Dec 16, 2015
The Early YearsA Time to Talk
Karyn Johns
Speech Language Pathologist
Why is talking important ?
• Socialisation tool
• Teaching tool
• Family related factors – implications for teachers (how can we make a difference for some children…… )
• Evidence base for development of literacy
Family influences
• SES (income, education, health, housing) has an impact on language/literacy outcomes
• So does the quality of parent-child interaction (more important than
the toys/books)• Strength of this interaction can over-ride
the influence of the other background characteristics……
Massive differences exist in the language experience of children before they enter
school Talkative families – talk about what is
happening, expand on children’s comments, take turns (strive for 5) = 48 million words heard before school
Non-talkative families – talk about what to do, keep it simple and direct = 13 million words
Children from talkative families hear positive feedback 3 times more often than children in non-talkative families.
Talking Point Feb 2008 ECA
©2004 by Hanen Early Language Program. All rights reserved. 9
D = Decoding (alphabet knowledge, phonological awareness)
C = Language Comprehension (vocabulary, morphology, grammar, narrative)
I f either is a 0 the equation results in 0.
Reading = D X C
Vocabulary & Reading• Orally tested vocabulary at the end of first grade
is a significant predictor of reading comprehension 10 years later. (Cunningham, A.E., & Stanovich, K.E. (1997).
• Children with restricted vocabulary by third grade have declining comprehension scores in the later elementary years. Chall, J.S., , Jacobs, V.A., & Baldwin, L.E. (1990).
Reminder
• Speech (relates only to what the tongue and lips are doing with the sound)
• Language (Sentence length, content, vocabulary, sequence etc)
• Developmental milestones – critical stages
• Screener• Referrals – red flags (including early pre-language foundation skills
such as eating and dribbling see slide 10)
Generally children will substitute another sound for one they are unable to say. Vowel sound development mostly occurs during baby babbling and are not usually mispronounced in mild-moderate speech delays. May be distorted in the speech of children with dyspraxia
LanguageWhat is it !!!
Language includes both the receptive and expressive skills of listening and understanding words/sentences as well as using words and forming sentences to express feelings and ideas.
• Vocabulary (words and concepts) – fruit words; more; colours; size words; action words – cut
• Sentence length – more more fruit please• Grammar – me want it Can I have it
• Understanding directions – pass me the red apple• Understanding wh questions which one’s fruit
(relates to levels of questioning – see slides 20 – 23)
• Retelling stories Hungry Caterpillar• Emergent Literacy Rhyme; print awareness;
RED FLAGS
• Less than 50 words at 2 yrs (not just nouns but actions and descriptive words also)
• Simple sentences – age 3 yrs (e.g. sentences containing a noun, verb, object – “He’s riding a bike”)
• Following 2 step commands – 3 years• Poor grammar – 4 years (errors in sentence word order e.g. “That’s hims bike”)
• Unclear speech – age 4
• At risk, history factors (including chronic colds, ear infections, other siblings that may have been slow to talk)
• Raise red flags early and at the very least encourage parents to seek advice or have their child put on a wait list for further assessment. Reassurance that all is ok is just as valuable as detecting or confirming that a problem is present.
Quick Screener
• Designed to help gather evidence to speak to parents about a referral
• Not to be used on all children• Most 4 year olds should complete it
without difficulty• Provides information about speech
skills and two areas of language – vocabulary
and comprehension of questions
Supporting Language Development
For all children …….• Teacher/Adult’s role (promote teamwork and collaborate
with the parent/s, Speech Pathologist and the education and care setting)
• Environment• Program
Then for some children….(delayed; ESL…..)• Inclusion strategies – direct teaching, focused
goals, individual and small group learning opportunities, visual tools, specialist techniques and equipment
The teachers role
• What the adults talking should be doing …. – how we support language
• When do we support – ALWAYS
Teacher Interaction What does it look like?
THE IDEAL interaction is• Responsive• Engaging for children • Conversational (strive for 5)
• Inquiry based - Asks questions
THE REALITY
Ask yourself if you ? wait for children’s turns
? maintain topics over turns
? use directive language
? tend to use rhetorical/testing questionsAdults Extend conversation by:
• Using Thinking verbs (e.g. “I know…” “I remember…” Did you think that…”
This is essential for narrative/story writing)
• Requesting descriptions &• explanations• Varying vocabulary• Talk beyond here-and-now
? expand children’s comments
? talk about past, future or
expand knowledge
Hanen Centre
Summary of Hanen’s Top 10 Talking Tips
Child-Centred Strategies1. Wait & Listen2. Follow the Child’s Lead3. Be Face to Face4. Join in and Play
Interaction-Promoting Strategies5. Use a Variety of Questions6. Encourage Verbal Turn-Taking
Language-Promoting Strategies7. Imitate (say back to them what they said to you)
8. Label (Label actions too – not just naming nouns/things)
9. Expand (e.g. ‘more’ – “More juice?”)
10. Extend (e.g. ‘more juice’ – “more juice in the red cup?”)
www.hanen.org
The Environment
• Visually supportive – see examples
• Routines
• Organised
• Variety of learning groups• Opportunities for child initiated activities – this
way the child gets a chance to talk about their interests.
Making Talking Visual • Why ?Talking is a fast stream of noise !!!!
Highlights key words
Maintains engagement
Assists all to participate
How ?Props for songs and stories (e.g. ‘Listening Lucy’ poster showing how to sit
for listening e.g. body still, eyes looking, mouth closed) (gloves/puppets, prop bag with items related to stories, oversized green glasses for frogs, spray bottle to create water for ‘rain’ songs)
Visualise the Daily Routine (e.g. have visual prompts for show and tell rather than have the teacher ask questions, use magazine pictures to show ‘rest time’ ‘song time’ ‘lunch time’ etc)
Signing (gesture)
The program….
• Explicit• Linked• Inquiry based • Time for children to practice• Includes child interests/topics• Developmentally appropriate • Embedded goals for children with
additional needs
Making the links when programming for language
Make it visual Choosing a book
Language skills Activities
Perceptual-language distance
MatchingPerception
SelectiveAnalysis of Perception
ReorderingPerception
ReasoningaboutPerception
I II III IVperceptual
languagedistance
LabelLocateMatchRepeat
DescribeDescribe characteristics,characteristics, functionsfunctionsIdentify Identify perceptualperceptual differencesdifferencesDescribe sceneDescribe scene
InferSummarizeJudgment/ evaluationID abstract categories
PredictExplain
Blank, M., Rose, S.A., & Berlin, L.J. (1978). The language of learning: The preschool years. New York: Grune & Stratton.van Kleeck, A. (2003). Research on book sharing: Another critical look. In van Kleeck, S.A. Stahl,& E.B. Bauer (Eds.), On reading books to children. Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.
Abstraction Levels
Level 1• Requires matching
perception (answer immediately available
Level 2• Requires selective
analysis of perception
Example• Point to a Monarch
butterfly.• What do you see on
Grandmother’s ofrenda (alter) ?
• What is a metate used for?
• What color are Monarchs?
Ghost Wings by Barbara Joosse
Abstraction LevelsLevel 3• Required reordering of
perception (prediction or reworking thoughts)
Level 4• Requires reasoning about
perception (reflect or interpret)
Examples• What is a migration?• Name something that the girl
would not put on the ofrenda?
• Why did the girl tremble when she was in bed?
• Why are scientists tagging butterflies?
Question-Answer RelationshipHelp the children know how to answer the questions at each level by telling them where to find the
answer
1. Where is the answer?– Right there!– Words are right there in the text
2. Where is the answer?– Think and search!– Words are in the text, but not spelled out for you.
Think about what the author is saying.
3. Where is the answer?– You and the author!– Think about what you have learned and what is in the text.
4. Where is the answer?– On your own!– Answer is in your head.
Visual tools
Phonological SkillDevelopment
• Sensitivity to rhyming• Syllable segmentation• Awareness of onset-rimes
– m…an; f…an; r…an
• Phonemic awareness– Segmentation of words into phonemes– Phoneme discrimination– Blending of phonemes– Manipulation of phonemes
Strategies and Resources for transition to literacy
• Cued Articulation
• Special word book
• Signing in
• Alphabet tree
• ELF program
• SLP
It’s exciting when things go wrong !
Sabotage • Forgetfulness – no cup; equipment
missing• Visible but unreachable• Violate order/sequence – change
steps in game or use spoon upside down
• Assistance – lid too tight
INCLUSION STRATEGIES
• Total communication - SE; key word; symbols; verbal
• Visual scaffolds – routines; timetable• Visual props – songs; books• Whole body listening• Environmental • Pre-teaching• Explicit teaching (school readiness)
Learning more than one language !!!
• Important to understand families use and level of proficiency of the languages used in the home (be aware of speaking versus written language skills)
• Children have capacity to learn more than one language but it can be a slower process
• Benefit from visuals, repetition and individual follow up
• Complex process in identifying if child is having difficulties – seek specialist advice
Websites Hanen www.hanen.org
www.zerotothree.org & firstwords.fsu.edu
Early childhood learning resources project www.curriculum.edu.au/eclearning/
www. speechpathologyaustralia.org.au
Early Childhood Australia – free fact sheets http://www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/supporting_best_practice/supporting_best_practice.html
ResourcesQLD Health fact sheets www.health.qld.gov.au/child&youth/factsheets
Communities for Children Initiative
Karyn Johns – [email protected]