Communication by Eye Contact
Children are born with a sense of communication that they show through the use of eye contact and then it is ended with the baby looks away.
When a baby is around 3 to 4 months they will begin to look in the same general direction as an adult is but they do not refine this skill up until 10 to 12 months of age. Because by this age, babies learn that others use their focus to talk about an actual object.
When a baby is around 3 to 4 months they will begin to look in the same general direction as an adult is but they do not refine this skill up until 10 to 12 months of age. Because by this age, babies learn that others use their focus to talk about an actual object.
Cooing and Babbling
Around 2 months, babies begin to communicate by making vowel sounds which is known as cooing. Then, around 6 months infants begin babble which is to add consonants to vowels and often repeat the same sound over and over again. For example, they might say "babababababa".
Joint Attention
Joint attention is when a baby makes the connection that a person's gaze has a connection with the environment around them. This typically takes place towards the end of the first year. Babies that are able to master joint attention earlier tend to comprehend language quicker and have a longer attention span.
Preverbal Gestures
This is also an event that takes place at the end of the first year. It is when a baby using gestures, such as pointing, to direct an adults attention. This is the way that infants learn that using language helps them to reach desired results.
Berk, L. E. (2012). Infants and Children: Prenatal Through Middle Childhood. Boston: Pearson.