# Transcript

Expert 1
The behavior of the baby is exceedingly complex it is inconceivable that that patterning has been learnt or trained. The real difference between this and any learning theory is the idea that there is an inborn capacity to communicate as a human being.
Voice over
What about the lovely smile then?
Expert 1
The smile itself is a kind of behavior that can't have any effect on the world… except through someone else perceiving her. It does express feeling. So babies are expressing the same kinds of feeling as the mother who reflects the affections and smiles back at the baby, but it is important to realise that its only part of the whole complex of body behavior of the mother.
The quality of her voice, the gentleness and softness of it expresses the same feelings in fact you can actually hear a smile in the voice, because it changes the physical quality of the sound.
Voice over
Language skills begin to develop in some of the earliest exchanges with parents.
Detailed analysis of sequences like this has shown that the mother closely watches the baby and builds on the responses she sees.
It's clear that both mother and child are enjoying these exchanges. How important are they for language development?
Expert 2
If we watch a young baby for example sitting on mothers lap…we can see the pleasure that both of them gain from this interaction. The eye contact between them, the baby will gurgle for example the mother probably copies those gurgles or maybe copies the mouth shapes and the expression on the babies face they even begin in a very rudimentary way to take turns.
Voice over
Turn-taking games like ‘peek a boo' are widely found in Western culture. They are thought to give children valuable experience of being involved in an exchange which has many of the characteristics of conversation. Each person's turn depends on the preceding turn and there is a shared understanding of the direction and purpose of the game.