SP

Early Childhood Language Development & Instructional Techniques

Phonemic-Awareness Routine: “sun”

  • Goal: isolate, count, and blend individual phonemes.
  • Sequence practiced
    • Instructor says the whole word → students repeat: sun.
    • Students hold up one finger per sound: /s/ – /ŭ/ – /n/ (3 fingers).
    • Move one chip per sound while pronouncing each phoneme.
    • Touch each chip again, blend quickly to "sun" (finger tracking  decoding).
  • Transition
    • Replace chips with individual letter cards (“letter packets”).
    • Links graphemes to previously practised phonemes.
  • Pedagogical notes
    • Activity normally begins in preschool without explicit chips; explicit scaffolds added later.
    • “Say it fast” prompt encourages blending fluency.
    • Same structure transferable to any CVC word.

Speech Functions (Halliday’s Framework referenced)

  • Instrumental – satisfy wants/needs (e.g., “I want water.”).
  • Regulatory – control others’ actions (e.g., “Don’t drop the cup.”).
  • Interactional – initiate/maintain social contact.
  • Personal – assert individuality, emotions ("I feel sad").
  • Heuristic – language used to discover/label (baby says “wah-wah”).
  • Imaginative – create pretend scenarios ("Look, I’m flying!").
  • Representational – convey factual info/opinions ("I don’t like bananas.\").

Language & Communicative-Competence Functions

  • Impart/seek factual info (questioning, reporting).
  • Express intellectual attitudes: agree, accept, decline.
  • Express emotional attitudes: preferences, intentions.
  • Express moral attitudes: forgive, apologize, regret.
  • Practical action: helping, offering, directing.
  • Socializing / small talk: maintain relationships.
  • Anecdotal illustration: toddler “amazing twos” → helps whisk eggs; later meltdown when dinner ends—language mediates both assistance & frustration.

Classroom Techniques to Promote Each Speech Goal

Color-coding discussed during matching activity (colors refer to slide list):

  • Personal Speech (express ideas/feelings)
    • Technique(s): RED – “Listen & respond to requests; encourage children’s ability to ask.”
  • Obtain & Satisfy Wants/Needs
    • Same RED technique; escort to nurse for water, allow frequent bathroom breaks.
  • Promote & Maintain Interaction
    • Techniques: BLUE &/or GREEN – plan interactive centers, shared materials (intentional shortage of glue sticks fosters polite requesting/problem solving).
  • Express Imaginative Ideas
    • Technique: GREEN – creative centers, dramatic play prompts.
  • Provide Verbal Descriptions of Learning
    • Technique: BLUE – structured share-outs, think-alouds.
  • Representational / Informative Speech
    • Technique: PURPLE – show-and-tell, informational charts.

Conversation-Support Guidelines

  • Attend to each child’s conversational style: eager, shy, loud, advanced, etc.
  • Expect articulation to improve with age; provide correct models not criticism (child says “lello” → teacher responds, “Yes, the paint is yellow.”).
  • Expansion techniques
    • Single word → short phrase: child says “ball” → teacher: “The ball bounces.”
    • Short sentence → extended sentence: ask follow-up Qs (describe, compare, categorize).
  • Ownership / acknowledgement: “Yesterday, Tim said…”.

Question Types for Lesson Planning

  1. Recall – remember facts.
  2. Convergent Thinking – compare/contrast, identify relationships.
  3. Divergent Thinking – predict, hypothesize.
  4. Evaluation – form judgments/opinions.
  5. Observation – describe events/attributes.
  6. Explanation – cause & effect.
  7. Action – perform a physical task.
  8. Open-Ended – multiple valid answers (ideal for essential question).
  • Objective writing tip: use the verb recall in cognitive objectives involving factual memory.

Vocabulary-Development Strategies

  • Repetition & varied practice; increase encounter frequency throughout the day.
  • Embed words in multiple contexts: question-of-the-day, centers, media clips.
  • Intentional selection of new word clusters; maintain Word of the Day cards on display for entire theme cycle.
  • Safe, playful climate for words: clap syllables, sing, chant, use gestures.
  • Games & dramatic play integrate and reinforce vocabulary naturally.

Dramatic-Play Case Study: Grocery Store → Market

Preparation

  • Show online video so all children (even those who have never visited a store) gain shared schema.
  • Small-group prop-making tables: signs, labels with numbers/letters, papier-mâché food, etc.
    • Math integration: price tags, money exchange.
  • Each prop designed & created by students  ownership & literacy print exposure.
    Role Modelling
  • Teachers enact different roles (cashier, shopper, baker) during a “grand opening.”
    • Demonstrates script & language of grocery store.
  • Mixed-age pairing: older children lead, younger observe then participate.
    Evolution to “Market” Theme
  • Built on class discussions about visiting the fair.
  • Centers diversify: clay stall, wood stall, fabric stall; children produce necklaces, crafts to “sell.”
    Instructional Pay-offs
  • Covers multiple domains: language, math, social-emotional, fine-motor (prop making).
  • Provides authentic context for instrumental, regulatory, interactional, imaginative speech.

Timing & Logistics Mentioned

  • Quick restroom break announced; return at 06{:}50.
  • Session promised to end by 07{:}30.