Contents Foreword Barb Wilder-Smith xi Acknowledgments xiii Introduction 1 PART I: THE SCIENCE OF INFANT AND TODDLER LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT 1. The Nurturing Role of Teachers 7 How to Nurture Healthy Relationships 7 Teachers as Language Models 13 Next Steps for Teachers, Parents, and Caregivers 16 2. The Power of 7% 17 The Words-to-Meaning Ratio 18 Five Ways Healthy Receptive Language Builds a Child''s Brain 20 Next Steps for Teachers, Parents, and Caregivers 22 3. The Five Components of Comprehensive, Meaning-Based Language 23 The 5 Language Links for Meaning-Based Communication 23 Next Steps for Teachers, Parents, and Caregivers 30 4. Receptive and Expressive Language Development Birth-to-3 31 Early Brain Development in Infants and Toddlers--the Invisible Learning Years 31 Early Language Development in Infants and Toddlers 34 Receptive and Expressive Language--Birth to 3 Months 37 Expressive Language in Infants 4 to 12 Months Old 39 Expressive Language in Toddlers 12 to 36 Months Old 41 Receptive Language in Toddlers, Infants, and Newborns 41 Next Steps for Teachers, Parents, and Caregivers 45 5. The COVID-19 Effect: A New Generation of Learners 46 Who Is the COVID Generation? 46 Socializing as a Prerequisite for Comprehensive Language Development 47 Post COVID-19 Outcomes 51 Next Steps for Teachers, Parents, and Caregivers--Discussion Questions 52 6. When Can They Hear You? The Three States of Being 53 Kids in the Red State--Survival 53 Kids in the Blue State--Emotional 55 Kids in the Green State--Executive 59 Next Steps for Teachers, Parents, and Caregivers 61 7. The Four Steps to Active Listening 62 How Infants and Toddlers Process Your Words 62 Best Practice Conversation 65 Next Steps for Teachers, Parents, and Caregivers 67 8.

The Syntax of Sentences 68 Layering Language Intentionally--The Five Sentence Types 70 Syntax to Avoid 83 Next Steps for Teachers, Parents, and Caregivers 88 PART II: INTENTIONAL LANGUAGE IN ACTION 9. Ten Linguistic Guidelines for Using Language Intentionally 91 1. I Connect Before I Expect 91 2. I Mean What I Say, and I Say What I Mean 92 3. I Create Side-by-Side Silence 92 4. I Speak in Short, Complete Sentences of Six Words or Less 93 5. I Talk With My Hands 94 6. I Lead With "Yes" 95 7.

I Turn "Are You" Questions Into "You Are" Statements 96 8. I Do Not Force Apologies 96 9. I Harness the Magic of Music, Movement, and Melody 99 10. I Do a Linguistic Form Check, Then B.E.N.D. 101 10.

Using Intentional Language to Connect, Compromise, and Collaborate With Infants/Toddlers 102 The Trigger-Trap Reaction Cycle 102 Language That Anchors Attention 104 Developmental Points to Remember 108 11. Using Intentional Language to Develop Infant/Toddler''s Emotional Intelligence and Regulation 110 The Power of Pronouns: I, You, and We 111 How to Answer Yes/No Questions 114 I''m Here and I''ll Wait 115 Developmental Points to Remember 117 12. Using Intentional Language to Develop Infant/Toddler''s Identity and Sense of Self 119 Language That Empowers 119 Developmental Points to Remember 126 13. Using Intentional Language to Develop Infant/Toddler''s Cognitive Problem-Solving Skills 127 Choosing Words That Inspire 127 Developmental Points to Remember 132 14. Using Intentional Language to Empower Infants/Toddlers'' Early Choice-Making and Ownership of Consequences 133 Choosing Words That Encourage Choice-Making 133 The "5-to-1 & Done" Choice-Making Framework 137 Developmental Points to Remember 140 Concluding Thoughts 141 References 143 Appendix A: How to Respond to Child-Initiated Conversation 148 Appendix B: How to Engage Children Through Adult-Initiated Conversation 151 Index 153 About the Author 159.