Creative Language Creative Language ExperiencesExperiences
Chapter 18Chapter 18
ObjectivesObjectives
Discuss speaking and listening skills in Discuss speaking and listening skills in young childrenyoung children
Define “emerging literacy” and the Define “emerging literacy” and the various skills it involvesvarious skills it involves
Explain how to choose and use Explain how to choose and use children’s books for teaching young children’s books for teaching young childrenchildren
List some guidelines to follow when List some guidelines to follow when reading to young childrenreading to young children
Objectives Con’tObjectives Con’t
Discuss the importance of poetry for Discuss the importance of poetry for young children’s language young children’s language developmentdevelopment
Discuss the needs of Discuss the needs of bilingual/bicultural young childrenbilingual/bicultural young children
Discuss the anti-bias curriculumDiscuss the anti-bias curriculum
Communication in Process…Communication in Process… On a warm afternoon the store was filled with On a warm afternoon the store was filled with
shoppers browsing the clearance clothes racks. shoppers browsing the clearance clothes racks. Among them were a grandmother and her daughter, Among them were a grandmother and her daughter, who pushed a toddler along in a stroller. The child who pushed a toddler along in a stroller. The child wore a large patch over her right eye. Soon she wore a large patch over her right eye. Soon she begins to cry “Off, off!” Her mother replies “The begins to cry “Off, off!” Her mother replies “The doctor said you have to wear the patch. We can’t doctor said you have to wear the patch. We can’t take it off.” The child continues to cry “off.” The take it off.” The child continues to cry “off.” The grandmother reiterates her daughter’s reply sternly. grandmother reiterates her daughter’s reply sternly. The little girl is still crying “off,” and when she The little girl is still crying “off,” and when she receives no response, she tugged on the arm of her receives no response, she tugged on the arm of her coat, saying “Off!” She wanted her coat off, not her coat, saying “Off!” She wanted her coat off, not her patch!patch!
Development of LanguageDevelopment of Language
We can never We can never underestimateunderestimate the ability of the ability of young children to get their messages young children to get their messages acrossacross
We should never We should never overestimateoverestimate our our understanding of a young child’s messageunderstanding of a young child’s message
Language is a part of a child’s total Language is a part of a child’s total developmentdevelopment
Definite pattern to a child’s use of Definite pattern to a child’s use of languagelanguage
Four Skills of LanguageFour Skills of Language Speaking, listening, writing, and readingSpeaking, listening, writing, and reading Ability in one skill is not always directed Ability in one skill is not always directed
related to competence in anotherrelated to competence in another Many children are great speakers, but horrible Many children are great speakers, but horrible
listeners!listeners! Emphasis in the ECE program is not on Emphasis in the ECE program is not on teachingteaching reading and writing, but on the skills reading and writing, but on the skills related to reading and writing that prepare related to reading and writing that prepare the child for more formal instruction in later the child for more formal instruction in later yearsyears
Emerging LiteracyEmerging Literacy
Developmental process involving the Developmental process involving the time immediately before a child learns time immediately before a child learns to read printed symbols, but also the to read printed symbols, but also the continuous development of pre-reading continuous development of pre-reading skills that begins at birthskills that begins at birth
Emergent literacy is preferred over the Emergent literacy is preferred over the term “reading readiness,” which term “reading readiness,” which describes a more narrow range of skillsdescribes a more narrow range of skills
Development of SpeechDevelopment of Speech Speech – form of language in which words Speech – form of language in which words
or sounds are used to convey meaningsor sounds are used to convey meanings Developmental sequence with which Developmental sequence with which
speech is acquired generally follows the speech is acquired generally follows the basic sequence on page 357, figure 18-1basic sequence on page 357, figure 18-1
Development of speech progresses to Development of speech progresses to clear and distinct words that carry specific clear and distinct words that carry specific messages (verbal communication)messages (verbal communication)
Development of Rules of Development of Rules of SpeechSpeech
Sequence of language developmentSequence of language development Sounds without meaning to single Sounds without meaning to single
words, to two-word sentences, to words, to two-word sentences, to more complex structuresmore complex structures
Children learn the names of objects Children learn the names of objects first and gradually make finer first and gradually make finer discriminationsdiscriminations
Concepts of time and space are Concepts of time and space are difficult to comprehenddifficult to comprehend
Rules of Speech Con’tRules of Speech Con’t
Children draw generalizations about Children draw generalizations about how words come together to form how words come together to form sentencessentences Cooked is correct, but tooked is incorrectCooked is correct, but tooked is incorrect Plural of house is houses, shouldn’t goose Plural of house is houses, shouldn’t goose
be gooses?be gooses? Children should be encouraged to talk Children should be encouraged to talk
and not be restrained by criticism or and not be restrained by criticism or correctionscorrections
LiteracyLiteracy Means mastery of language (speaking, Means mastery of language (speaking,
listening, writing, and reading)listening, writing, and reading) Begins in infancy and continues throughout Begins in infancy and continues throughout
lifelife Build on what the children already know Build on what the children already know
about oral language, reading, and writingabout oral language, reading, and writing Child’s literacy grows when we encourage Child’s literacy grows when we encourage
them to view themselves as people who can them to view themselves as people who can enjoy exploring oral and written languageenjoy exploring oral and written language
Enhancing Language Enhancing Language DevelopmentDevelopment
Mastery of language requires social Mastery of language requires social interactioninteraction
May be accomplished through self-May be accomplished through self-initiated play as well as in small-initiated play as well as in small-group activitiesgroup activities
Language Experiences during Language Experiences during Self-Initiated PlaySelf-Initiated Play
More language is usedMore language is used Interaction is very important to Interaction is very important to
communicationcommunication Activities such as playing with blocks, Activities such as playing with blocks,
and pounding and rolling clay offer and pounding and rolling clay offer children rich opportunities to speak, children rich opportunities to speak, listen, and exchange ideas with listen, and exchange ideas with othersothers
Language Experiences in Language Experiences in Small-Group ActivitiesSmall-Group Activities
More likely to talk to each other and More likely to talk to each other and to the teacher with less anxietyto the teacher with less anxiety
Sharing time is best when it involves Sharing time is best when it involves 3-5 children3-5 children
The sharing is meaningful in smaller The sharing is meaningful in smaller groupsgroups
Understanding Understanding Bilingual/Bicultural Young Bilingual/Bicultural Young Children’s Lang. Develop.Children’s Lang. Develop.
Teacher’s attitude and knowledge is Teacher’s attitude and knowledge is crucial in making the ECE program crucial in making the ECE program accepting and appreciative of diversityaccepting and appreciative of diversity
Accept individual differencesAccept individual differences Accept attempts to communicateAccept attempts to communicate Additive philosophy Additive philosophy Provide a stimulating, diverse Provide a stimulating, diverse
linguistic environmentlinguistic environment
Con’tCon’t
Incorporate culturally responsive Incorporate culturally responsive experiencesexperiences
Use informal observationsUse informal observations Provide an accepting classroom Provide an accepting classroom
climateclimate
The Anti-Bias Curriculum The Anti-Bias Curriculum (ABC)(ABC)
developed by NAEYC’s ABC Task Force developed by NAEYC’s ABC Task Force and Louise Derman-Sparksand Louise Derman-Sparks
inclusive environment plans the inclusive environment plans the curriculum to address the cultural curriculum to address the cultural differences represented by the children differences represented by the children in the group and in the society in generalin the group and in the society in general
language arts curriculum is a good language arts curriculum is a good starting point for ABCstarting point for ABC
Development of ListeningDevelopment of Listening
good listening involves receiving and good listening involves receiving and processing incoming informationprocessing incoming information
good listeners are activegood listeners are active physical conditions affecting the physical conditions affecting the
listenerlistener deafness, hunger, fatigue, illness, and deafness, hunger, fatigue, illness, and
physical environmentphysical environment
Emergent ReadingEmergent Reading
emergent reading (pretend reading) - emergent reading (pretend reading) - children practice reading like behaviors children practice reading like behaviors that build their self-confidencethat build their self-confidence
children imitate adults when they are children imitate adults when they are “reading aloud” with an adult reader“reading aloud” with an adult reader
children combine several information children combine several information sources - pictures and print of book, input sources - pictures and print of book, input from adults, own memories, personal from adults, own memories, personal experiences, etcexperiences, etc
Pre-Writing SkillsPre-Writing Skills
provide opportunities to practice hand-provide opportunities to practice hand-eye coordination and small muscle eye coordination and small muscle skills needed to be able to writeskills needed to be able to write
for preschoolers, reading and writing for preschoolers, reading and writing are closely relatedare closely related
writing becomes a part of the language writing becomes a part of the language experience when student dictates a experience when student dictates a story for the teacher to write downstory for the teacher to write down
Poetry ExperiencesPoetry Experiences
exposure to poetry raises children's exposure to poetry raises children's level of general language level of general language development and vocabulary development and vocabulary developmentdevelopment
playful approachplayful approach Finger plays, poems accompanied by Finger plays, poems accompanied by
body movementsbody movements acting out a poemacting out a poem
Selecting Appropriate Selecting Appropriate PoemsPoems
choose poems that you know the choose poems that you know the children will like; interests and likeschildren will like; interests and likes
you should like it, too!you should like it, too! focus on popular topicsfocus on popular topics
Children’s BooksChildren’s Books
traditional part of the language arts traditional part of the language arts programprogram
developmentally appropriate developmentally appropriate obvious illustrationsobvious illustrations look at page 368-369 for book look at page 368-369 for book
guidelinesguidelines
Book CenterBook Center
place for children to experience the place for children to experience the world of booksworld of books
be in a “quiet” areabe in a “quiet” area have unique seating, decorations, have unique seating, decorations,
display areadisplay area begin a system, like color codingbegin a system, like color coding
Reading to ChildrenReading to Children
choose books that fit the children’s choose books that fit the children’s attention spanattention span
select a suitable spotselect a suitable spot comfortable seating for allcomfortable seating for all hold the book so all can see ithold the book so all can see it read with expression and animationread with expression and animation encourage comments and questionsencourage comments and questions
StorytellingStorytelling is NOT reading from a book to childrenis NOT reading from a book to children it is the telling of a story to children with or it is the telling of a story to children with or
without props such as a flannel board or without props such as a flannel board or puppetspuppets
fablesfables fairy talesfairy tales legendslegends folk talesfolk tales poetrypoetry
Tips for StorytellingTips for Storytelling
find the right story to tellfind the right story to tell learn itlearn it use simple, natural gesturesuse simple, natural gestures polish the storypolish the story
practice, practice, practicepractice, practice, practice
ACTIVITY!!ACTIVITY!!
Divide into three even numbered groups.Divide into three even numbered groups. Each group will get a set of vocabulary Each group will get a set of vocabulary
wordswords ““I went to get the mail, and when I opened I went to get the mail, and when I opened
this envelope…”this envelope…” Each student takes a turn drawing a slip of Each student takes a turn drawing a slip of
paper, then adds a sentence to the story paper, then adds a sentence to the story that includes the vocabulary word. Continue that includes the vocabulary word. Continue until all words have been used.until all words have been used.