Language development in infancy—promoting actions

• A. Providing only non-linguistic cues
• B. Limiting exposure to sounds
• C. Talking to the infant, reading to the infant, and responding to coos and babbles
• D. Isolating the infant from conversations

Answer: (C)

Promoting language development in infancy relies on interactive, responsive communication between caregiver and child. When you talk to the infant, read to them, and respond to coos and babbles, you provide rich auditory input, model speech sounds and words, and give the infant social feedback that encourages turn-taking and imitation. This back-and-forth exchange helps the infant map sounds to meanings, expands vocabulary, and lays the groundwork for later language skills. In contrast, relying only on non-linguistic cues, limiting exposure to sounds, or isolating the infant from conversations deprives the child of essential language exposure and social interaction needed to develop communication abilities.