A good starting point is to understand the role of language in children's lives, and indeed in our own. Language is used in all sorts of ways. First, it's a tool for communication. We use it to let others know what we want and also to understand what others are saying to us. This alone is important, because once children have mastered enough language to do this, they become less frustrated and usually far more co-operative. Strong language is also needed to develop friendships and, once in school, to read and write.
Thinking and listening
While the benefits of language for communication are impressive, perhaps the real magic in language is the way that it allows us to think, reason and make new connections in our minds. This is the point when children start to ask very interesting questions such as, 'How does the water in clouds stay up there?' or 'Where was I before I was born?'
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