understanding of the child’s development is essential to support the creation of appropriate learning activities based on children’s developmental stages. You will explore the cognitive and language development milestones and consider what activities you would recommend to parents/guardians to ensure optimum cognitive development to enhance learning in children 0 to 3years of age.

To prepare for your discussion,

• Please refer to the Week 3 Guidance for further tips and examples that will support your success on this discussion.
• Read: Piper, T. (2012).
  • Chapter 5: Language and Cognitive Growth
  • Chapter 6: Developmental Milestones
• View the following videos:
  • Age 2 Cognitive Development MilestonesLinks to an external site.
  • Age 2 Language MilestonesLinks to an external site.
  • Age 3 Cognitive Development MilestonesLinks to an external site.
  • Age 3 Language MilestonesLinks to an external site.
• Review the All Developmental Milestones: Guide to Baby’s Speech and Language DevelopmentLinks to an external site..

For your initial discussion, address the following in your post, including evidence from the readings to support your response:

• Describe the major milestones for cognitive and language development in children 0 to 3. Include at least three major milestones from 0 to 1 year, 1 year to 2 years, and 2 years to 3 years of age.
• Explain one activity at each level that families could engage in to support cognitive and language development in the home.

Week 3 – Discussion 2

Your initial discussion thread is due on Day 3 (Thursday) and you have until Day 7 (Monday) to respond to your classmates. Your grade will reflect both the quality of your initial post and the depth of your responses. Refer to the Discussion Forum Grading Rubric under the Settings icon above for guidance on how your discussion will be evaluated.

Language Development Activity

In the textbook Chapter 5, cognitive development is explained in tandem with language acquisition. Developing activities that promote positive cognitive development and language acquisition learning experiences is a practice that early childhood professionals engage in frequently. In this discussion, you will develop a language development activity for your selected developmental level.

To prepare for your discussion,

• Please refer to the Week 3 Guidance for further tips and examples that will support your success on this discussion.

For your initial discussion, address the following in your post, including evidence from the readings to support your lesson:

• Title your post the title of your lesson plan and chosen developmental level (infant, toddler, preschool). For example, “Exploring Familiar Objects with Toddlers.”
• Create an activity that supports cognitive and language development that is developmentally appropriate for the chosen developmental level. Complete the table with elaborate details and explanation.

Cognitive and Language Development Activity 

Activity Requirements

Example

Materials

In this section, write specifically what you will need for this activity. 

Example: book, plastic, apple, stuffed dog, ball

Objective

In this section, write specifically what the child will learn with this activity. 

Example: Children will be able to point to five familiar objects.

Activity Description

In this section, detail what specifically will take place during the activity. 

Example: While sitting on the floor or safe space with a child, slowly place the five objects in arm’s reach of the child. Give the child time to look at the objects and explore each one. Ask the child, “Where is the _______. Point to the ________.” If the child identifies the correct object, praise the child’s correct response by repeating the name of the object. “Yea! Yes, that is the ball!” If the child is incorrect, be sure to provide them with correction in a positive manner. “This is the ball. Here is the cup.”

Reflection on how this activity supports cognitive and Language Development

In this section, describe how this activity supports cognitive and language development and developmental milestones using Chapters 5 and 6 as support.