Fast mapping of an infant

Introduction

The fast mapping of an infant is the first times an infant has the ability to grasp a word hearing it for the first time. This is where the child learns the key things in the surrounding, in this stage the child learns all that comes around him or her. This is where children define their characters, in this stage they are always very keen to get an understanding of everything they see or hear. They are always very eager to learn how speaking is done, that is the joining of words to make complete sentences to enhance their communication. They easily learn the spoken words than representations of gestures alongside words. This essay will focus on the steps of the fast mapping of an infant.

Infants learn much in their young stage through hearing when others are talking and they easily learn speaking thereafter. Small kids are always very keen listeners when people are either conversing or even discussing issues over a topic. The children are very good at getting the sounds or voices of people around them. This is due to the number of repeated times this sounds are heard in their ears. Through this they first learn the voices of their mothers showing that their learning is moving towards spoken language. Children making turning when sounds are produced by even calling out their names and also appreciating things like the presence of their loved ones like parents is also an indicator of movement towards spoken language. Children at the age of three to four months also produce some vocals especially to their mothers as a form of conversing with them. This increases the child’s chances to even hear and respond to their mothers.

The eyes of infants also play a very major role in their initial stages of learning. Children in the young stages always have a habit of gazing at different objects. This shows their desire to learn more on matters relating to the objects. In cases where the mother is there they also get curious to know what their children are looking at and there they refer to this objects by names for the child to also learn it name. When action or gestures are being done the children also tend to guess at such and at a latter age they tend to repeat that which they saw others do. A good example is how infants learn to clap their hands when appreciating someone or something, it is only by observing what others are doing and they also go ahead doing the same.

The infant’s mind is also key for the fast mapping due to preservation whatever has been learnt as time goes by. The mind of the child needs to be in a position to remember whatever is heard seen or even done. There are some expectations from a normally developing child. This child is expected to remember minor things that are in his or her daily business of playing or interaction with others. In a case where a child is given toys for her playing time, a girl child leaves her doll on the bed. When the doll is relocated, on coming back the child is expected to seek her doll on the bed where she previously left it. This will depict that the child’s mind is normal and growing.

 

Conclusion

 The fast mapping of an infant is very important to the character and progress of the child both mentally and socially. What they see is very important as it is recorded in their minds. It also defines what they learn about the same. Considering they also learn from hearing it is important that speaking is done carefully for their sake. During their vocalization stage they should have people to converse with them especially their mothers. The minds of children are also very key in this fast mapping to ensure everything they learn is memorized. It is one of the most important stages to infants and should be taken note of by those take care of the babies to ensure they learn what is ethical.