Book Review: How Children Learn Language

Abstract

Reviews the book, How Children Learn Language by W. O'Grady (see record 2005-11605-000). This is an engaging book that takes the reader step by step on the thrilling journey that children, as well as parents and educators, follow as language is attained. Adopting a very clear style and an array of practical examples, O'Grady infects readers with curiosity and excitement, inviting them to 'watch and listen - as something amazing is about to take place'. As a teacher of applied linguistics, I recently used this book in my undergraduate courses and was struck by how easily students could follow the text. They were not only highly motivated to learn, but they ended up sharing the author's fascination for the process of language learning. At the same time, my experience of using this book in the classroom confirmed that it was best considered as supplementary reading for undergraduates. In addition, the author describes a great variety of intriguing methods implemented by researchers to carry out their investigations, such as the use of opaque and transparent plates for learning adjectives, the presence of TV monitors to check children's understanding, or the study of identical twins. This book is an excellent starting point for those interested in the riveting field of first language acquisition. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved)