In the context of language development, joint attention enables children to use their ______ skills to acquire language.

• A. mathematical
• B. social-cognitive
• C. motor
• D. visual-spatial

Answer: (B)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the concept of joint attention: it refers to the shared focus of two individuals on an object or event, which is crucial in early language development.
2. Recognize that joint attention involves the ability to coordinate attention between social partners, which is a social and cognitive process.
3. Identify the skills that joint attention supports in language acquisition, focusing on how children use social cues and cognitive understanding to learn language.
4. Eliminate options that are unrelated to social interaction and cognition, such as mathematical, motor, and visual-spatial skills, since these do not primarily facilitate language learning through joint attention.
5. Conclude that the correct skill set enabled by joint attention for language acquisition is 'social-cognitive' skills, as these involve understanding others' intentions and perspectives necessary for language development.