A Wonderful World of Words and Wiggles

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A Wonderful World of Words and Wiggles

• Learning Language through stories, music and
  movement
• With Carol Osborn
• And
• Kathy Silverman

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Importance of Home Language

• Children need to have a solid base in their home
  language to acquire second language and literacy
  skills
• Familiar experiences and stories send messages to
  the brain that heighten the ability to learn new
  information

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Emergent Language Begins

• Language Begins at Birth
• Language develops through loving relationships
  and with social/emotional well-being
• Language is shared through meaningful experiences
• Language is taught through stories and songs

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Infants (0-16 months)

• Automatic Communication
• Joint Reference
• Intentional Communication
• Conventional Symbols

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Toddlers (16 months36 months)

• Stages of Language from one word to two word to
  multi-word
• Rhythms of language in rhymes, stories, songs and
  clapping
• Rules of Language

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Preschooler (3 years 5 years)

• Recognition of words in relation to pictures
• Scribbling
• Printing of letters or words

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Importance Of Emergent Language and Literacy

• Ability to Communicate
• Self-Esteem (I am lovable)
• Self-Confidence (I am capable)
• Self-Efficacy (I know that I can achieve

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Language is the Foundation of Literacy

• Language is the key
• to Communication, Literacy and
• Success in School

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Importance Of Emergent Language and Literacy

• Supports Complex Thought
• Initiation Inquiry
• Conflict Resolution
• Problem-Solving

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Emergent Literacy Skills

• understand how speech sounds are connected to
  print
• information and vocabulary
• Ability to construct meaning from print
• Recognition of letters decoding words fluency
• Interest and desire to learn

• Phonological Awareness
• Language
• Written Expression
• Letter Knowledge
• Motivation

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Lasting Effects of Language and Literacy

• Lasting Effects
• Social-Emotional Well being
• Knowledge, understanding and motivation to learn
• Future school success

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Supporting Emergent Language through Stories,
Songs and Movement Activities
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Learning Language Through Activities

• Repetition, putting actions to words
• Music stimulates the brain and triggers memory
• Relationships and Meaningful Experiences
  strengthen language

• Fingerplays
• Songs
• Stories
• Movement

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Supporting Second Language Learners

• Include the childs home language and culture in
  everyday activities
• Use words from both home language and second
  language
• Sing songs familiar to the child
• Incorporate home language into songs and sing
  home language songs in second language.

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Time to Sing

• Music stimulates the brain and triggers learning
  new words and sounds

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Time to Play

• Rhythm helps children learn the sounds of new
  words and the rhythm of language

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Time to Move

• Music and movement can motivate children to learn

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Time to tell stories

• Stories and finger plays give children background
  knowledge for understanding language and literacy

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Key Messages

• Language is the key to communication.
• Children need a strong foundation in their home
  language to acquire a second language.
• Young children acquire language skills through
  loving relationships, social/emotional well-
  being, meaningful experiences, stories and songs.
• Stories, music and movement activities can
  enhance language and motivation to learn.

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Time To Communicate
Do you have any questions? What are your
feelings after this workshop? What are your
comments about how children acquire
language? Please let us know what you think.