How children develop new skills

This content is from
pages 14 to 15 of Helping Children Who Are Deaf

Every child develops in 4 main areas: body (physical), thinking (mental), talking and listening (communication), and getting along with other people (social). In each area, a child learns new skills step by step.

For example, before a child can learn to walk, she must first learn many simple kinds of body control:

1. First, she learns to hold her head up and to move her arms and legs.	2. Then she can use her arms and legs to sit up.

3. While sitting, she can reach and turn, which improves her balance.

4. Crawling helps her learn to coordinate her arms and legs, which also helps her brain develop.	5. Then she pulls herself up to a standing position.

Each new skill builds on already-learned skills, like building blocks.

In all areas of development, each new skill a child learns builds on the skills she already knows and makes it possible for her to learn other, more difficult skills.

When a child does not learn a skill, she cannot learn other skills that depend on it. For example, if she has difficulty holding up her head, she will then have difficulty learning skills like sitting or crawling, in which holding up the head is important.

Children's communication skills and language also develop step by step

Children's language develops in the same way as their physical skills. They learn simple skills first.

1. Babies begin to express their thoughts, needs, and feelings by making sounds or using facial expressions and pointing.	2. They hear and understand other people's words.
Do you want some more?	Where is mama?
3. They begin to use words. They know and use names of the people closest to them.	4. Later they start to talk and express themselves more completely.
Nana? Yes, sweetheart?	Can I have some?
5. Words help them think and learn new things.	All clean! That's right, Mari.