DOCUMENT RESUME PS 026 228 ED 416 973 Watkins, Anne AUTHOR Language and Learning: A Practical Guide To Help with TITLE Planning Your Early Childhood Programme. Series of Caribbean Volunteer Publications, No. 12. Voluntary Services Overseas, Castries (St. Lucia). INSTITUTION 1996-00-00 PUB DATE 80p.; Production funded by a grant from British Development NOTE Division, Caribbean. VSO Resource Centre, 317 Putney Bridge Road, London SW 15 AVAILABLE FROM 2PN, England, United Kingdom. Teacher (052) Classroom PUB TYPE Guides MF01/PC04 Plus Postage. EDRS PRICE Child Development; Developmental Stages; Early Childhood DESCRIPTORS Education; Emergent Literacy; Foreign Countries; Language Acquisition; *Language Skills; *Learning Activities; Listening Skills; Reading Skills; Speech Skills; Writing Skills Caribbean; Grenada; Grenada (Carriacou); Grenada (Petit IDENTIFIERS Martinique) ABSTRACT Language should be viewed as one of the most important areas of early childhood development and learning. This document was produced to assist early childhood educators in Grenada, Carriacou, and Petit Martinique with fostering early language learning. The guide should be viewed mainly as a supplement to be used in conjunction with national curriculum guidelines to help present the curriculum in a more varied, stimulating, and developmentally appropriate way. Following an introduction, the guide's "Stages of Development"; "The Importance of Language"; contents are: (2) (1) "Language Activities (Listening, Speaking, Reading, Writing)." The and (3) third section describes many specific learning activities to build skills in each of the four areas. Example assessment sheets for children's skills in speaking and listening, reading, and writing are also included. (EV) ******************************************************************************** * Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made * from the original document. * * ******************************************************************************** 'R5 and Learning anguage A Practical Guide to Help with Planning your Early Childhood Programme U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Office of Educational Research and Improvement EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) ...Khis document has been reproduced as eceived from the person or organization originating it. Minor changes have been made to improve reproduction quality. Points of view or opinions stated in this document do not necessarily represent official OERI position or policy. Series of Caribbean Volunteer Publications by VSO One of a series of publications produced funded volunteers in the Caribbean. Production by a grant from British Development Division, Caribbean. PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE AND DISSEMINATE THIS MATERIAL HAS BEEN GRANTED BY 3cay% Or1/4-k5do,k TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES #1 INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) BEST COPY AVAILABLE 2 ii independent Overseas (VSO) is an Voluntary Services countries in the which works to assist British Charity to achieve their Asia and the Pacific Caribbean, Africa, equitable world. create a more development aims and in poorer people work alongside VSO volunteers build capabilities order to share skills, countries in and action. international understanding and promote Copyright VSO educational uses - for public and Reproduction unlimited No reproduction VSO series as source. please acknowledge from VSO London. without permission for commercial use copying, from available, at cost of Further copies are VSO Field Office 73, Chaussee Road P.O. Box 1359 Castries 1998 ) ( Until December St. Lucia VSO Resource Centre Road 317, Putney Bridge London SW 15 2PN onwards ) ( From 1999 England BEST COPY AVAILABLE 3 LANGUAGE and LEARNING help with planning your : A practical guide to Early Childhood Programme /0: 4 '000:000:4r,WMAfekaPINOMMOMMOStr:VONW 'm.:NONAMONEMMOMMENM Acknowledgements Sincere thanks are extended to all those who helped in the gathering, trialling and production of this document. A special thankyou to UNICEF, VSO, Grensave and The Ministry of Education. Anne Watkins, V.S.O. Grenada, Carriacou and Petit Martinique, 1996. CONTENTS Introduction. Pages Section 1. - The importance of language 1 -3 4 -12 Section 2. - Stages of development 13 - 14 Section 3. - Language activities:- 1. Listening. 15 - 24 25 - 34 2. Speaking. 35 - 48 3. Reading. 4. Writing. 49 - 59 Assessment Sheets - 60 - 62 Bibliography 63 - Introduction. This document has been produced to assist all those who are involved in the care and education of young children in Grenada, Carriacou and Petit Martinique. The Ministries of Social Services and Education produce Early Childhood Curriculum Guidelines which are based on the thematic approach. This production must be viewed, therefore, mainly as a supplement to be used in conjunction with the existing Curriculum. It is written as a practical working document which will hopefully enable caregivers and teachers to present the Curriculum in a more varied, stimulating and developmentally appropriate way. We have such an important role as Early Childhood Educators. Rosemary Peacocke, formerly H.M.I. Staff Inspector, U.K. states that "The ladder of edu- cation can never be secure unless the first rung is firmly in place." When planning and implementing our programmes then, let us not forget that "Language is the key that unlocks the door to further learning ..." WE, along with Parents, family and Community members, are the ones who hold that key! We can hold onto that key; we can open the door a little; or we can open it wide for our children to walk through with pride and confidence. 7 Section 1. The Importance of Language Language must be looked at as one of the most important areas of the Curricti- lum. Being able to communicate. is crucial if a child is to express o understand, or be understood. Communication begins early in life in the form of eye to eye contact in a young baby of about 4-6 weeks old. Communication is a two way process. When a baby begins to babble, the parents, other adults and siblings respond. This creates a positive, stimulating environment for the baby to grow and de- velop in. UNICEF notes in their booklet on Early Childhood Development Pro- grammes that "Successful programmes recognise that the primary responsibil- ity for the child rests within the home and all efforts to foster development must support, complement and reinforce the child rearing responsibilities of the fam- ily." However, we as caregivers and teachers play a very important part in con- tinuing to foster this growth. The children who come to us will have had a wide variety of experiences. It is our role, therefore, to provide a rich and stimulating environment where children will continue to grow and develop as individuals. We must remember that we are one of the models on which children will 8 base their behaviour. They will learn language from us; we must, therefore, be careful to offer vocabulary, speech patterns and forms of interaction which we want the children to learn. Outside the Day Care and Pre-Primary environment children are usually learning in an informal way. They are very rarely exposed to the specific in- struction that is often part of more formal education. This must be taken into consideration, therefore, when planning activities and experiences. A learning environment needs to be created that will allow children to be exposed in a variety of ways to informal language learning situations. The materials that we provide in e.g. The Home area will greatly influence the play and, therefore, language interactions of the children. Our interaction as adults is also crucial in this process. In 'Starting with Quality' it is observed that:- "In working with under fives nearly all activities offer opportunities for developing children's language. Indeed the development of children's language abilities at this age relies on making the most of opportunities and well timed interventions in their play as well as planned activities which have more predictable outcomes." Planned activities will be discussed later on. However, it will be wise for us to spend a few moments on looking at what is meant by "well timedinterven- tions". As children play independently in areas of the room e.g. Home area, blocks, etc. our role is initially as an observer. From watching and listening to children at play we learn much about their needs and feelings. Sometimes inter- rupting play is not appropriate. Children may be inhibited and not wish to cotn- 2 municate. At other times we may see an opportunity whereby our input, sugges- tion or offer of help will extend the play and enrich the language and social interaction. As we spend time observing and interacting we will become attuned to these opportunities. These observations and interactions will also help us to get to know indi- vidual children. Some children may have specific needs which must be addressed. It may be merely gentle encouragement for a particularly quiet or shy child or the needs may be more in the form of delayed language where in some cases outside help may need to be sought. In order to keep track of individual children and their needs child. Keeping a developmental diary or folder is useful to keep for each samples of children's early drawing, writing, collage, language use etc. can be very helpful. Be careful to date and explain each item so that a develop- mental record of the child can be built up. This is good to keep and share with parents or when meeting with the Pre-Primary or Infant I teacher of the school the child is going to. We as caregivers and teachers need to keep up to date with ideas, writings and research on the subject of language. The Education Resource Centre in St. George's and the Public libraries are two sources available as well as the ECE Connection Newsletter. 10 3