CHAPTER 1:Language in Our Lives

Language Development in Early Childhood EducationFourth Edition

Beverly W. Otto

Adapted by Dr. Laura Taddei

Otto. Language Development in Early Childhood Education, 4e. © 2014, 2010, 2006, 2002 by Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved

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Reflect on your own experiences

Individually reflect on your own experiences with language

Some questions to consider – what was your home language?

Did you interact with others who came from a different language background?

Did you travel to another area where a different language or dialect was spoken?

Otto. Language Development in Early Childhood Education, 4e. © 2014, 2010, 2006, 2002 by Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved

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What is language?

• A medium of communication

• An essential component of all cultures

• A system of symbols by which we clarify our thinking

Otto. Language Development in Early Childhood Education, 4e. © 2014, 2010, 2006, 2002 by Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved

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What language competencies are needed by children?

• Oral language• Listening and speaking

• Written language• Reading and writing

Otto. Language Development in Early Childhood Education, 4e. © 2014, 2010, 2006, 2002 by Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved

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Overview: Aspects of Language Knowledge

• Phonological

• Semantic

• Syntactic

• Morphemic

• Pragmatic

Otto. Language Development in Early Childhood Education, 4e. © 2014, 2010, 2006, 2002 by Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved

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Activity – Small Groups

Pages 4 to 13 – each group will be assigned one of the aspects of language and describe/illustrate what their aspect means:

Group 1 – Phonological

Group 2 – Semantic

Group 3 – Syntactic

Group 4 – Morphemic

Group 5 - Pragmatic

Otto. Language Development in Early Childhood Education, 4e. © 2014, 2010, 2006, 2002 by Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved

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Phonological Knowledge

• Knowledge of the sound-symbol relationships in a language

• Discrimination of speech sounds precedes the ability to produce those sounds

Otto. Language Development in Early Childhood Education, 4e. © 2014, 2010, 2006, 2002 by Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved

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Phonological Knowledge Key Concepts

• Phoneme

• Phonological awareness

• Prosodic features

Otto. Language Development in Early Childhood Education, 4e. © 2014, 2010, 2006, 2002 by Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved

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Semantic Knowledge

• Knowledge of word labels that specify concepts• Receptive knowledge• Expressive knowledge

• Schemata • Cognitive structures representing interrelations between concepts

Otto. Language Development in Early Childhood Education, 4e. © 2014, 2010, 2006, 2002 by Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved

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Syntactic Knowledge

• Knowledge of the system of rules for combining words in meaningful phrases and sentences

• Syntax- word order or grammar

Otto. Language Development in Early Childhood Education, 4e. © 2014, 2010, 2006, 2002 by Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved

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Morphemic Knowledge

•Knowledge of word structure• Morphemes

• Free morphemes• Bound morphemes

• Derivational• Inflectional

Otto. Language Development in Early Childhood Education, 4e. © 2014, 2010, 2006, 2002 by Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved

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Pragmatic Knowledge

• Knowledge of how language is used differently in different settings• Social-cultural settings

• Register• Genderlect• Written texts and genre

Otto. Language Development in Early Childhood Education, 4e. © 2014, 2010, 2006, 2002 by Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved

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Levels of Language Knowledge

• Linguistic knowledge

• Metalinguistic knowledge

• Verbalization of metalinguistic knowledge

Otto. Language Development in Early Childhood Education, 4e. © 2014, 2010, 2006, 2002 by Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved

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Modes and Forms of Language Competencies

• Oral language• Listening and speaking

• Written language• Reading and writing

Otto. Language Development in Early Childhood Education, 4e. © 2014, 2010, 2006, 2002 by Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved

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Critical Role of Children’s Oral Language Competencies

• Provide basis for learning written language system

• Enable effective communication during

learning activities and social interactions