Language is described as a central feature of human development; it is the way of human communication; Language allows a child to be able to express emotions. The Curriculum for Excellence (CfE) explains the value of language. It’s important to encourage your child’s language development by constantly exposing them to it, this could just be by repeating simple words to them. From birth, babies are using language by vocalising through noises, sounds and mumbling they do this to get attention, so the mother knows they want their needs met. At the age of one, the child is beginning to say their first words e.g.: “Mama” “Dada” “No” (miller, 2019) They also may try to imitate words they hear often. By the age of just 4 years old children can say up to 2,000 words and will start to put these familiar words into sentences. By 4-5 years children will know you can use sentences in different ways but that mean the same thing for example “the dog was chasing the cat” and “the cat was being chased by the dog”.
Noam Chomsky a theorist of language development believed that all children developed their language skills through the same sequences of language acquisition (Scott et al., 2008) He also believed that language is innate to children from birth. Chomsky supported the nature side of the debate; he has been criticized as he made no mention to social interaction, his theory questions that children don’t all follow the same sequence of language development. In my setting I see that children all develop language skills differently and not all children are at the same level of understanding. (BC, 2014)
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Literacy
Literacy is the foundation of a child’s learning being literate means you can read, speak and write. There are four stages of literacy: beginning literacy, early intermediate literacy, intermediate literacy and early advanced literacy. Most children will learn to read by the time they are seven years old, the language skills children learn from birth onwards builds a foundation for their literacy skills. By 12-36 months children will start to recognise the covers of their favourite books, name animals in their story books, and help turn pages of books. By 3-4 years children will be able to write questions related to a story they have read, understanding that we read from the left side of the page to the right and recognise and identify rhyming words. (deBruin-parecki, 2000) (conca, 2014).
Jean piaget theory of literacy development helps explain the literacy development of children in early years. He believed depending on the child’s intellectual development the work given to the individual child should be tailored accordingly to the appropriate level. Piaget believed children learn through stages the four stages he constructed were
- sensorimotor (birth- 2 years of age)
- preoperational stage (2-7 years)
- concrete operational (7-11 years)
- formal operational (11 years to adult)
the children in my setting are under the preoperational stage at this stage children are reading books having discussions about books they are reading and wanting to share opinions I see the children in my classroom reaching these milestones within their literacy tasks this would suggest they are at the correct stage of piaget theory. (S.B, 2015)
Numeracy
Numeracy is defined as the ability to understand and work with numbers. Basic numeracy skills consist of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. It also involves the understanding of money, weight, measurements and time. (scotland, 2012) Numeracy skills help us also to problem solve; we use it every day of our lives, it’s a key skill. From birth children are being surrounded by numeracy from seeing numbers on their toys to the television. By the age of 4-5 years children should be able to count to 30, understand the value of money (notes and coins) and count backwards from 10. Children can explore numeracy through activities such as baking as children can get involved in the weighing and measuring. In my setting Role play is a good way to get children interacting with numeracy, for example using money to help counting adding and taking away skills, this connects with Bruner’s putting theory into practise. Jerome Bruner theory is used in classrooms everyday he believed that the best way to learn is trying it yourself after being given the right structure to start on by the teacher, he believes its all about letting the children explore and discover themselves , and also using classroom resources such as blocks so children can visually see the sum. (currell, 2018)
The CPA Approach
Here is a diagram of the approach Bruner believed helped childrens numeracy (CPA) Understanding it enables children to expand on their numeracy knowledge and skills needed, break it down into sections add in resources at first then take them away and leave them with the sum. (currell, 2018)
Conclusion
In conclusin I think its important we are bathing or children in lanuage literacy and numeracy in order to promote their development and reach their milestones, its important to consider that all children learn and develop at different stages so if a child is slightly behind it dosent mean that they arent learning.
Bibliography
- BC, H., 2014. healthy famailes. [Online] Available at: https://www.healthyfamiliesbc.ca/home/articles/language-development-4-5-years-preschool[Accessed 18.11.19 november 2019].
- conca, d., 2014. language literacy. [Online] Available at: https://www.languageliteracydoctor.com/milestones[Accessed sunday 17th november november 2019].
- currell, j., 2018. maths no problem. [Online] Available at: https://mathsnoproblem.com/jerome-bruner-theories-put-into-practice/[Accessed thursday 7th november 2019 november 2019].
- deBruin-parecki, A., 2000. reading rockets. [Online] Available at: https://www.readingrockets.org/article/literacy-milestones-age-5[Accessed 7th november 2019 november 2019].
- etal, s. f., 2008. theoretical approches to development and learning . In: HNC early education and childcare . s.l.:s.n. miller, c., 2019. child mind. [Online] Available at: https://childmind.org/guide/developmental-milestones/milestones-at-1-year/[Accessed thursday 7th november 2019 november 2019].
- S.B, M., 2015. Theories of literacy development. [Online] Available at: https://sitwe.wordpress.com/2015/12/14/306/[Accessed 18.11.19 november 2019].
- scotland, e., 2012. everydays a learning day. [Online] Available at: https://education.gov.scot/parentzone/Documents/EveryDaysaLearningDay3to6.pdf[Accessed 18.11.19 november 2019].
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