- Sep 2017
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languagedev.wikispaces.com languagedev.wikispaces.com
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The U.S. educational community is now more aware of the benefits of bilingualism. In the past, especially prior to 1960, bilingualism was thought to be an educational handicap. It was believed that children could not learn a second language while still maintaining and refining their first language. Thus, children were strongly discouraged from speaking their first language and in many instances were made to feel ashamed of speaking a different language than English {Cummins, 1995).
I think that it's a good thing that children may be able to speak multiple languages, however, I think it is equally important that they are able to distinguish between the multiple languages.
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Classroom teachers play a critical role in encouraging students to acquire academic English (Wong Fillmore, 1999). Throughout the early childhood years, developmentally appropriate language activities can gradually foster children's awareness of the lan-guage forms used in school settings.
I think that it is important for the teacher to make sure students are speaking "formal/academic" english, because children who are being cared for by people who do not speak that way may not understand that there is anything incorrect or wrong with the way that they speak.
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Children's language competencies influence their educational opportunities and achievements. Educational activities involve specific types of communication and interaction. To be successful in aca-demic settings, children must learn how to communicate effectively in those set-tings.
I think that it is important for children to speak competently, because I think that it could effect other aspects of their education, such as how other people may perceive them, their own self-esteem, and also the way that they understand assignments.
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languagedev.wikispaces.com languagedev.wikispaces.com
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Repetition is on aspect of linguistic scaffolding. In the previous example, the adult's repetition of specific key words (shoes, blue, K-1vfarl) used by the child served to reinforce pronunciation and to confirm the meaning of what the child said.
I think that it is important to use repetition of those key words, because it will help a child make the connection, rather than having an ambiguous statement that they may be confused about.
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While initially this might seem to indicate that communica-tion is less beneficial when fathers and older siblings are involved, young children's communicative competence mighl bo enhanced in this type of selling, where they must respond or adapt to the communicative demands of others rather than having the style of communication always adapted lo them
I think that this would be a good setting to learn a language in. The child may be able to communicate their needs more to their mother, but the father and older siblings will give them the experience of a more advanced language that they can work up to.
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\Ve know that selecting appropriate picture books and welcoming the toddler's questions and comments can actively engage the toddler in the book sharing.
I think that this goes along with the parent or adult being a facilitator. It's important for children to engage with someone who helps them practice speaking, and through practice, their language skills will develop more and more.
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For example, at the family dinner table, an oral request lo pass a serving bowl of salad is likely follO\oved by tho response of passing the bowl to the person who requested it. This demonstrates how language can function to servo a particular purpose or moot a specific need.
I think that this aspect of language development helps children to identify the meaning of words, as well as helping to identify how language functions to meet needs.
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Cambourne's work and the role of the environment fn focllltatlng oral language development. The role of the environment in supporting and facilitating children's language development has been further described by Cnmbourne (1988, 1995)
I think that it's important to have a parent or adult as the facilitator in a child's language development. I think that it's important to have someone encourage children to talk, and to give them someone to talk to. This gives the child a chance to practice speaking.
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\.t\1hen adults are teaching n child to say "bye-bye," the child's al tempts are often followed by positive reinforcement such as a hug, an embrace, or verbal praise.
In my own experiences with children, I have found this to be fairly true. The "basic" words and phrases that parents want their children to say such as "Ma-Ma" and "bye-bye" are always praised, and the more praise the child gets, the more often they say that word or phrase.
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