Language Acquisition and Early Language Development!

1. Listening compared to reading - it's a form of decoding symbols; written symbols for the reader, spoken symbols for the listener. Listening competency for children: Sound discrimination - discerning pitch, rate, intonation, intensity and stress patterns. Isolating sounds and decoding Working memory - information retention and application or use Listening context - expectation of the child as the listener, fulfilling their role as a particular audience (language register: field, mode, tenor or subject matter, people, means of communication like speech or conversation)

2. Phonological: comprising various sounds used to form words. Phonemes are individual sounds that when combined make words, used when speaking. Intonation and stress refer to rise and fall of pitch or emphasis on specific sounds/syllables to create meaning. Syntactic: refers to grammar which consists of different rules for arranging words to create meaningful sentences. Understanding these rules enable people to communicate new sentences and enables others to comprehend what is being communicated because both listener and speaker have knowledge of grammatical rules. Simple eg. Subject-verb-object Morphology: to do with modification of words to form new words for different contexts. Involves base words and affixes ('cry' is base word 'crying' is with an added inflectional ending or type of affix) Semantic: refers to the meaning of individual words and sentences. Placement of words in a sentence can indicate meaning when we look at relationship between different words in one sentence. "Jack followed the cat" and "The cat followed Jack" The same words are used but each of these sentences carries a different meaning. "Jack the cat followed" is incorrect. It's important correct rules are followed. Vocabulary comprises the words a person knows and can use in everyday language. -Two types of words (Content words & function words) Pragmatic: refers to the way language is used and varies depending on social and cultural contexts. It's using language for different communicative purposes (greetings, demands, provision of information) Sometimes more formal language is required if presenting a paper or speaking with a dignitary.

3. Oral Language Learning and Development

3.1. Childcare Settings: Focus on developing secure relationships & rich language experiences through sensory experiences. Important practice for Babies: -Interactions with babies - talk while changing nappies, bathing, feeding, nursing, etc. -talk about materials, objects, events and immediate surroundings - verbal mapping - simple sentences, repeat key words, talk about what's going on and things about to happen - Balance for hearing sounds around them, and quiet time -language games like "peek-a-boo" -Ask questions about people and objects around them "Who's that?", and "where's Teddy?" -simple instructions "look at..."

3.1.1. Important practice for Toddlers: -"Trial and error" activities -indoor and outdoor play for variety of objects and materials -adult responses to toddlers, demonstrating communication has meaning -model well-structured sentences. -talk about past, present and future -engage in pretend play -teaching simple songs and nursery rhymes -turn taking in conversation - demonstrating - provide commentary on daily routines -story-telling using props -encourage verbal labeling of play items

3.1.2. Important practices for Preschoolers: -Oral interactions with children individually and in their peer groups, responses that focus on intent, not children's grammatical errors, -open ended questions to extend children's language use -regular child's play - use as an opportunity to support children's language learning -talking that introduces new vocabulary and grammatical structures -introduction, reinforcement of social courtesies, appropriate speaking and behaviour -use daily routines to support language learning and development

3.2. Home Setting: Ideal for language learning/development Language opportunities in meal time, bed time, shopping and typical routines. Success enhanced when parents and educators work together. Open communication Suggestions for home: Limited number of people for close relationships frequent individual adult-child conversing, frequent speaking turns, child-initiated talks & questions, storybooks, focus on the present

4. Multiliteracies:

4.1. Coined by NLG in 1996 Many literacies - scientific, critical, visual, computer and so forth... Purposes that definitions of literacy should be all-encompassing, to capture cultural diversity and multiplicity of communication channels.

4.1.1. Multiliteracies Map includes -Functional dimension Technical competence, 'how to' knowledge - Meaning-making Understanding how different types of text and technologies operate - Critical analyser Knowing all that is studied, explained and told to us is selective - Transformative Finding new ways to use what we have learned

5. Components of Spoken Language

6. Receptive Language/LISTENING

6.1. Identifying Reduced Hearing What? inflammation of the middle ear Who? Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islanders 50%, and many others, plus those with colds & ear infections How does it impact literacy learning? Children miss out on what is being said, can impact phonological awareness What can I do as an Educator? Project voice, face children, have those with hearing difficulties sit at the front, pair them with a buddy, stand in one place, keep a peaceful classroom before instructing, help child learn to face those speaking to them and offer/ teach these strategies, provide visuals, enhanced phonological awareness, sound amplification?

7. Affective factors

7.1. Intrinsic Motivation comes from within Increase Intrinsic Motivation by: -explicitly pointing out successes -Feedback to include what was done well and what could be improved -celebration of successes and 'having a go' -giving children tasks and activities at an appropriate level Other affective factors: feelings of self-efficacy and confidence about reading and writing, attitudes towards reading, motivation to read.

7.1.1. Assessing Affective factors Recording Observations of children's attitudes (what they think of themselves and reading): -Experience success (and know how to cope with failures) - Choices (about what to read and what to write about) - Challenge (engagement with challenging texts) - Interests (topics of interest can help to engage and motivate) - Clear purpose (otherwise loss of interest) Interviews and surveys can help determine attitudes and motivation See 'Elementary Reading Attitude Survey' (ERAS) How do you feel about reading out loud in class?

8. Language and Communitcation

8.1. Oral Communication = process whereby two or more people construct meaning -Involves an encoder and decoder -Encoder constructs message in code/spoken language -Decoder (Listener) interprets message and ascribes meaning to it -Listener can also find meaning through watching the speakers body language, using their knowledge of context or the speaker -Listener is influenced by individual experiences, topic knowledge and attitude (may interpret message different from what the speaker is trying to convey) OTHER MEANS: gesture, body posture, facial expression, eye contact, head and body movement e.g a nod Semiotic System: ways meaning is communicated e.g spoken, gestured, conveyed though images or sounds

9. Language and Speech

9.1. Speech- Patterns of sounds that form words and represent objects, concepts, actions and so forth.. Definition on pp. 45 (Fellowes &Oakley) - Vocal tract controls and shapes air to produce various sounds. -Articulation: how speech sounds are made -Voice: the production of sounds using the vocal folds and breathing - Fluency: the smoothness and natural rhythm of speech Language comes first so children can understand some of the speech of others. Immersion- children come to mimic speech produced by those around them.

9.2. Expressive / Receptive Expressive oral language is productive or receptive. Both equally important for effective communication. Expressive = -intention to speak to convey info, make enquiry, propose idea - encoding the intention into language -transmitting from one person to another Receptive= -decode the language -assimilate the information

9.3. Properties of Language -Arbitrary (no rules dictate what form a word should take, they're simply agreed upon by those using the language) -Structure (there are rules to forming sentences though. Individual languages have their own rules that are necessary for effective communication) -Generative (grammatical patterns that can be used in a range of different combinations to create new utterances and sentences. New combinations are limitless). -Capacity for displacement (can talk about things not in immediate environment. Can be used to communicate things of the past or future, or imagined, whether heard, felt, smelt or not) -Linked to thought (perception, comprehension, attention and memory all alongside language... thought is communicated to others through language- the transferal of information or ideas) -Natural (inherent, born with strong disposition for acquiring language skills)

10. EYLF

10.1. EYLF outcome: Ability to communicate effectively -Need to provide opportunities for purposeful and meaningful communication -Experience with a range of communication modes -PLAY & Social contexts are fundamental (Holistic Approach)

11. Literacy Defined:

11.1. No 'Best' definition "Literacy is complex; it is a constantly mediated force that can take on a life of it's own in different contexts, cultures, and social and political arenas". (Thames and York 2004. Australian Definitions: EYLF "Literacy is the capacity, confidence and disposition to use language in all its forms. Literacy incorporates and range of modes of communication including music, movement, dance, storytelling, visual arts, media and drama, as well as talking, listening, viewing, reading and writing. Contemporary texts include electronic and print-based media. In an increasingly technological world, the ability to critically analyse texts is a key component of literacy." Australian Curriculum "Literacy involves students in listening to, reading, viewing, speaking, writing and creating oral, print, visual and digital texts, and using and modifying language for different purposes in a range of contexts."

11.1.1. What is language? Knowing the English language What is Literature? understanding, appreciating, responding to, analysing and creating literary texts What is Literacy? expanding the repertoire of English language use.

11.2. Literate Person "A literate person has a repertoire of understandings and capabilities that enable effective representation of ideas and communication. A literate person can participate in comprehending and composing, with critical awareness and confidence, a range of texts in spoken, written, visual and multimodal forms that serve a variety of purposes. " Fellowes & Oakley, 2020, pp 3

11.3. -Theoretical Perspectives- Cognitive developmental It's thought environmental and classroom-based experiences can speed up maturation and "readiness" Criticism: Recognition of parents absent in this perspective - not encouraged to teach children reading and writing from an early age. Psychologists like Thorndike. From chapter 4 pp75: Children construct their own understandings through interaction in their environment and social experiences. According to Piaget children cannot develop their language until they have necessary conceptual knowledge of the world around them. No LAD, language acquisition device, rather language is acquired as other cognitive skills also develop - memory, problem-solving skills, and attention. Emergent Based on work of Jean Piaget Home and community experiences considered central to development and ongoing literacy learning. singing, dancing, drawing, lap reading etc. Criticism: Literacy should be seen as more a lifelong process without distinction for beginning readers, and not as a series of discrete stages. Cambourne's seven conditions Brian Cambourne 1988 (Australian) Oral literacy skills should be transferrable 7: immersion, demonstration, expectation, responsibility, approximation, employment and feedback. Criticism: Not sufficiently researched. Socio- cultural Some children are advantaged because of their 'cultural capital', their social and home environment set them up for literacy learning in school environment. See social interaction as fundamental to literacy learning. Build bridges between home and school. For effective reading: code-breaker, text participant, text user, text analyst. Evidence-based Emphasis on research, educators need to know what has worked. The Teaching Toolkit (global evidence-based) "Visible Learning" Chapter 4! Behaviourist Perspective Nurture over nature Asserts behaviour is the result of rewards, consistent reinforcement, successful imitation by the child who is then praised for their copying adult modelled behaviour. "Operant conditioning" is when children receive positive reinforcement in their social environments and is how spoken language is developed. Ignored behaviours cease. Receptive Language learned through classical conditioning - learning names of objects after hearing them repeated over and over and having the object linked to that word because it is there and/or someone is pointing to it when labelling what it is. Criticism: Doesn't account for how quickly children learn language. They learn more than what they acquire as a result of operant and classical conditioning. Nativist Perspective Opposite to behaviourists - it's considered a biological phenomenon. Noam Chomsky (1975) asserts human brain is structured to acquire language and has and inbuilt LAD (language acquisition device). Children can generate grammar and use words and variations of words in situations/sentences they have not heard them used before. Maturational perspective Biological "readiness" is key to effective language learning. Children have an 'inner clock' - activities should be developmentally appropriate. Doesn't account for very varied ability for children of different linguistic and cultural backgrounds. Social Interactionist perspective Emphasis on social interactions, especially with significant relationships. LASS Language acquisition support system (Bruner, 1983) and LAD work together. Adults and other advanced peers scaffold and support a child to learn and do that which they can't do by themselves. CDS Child directed speech (speech aimed to help a child learn at their level - adjusted to suit individual capability of the child). Neurobiological Perspective Capacity for language learning attributed to the structure of the brain. Brain is 'hard-wired' to learn language but requires substantial degree of social interaction. Poor quality social interaction means neural networks don't develop properly. Real people interactions are essential.

12. Functions of Language

12.1. Language is used to accomplish different purposes: -Inform -Announce -Instruct -Entertain -Socialise -Converse -Express feelings -Discuss -Seek information -Explain -Describe -Advise -Persuade -Inquire -React -Praise -Direct Categories of language functions: Michael Halliday's 7 (Informative, instrumental, interactional, regulatory, personal, heuristic, imagninative) Louise Wilkinson's (Who am I/ Who are you? Who or what is he/she it?) Joan Tough's Seven (Self-Maintaining, Directing, Reporting on past and present, Logical Reasoning, Predicting, Projecting, Imagining)

13. Family Literacy