According to Piaget, what must children do before they can effectively learn and use words?

According to Piaget's theory of cognitive development, understanding objects is a fundamental prerequisite for effective language acquisition. He posited that children learn through interacting with their environment and developing mental models of the world around them. Before they can grasp the meanings of words, children must have a conceptual framework that allows them to categorize and understand the objects they encounter. This understanding forms the basis for attaching words to those concepts. When children understand the properties and categories of objects, they become more adept at using language to express their thoughts and ideas about those objects.

In contrast, other factors like imitating sounds or mastering grammar rules might support language development but are secondary to conceptual understanding. Social interaction certainly plays a role in language use, yet Piaget emphasized that without an understanding of objects, the vocabulary would lack meaning and context. Thus, the knowledge of objects is crucial for meaningful communication and language development.