In an article I have enjoyed during several readings, Marilyn Fleer writes: “Rogoff et al. (1998) suggest that when infants are separated out from the everyday activities of their community then a need for distal forms of communication is necessary, such as vocalizing. They argue that ‘children who are constantly in the company of their caregivers may rely more on non-verbal cues, such as direction of gaze or facial expression’ and infants who are in ‘almost constant skin-to-skin contact with their mothers may manage effective communication through tactile contact in squirming and postal changes’.”[1] She goes on to note that: “Expectations surrounding appropriate ways of interacting with infants” have also been found to vary between cultures.”[2]
[1] 130 Marilyn Fleer (2006) ‘The cultural construction of child development: creating institutional and cultural intersubjectivity’ International Journal of Early Years Education 14(2)June: 127-140 [2] 130 Marilyn Fleer (2006) ‘The cultural construction of child development: creating institutional and cultural intersubjectivity’ International Journal of Early Years Education 14(2)June: 127-140 Reference is made to: Rogoff et al. (1998) Cognition as a collaborative process, in: W. Damon (Chief Ed.) and D. Kuhn & R.S. “Siegler (vol Eds) Cognition, perceptions and language (5th edn) Handbook of Child Psychology (New York, John Wiley), 679-744
LiteracyNZ 