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Introduction

Language is essential for children to build relationships. Relationships are essential to learning.  Language and literacy are interrelated with other domains of development and all of the content areas. The Massachusetts Early Learning Guidelines for Infants and Toddlers (2010) define communication and literacy or the use of language as:

Communication is the exchange of information between individuals through a common system of symbols, signs, and gestures of behavior. A child’s ability to communicate is dependent upon an awareness of appropriate social practices in language usage, (pragmatics) the ability to listen, to make meaning of and to follow verbal conversation (receptive language).

Literacy is the ability to use language, symbols and images to read, write, listen, speak, represent, observe and think critically about ideas. The ability to listen and speak, and eventually read and write, is formed in everyday experiences (Gonzalez-Mena, & Eyer). Literacy learning includes dual language learners, as well as sign language and the cultural base of those languages.

Begin your investigation of language and communication by watching Language for Learning

There are several effective teaching strategies to promote language development and communication. The first technique is self and parallel talk. Self talk is when the caregiver narrates or describes what is going on in the child’s world by putting word labels on things. For example, if a child looks toward the door as a parent enters the room, you might say, “That’s Jenny’s mother. She is here to pick up Jenny.” Self-talk is respectful because it involves telling children what will happen to them before it happens and waiting for the child to indicate that they are ready. You might say, “It’s time for a diaper change,” to describe what will happen to the child. Then wait for the child to pause their activity and indicate readiness before continuing. You then describe each step of the diaper change as it occurs, “Off come your pants. Here’s the clean diaper. All done!”

Parallel talk focuses on the child’s action and usually begins with “you.” For example, “You’re turning over from your back to your front.” “You’re putting the blocks in the bucket,” “You’ve got the toy,” or “You pulled off your shoe.” Focusing on the action helps the child put word labels on behavior.

The third technique to use is expansions and extensions. These techniques take what the child says and expand on it (expansion) or add to what the child says (extension) For example, when a child says “muk,” the teacher might say, “You want more milk,” to expand what the child says into a complete sentence. For an extension you will add a little more to the sentence a child uses. For example, the child says, “Go bye bye.” You respond with “It’s time to get your things and go bye bye.”

Notice that these techniques require nothing of the child. The child is not asked to repeat the larger sentence, repeat the label of an object identified by description, or to respond further. These techniques add information to the child’s language skills and foster future language development.

Now read the article More than Baby Talk  10 ways to Promote the Language and Communication Skills of Infants and Toddlers. Which of the 10 skills are you comfortable providing? Which skills would you like to develop and why? Which ideas will you add to your weekly activity plan?

In the article Sharing Spoken Language: Sounds, Conversations, and Told Stories. you will learn more about phonological awareness and pre-reading activities. Which ideas will you add to your weekly activity plan?

The last article to read is One language, two languages, three languages . . . more?” Why is it important for children to maintain their home language(s) and learn English? How will you include dual language learners as you develop your weekly activity plan?

The Massachusetts Early Learning Guidelines for Infants and Toddlers (2010)  include indicators that describe expected observable behaviors or skills of infants and toddlers in the developmental domain of language and communication.

• Demonstrates the meaning of language by listening.
• Develops expressive language.
• Engages in social communication.
• Demonstrates phonological awareness.
• Develops grammar and syntax or watching if hearing impaired.
• Engages in pre-reading activities.
• Demonstrates interest and engagement in print literacy materials.
• Develops emergent writing skills.
• Develops in multiple language acquisitions when considered a dual language learner.

Phonological Awareness

Writing requires fine motor skills.  Infants develop hand strength, eye tracking, coordination, and trunk and arm strength needed for handwriting. Tummy time provides the opportunity to coordinate their arms in order to lift their head off the ground. When they lift their head up off the ground, they are able to visually get a sense of their surroundings and begin to explore.  Then when the infant begins crawling they develop the neck, arm, and trunk muscles. A strong core or trunk gives them a stable base of support. Not only does this affect their gross motor skills later on in life (such as kicking, jumping etc) it also affects their fine motor skills and handwriting.

Toddlers need to develop fine motor skills to prepare for writing. Just playing with playdough is great for building strength in hands. Practice making balls, rolling playdough into snakes, or create fun designs. Here are more ideas that help toddlers develop pre-writing abilities.

String large beads – Make sure you use large size beads that they can fit their hand around. Begin to encourage them to use their pincher grip (thumb, index and middle finger) to pick up items.

Snip paper with scissors – Choose a theme, like winter and help them make a picture collage.  If paper is too hard to cut, try cutting playdough.

Roll clay/play dough into “snake” – Begin making basic shapes with the play dough; lines, circle, cross, square shapes.

Draw and copy a horizontal line –Use the terms “Straight line down.” and  “Across” (make sure they start left to right).

Q-tip painting —Practice the pincer grip by painting with a q-tip.

Lacing—Use lacing cards or create your own from foam sheets or card stock.

Beads & Pipe Cleaners—Use the pincer grip to slide beads onto pipe cleaners.

Write in shaving cream —Pour shaving cream onto a tray. Encourage the child to write with their finger to make letters or designs. After using fingers to write, try using a writing utensil. Encourage using the tripod grip on the utensil.

Tweezers—Use tweezers or tongs to transfer objects.

Clothespins— Opening a clothespin takes a lot of strength.

Scrunching Paper—Use newspaper, tissue paper, wrapping paper, or regular paper to scrunch paper into balls to toss.

Droppers—Have the children practice using a water dropper by transfer the water from one cup to the other. The squeezing motion will help build strength in the child’s hand.

While it’s important to do fine motor activities, also give your child opportunities to practice using writing utensils. Let them use markers, crayons, colored pencils, dry erase markers, etc. Another tip is to break crayons in half so it’s easier to write with. Make sure you use thick crayons with toddlers

Oral Storytelling

Example:

In a family childcare home, there is a fish tank with a few colorful fish in it. Every day, children gather as the fish are fed. They watch the fish move to the top of the tank to take food and float back down again. Some children watch the bubbles from the filter. The children make comments about feeding the fish and how their mouths move. One of the children waves to the goldfish as it gulps the food particles. One day, Sharon, the provider, had an idea to capture what children were experiencing and the conversations that were triggered by simply feeding fish. She took a photograph of the fish-feeding event and glued it to a piece of paper. Now, as children watch and converse each day, Sharon writes down children’s words and utterances that describe the feeding event. She shares it with the children when they read stories.

 

• What Massachusetts Early Learning Guidelines for Infants and Toddlers did Sharon consider as she planned the activity?

Try it!

Using the pictures, choose a picture or series of pictures that would interest toddlers.  I find calendar pictures to be very useful.  I ask my relatives and friends to save them for me so I usually have many to share.   What type of concrete, real, and relevant information would you want to share with children about this picture(s).  Make up a story about the picture that includes a young child you know.   Audio record and share your stories or tell us when we meet for class.

How do you feel about oral storytelling with infants and toddlers?

References and Resources

Birckmayer, J., Kennedy, A. & Stonehouse, A. (2010) Sharing spoken language: Sounds, conversations, and told stories. Young Children, 65 (1), 34-39.

Gardner-Neblett, N., & Gallagher, K. C. (2013). More than baby talk: 10 ways to promote the language and communication skills of infants and toddlers. Chapel Hill: The University of North Carolina, FPG Child Development Institute.

Gonzalez-Mena, J., & Eyer, D.W. (2007). Infants, toddlers, and caregivers. Boston, MA: McGraw-Hill.

Honig, A. (2010). Keys to Quality Infant Care. Young Children, 65(5), 40-47.

Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care. (2010). Massachusetts early learning guidelines for infants and toddlers. Boston, MA: Author.

Petersen, S., & Wittmer, D. (2008). Relationship-Based Infant Care. YC: Young Children, 63(3), 40-42.

Post, J., Hohmann, M., and Epstein, A. S. (2012) Group Times for Older Infants and Toddlers, HighScope Extensions, 26, (6), 1-8

Prieto, H.V. (2009) One language, two languages, three languages . . . more?” Young Children, 64 (1): 52-53