Born to Talk: An Introduction to Speech and Language Development

Now in its Fourth Edition, Born to Talk: An Introduction to Speech and Language Development traces development through real time with attention to how the various components of language are integrated in a single child's journey to adult language.

 

Suitable for majors and non-majors, undergraduate and graduate students alike, this text provides a comprehensive view of speech and language development written in a reader-friendly manner. In addition to a real-time presentation of speech and language development, the book contains information on theories of language development, cognitive development, the anatomy and physiology of speech, language diversity, and communication disorders. It also includes revised sections on African American English, Hispanic English, cultural diversity in the public schools, adolescent and adult language, and a much expanded section on fluency disorders.

 

The Fourth Edition features a new and unique chapter on bilingualism.  It has been updated throughout with to reflect current research and topics, such as Asian English. To improve the organization, Ch 10 is condensed and information on anatomy and physiology has been moved to the Appendix.  Four new tables are added to visually supplement the text.

“I would like to thank the authors for writing one of the best books available for the course that I teach. I would like to encourage them to continue updating and expanding the book so that it remains the premier text for speech and language development courses, particularly at the undergraduate level.”
—Bertha Smith Clark, Middle Tennessee State University

“This is a very good introductory level book.”
—Robert Ackerman, East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania

“The pedagogical features are one of the many things I really like about Born to Talk. The chapter objectives are great for giving students a mental outline before they start reading the chapter. The review questions at the end of the chapters hit on the key points and are a great study tool for students. The tables and charts supplement the text very nicely and highlight key points.”
—Ellen Stubbe Kester, The University of Texas at Austin

Highlights of the New Edition

• A new chapter, “One Tongue – Two or More Languages,” thoroughly addresses the issue of bilingualism, a topic often under represented in competing language development texts.
• Chapter 10—“Speech and Language Disorders”—has been condensed to present information on phonological, voice and fluency disorders in a basic fashion.
• Four new tables have been added to visually supplement the text (Chs. 1, 6 and 8).
• References have been updated throughout the text, insuring currency and accuracy of information.
• Substantive changes have been incorporated to the contents of many chapters to keep the text up-to-date and competitive in the speech and language development discipline (Chs. 1-6 and 8).
• Chapter 8—“Language Diversity: Regional, Social/Cultural, and Gender Differences”—now contains a section on Asian English, a new “hot topic” in language texts.
• Inclusion of information on the anatomy and physiology that supports speech, language, and hearing in human beings has been moved from the body of the book to a supportive role in the Appendix.