The spoken language is a key element of development. It provides the child with a means of interaction with others and is the cornerstone of their success in school and later in life. Understanding how a child acquires language is important for both theory and practice. This book analyzes both of these aspects.

Asimina Ralli describes to the reader what happens in a child's development when they learn to speak and understand, as well as the underlying mechanisms of this development. By highlighting the challenges of understanding language development, the author systematically covers the main theoretical approaches. In this way, she lays the foundations on which those studying child development will build to further expand their knowledge.

The comprehensive text by Asimina Ralli breaks away from the beaten path of most books dealing with language development, presenting an integrated overview of the different phases of language learning, including a chapter on bilingualism and a complete overview of the research methods used to study language development.

Finally, an important feature of the book is that it includes a chapter on children facing difficulties in language development. The author describes them as “children with special educational needs.” Finally, I would like to highlight the contribution of the author herself to this field. Asimina Ralli has tirelessly worked since her first postgraduate study on vocabulary acquisition to broaden our understanding of how children learn language. This text is yet another example of her dedication to this mission.

Contents:

Usage rights || Preface || Introduction || Conceptual definitions || Critical and sensitive period for language development || Historical theoretical approaches to language development || Modern theories of language development || Research methodology for the study of language development || Infancy and preschool age || School and adolescent age || Bilingualism and multilingualism || Language development in children with special educational needs || General appendix || Glossary || Index of terms