Joint attention and its key role in social and language development

Have you ever pointed to an airplane in the sky and expected your child to look at it, only to realize that they did not look where you pointed? This ability to focus on an object or a situation that is happening is called joint attention, and it plays an important role in a child’s speech and language development.

What Is Joint Attention?

Joint attention refers to the ability to purposefully share attention and focus with another person. One person initiates joint attention by using the direction of gaze and gestures, and the other person responds by following the direction of gaze and gestures of the person who initiated the interaction.

For example, when a child looks at a toy, then looks at you, and then looks back at the toy again, they are engaging in joint attention. These shared moments form the foundation for early communication and learning.

How Does Joint Attention Promote Speech and Language Development?

One of the earliest researchers to highlight the importance of joint attention was Jerome Bruner (1983). He explained that children learn language best through shared experiences, not by hearing words in isolation. Language becomes meaningful when it is shared.

When both the child and the caregiver are attending to the same object, the child can clearly connect the word to its meaning. If a child is looking at an apple and the caregiver also focuses on the apple and says, “That’s an apple,” then picks it up and takes a bite, the child understands much more than just the word. The child learns that the object has a name and that it is something you can eat. Because the word is introduced in a meaningful context, it is easier for the child to understand and remember.

Joint attention plays a key role in supporting:

• Vocabulary development

• Understanding of meaning

• Turn-taking skills

• Social communication

Why Is Joint Attention Difficult in Autism?

Children with autism find it difficult to maintain joint attention with another individual. This can be due to:

• Inadequate sensory processing skills.

• Inadequate fine and gross motor skills (gesturing and orienting).

• Limited social-cognitive abilities, which hinder sharing and interpreting intentions with another person.

• Inability to coordinate attention with another person.

This difficulty is a strong indication of social communication challenges and language delays as the child develops.

How to Improve Joint Attention

Joint attention can be improved by strengthening pointing and showing, and by increasing shared focus of attention. This can be done through different modifications in our interactions with the child.

• Be at the same eye level as the child: This makes it easier for the child to shift attention between you and the object and encourages more eye contact.

• Progress based on the child’s interests: Using toys and activities that pique the child’s interest is the best way to grab their attention.

• Imitate the child: When you do what the child is doing, it naturally draws their attention. If the child is rolling a ball, roll another ball alongside them.

• Play: When a child is having fun, their focus is fully engaged. Roughhousing, peek-a-boo, tickling, and running around help the child connect with you. 

Joint attention is an integral part of social communication and language development. If a child exhibits limited attention and engagement, it is essential to seek an evaluation by a speech-language pathologist. Early intervention plays a key role in bridging gaps in joint attention and, in turn, supporting social communication and language development.

References

●      Bruner, J. (1983). Child’s Talk: Learning to Use Language. Oxford University Press.

●      Peter Mundy , Lisa Newell (2007). Attention, Joint Attention, and Social Cognition. Miami University

●      Tomasello, M., & Farrar, M. J. (1986). Joint attention and early language. Child Development, 57(6), 1454–1463.

●      Mundy, P., & Gomes, A. (1998). A skills approach to early intervention for joint attention. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 28(1), 61–74.