the early years a time to talk karyn johns speech language pathologist kjspeech@bigpond.com

The Early YearsA Time to Talk

Karyn Johns

Speech Language Pathologist

kjspeech@bigpond.com

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 – kjspeech@bigpond.com