Language and Thought (Links to an external site.)

Take a look at this first video and think about this question: How does language shape the way that you think? Notice, if you will, that there’s an internal dialog as you think about this question.

Now take a look at these two. This video (Links to an external site.)is very dry but it gets better the more your apply your knowledge of developmental psychology to it. And then ask yourself how that one relates to this one: The more scientific aspect of language. (Links to an external site.)

Altogether we’ve already seen from some of the earlier videos, as well as these, that the capacity for children to pick up on and learn language is amazing. Consider as well what the lecture reading and text say about language development?

Here are some things to ponder. What can parents and educators do to facilitate language development? You probably don’t remember learning to speak, but you might remember something from when you were learning to read? If so that would be cool to share. And what about being bilingual? Many of you indicated some degree of bilingualism. The lecture readings and text indicate a number of advantages. Do those of you who are bilingual feel it has afforded you some advantages? In which language do you do most of your thinking?