ACTIVITIES THAT ENCOURAGE LANGUAGE GROWTH

Almost everything that happens in the early childhood classroom will contribute to
children’s language development. If an adult visits the class, the children can have opportunities for
interaction with the visitor, who serves as another model of language use. If the children go on a
field trip, they will have the opportunity to learn vocabulary connected with what they are
observing. Language development goes all through the school day.
Several other areas of literacy are vital to early childhood education and therefore need
specific discussion. Stories, poetry, and fingerplays are all activities that involve listening, speaking,
reading or writing. It is hoped that toward the end of the early childhood years, children will be
given many opportunities and much stimulus for writing their own stories and poems.
The activities are merely suggestions of the opportunities that teachers have for helping
children develop more competency as language users:

Narrative Stories
These are some activities that focus for learning new vocabulary or new ways of expressing
ideas:
1. Compare the words used in different versions of familiar folk stories.
2. Dramatize stories or rhymes. Actually, speaking the words and performing the actions that go
with them help children make vocabulary real and personal.
3. Have children retell stories in their own words and/or use puppets to recall stories. 4. Ask
children to create new versions of stories by selecting words to fit the patterns in repetitive
books.
5. Encourage children to tell their own original stories and record them either in writing or an
audiotape.

Books

Very young children enjoy book reading

and teachers should certainly incorporate reading
into the routine. The language in books allows
teacher to expand children’s language in
supportive and creative ways. Books with
simplified vocabularies are somewhat useful for
beginning readers.

Very young children enjoy book reading and teachers should certainly incorporate reading
into the routine. They provide a wealth of ways to contribute to language experience, reinforce
concepts, entertain, stimulate thought, and offer emotional support.
Poetry
 “Poetry paints verbal pictures for children,
tells
them stories, and express emotions that they are
feeling”.
Poetry stirs imagination and creative thinking.
Though
poetry, children become keenly aware of sensory
impressions. They find enjoyment and satisfaction
in these
impressions as they are expressed through the
imaginary of
poetry. “Poetry can capture children’s hearts and
emotions
but only if it nurtured through positive and satisfying
experiences” (Buchoff, 1995). Children also delight in the
sound and rhythm of language as it is expressed. Poetry
sings, and it is rich, warm, and definite.

Poetry allows children to experiences various emotions, feelings, and moods; become
familiar with creative language; expand concept and language development; model desirable
behaviors; and increase attention spans. Young children enjoy writing their own impressions in the
form of poetry, especially when they learn that poetry does not require line that rhyme.
Poetry should not be read or presented in a singsong pattern, but with directness and
sincerity. It should appeal to the emotions and flow with the right meter or rhythm. Most poems
need not be explained, but read and enjoyed for the sake of the poem and its appeal to the
individual child. Many of the suggestions presented in this chapter regarding stories are also
appropriate for poetry. Poetry can be presented with pictures (or single picture), puppets, objects,
recordings, flannel board illustrations, slides, overhead transparencies, or other visual aids.
In addition, many poems lend themselves to dramatization; even short nursery rhymes can
be dramatized and put into action. For groups of children who are beginning to read, their favorite
poems can be put on charts so that they can follow along as the poem is read. Children enjoy
illustrating the poems that they hear.

Chants/Rhymes/Songs
Choral readings help children learn new vocabulary words and new sentence patterns that
add to their repertoires.
Teachers should plan activities such as the following:
1. Create a new version of song lyrics or rhymes by selecting words that fit the rhymes.
2. Dramatize rhymes or song lyrics. When children participate in drama, their actions
indicate comprehension of the words.
Flannel Board Stories
This is a version of storytelling
with
props. Flannel board stories easily
capture
children’s attention as they look
forward to
seeing what will be put on the board
next. A
flannel- or felt-covered board serves as
a
background, while felt, fabric, or pellon cutouts
of characters are used to relay the story.

Story Enactment
Children respond with great enthusiasm to opportunities to enact favorite stories. Story
enactment involves both language and social skills as children cooperate and share the roles of a
given story.

Puppets

A puppet is an inanimate object or

representational figure animated or manipulated by
an entertainer, who is called a puppeteer. It is used in
puppetry, which is a very ancient form of theatre.
There are many different varieties of puppets,
 and they are made of a wide range of materials,
depending on their form and intended use. They can
be extremely complex or very simple in their
construction.
Sharing Time
Sharing time can have many positive
benefits for language development if managed
appropriately. Sharing time should be conducted
in small groups so that children do not have to
sit for longer periods while each person has a
turn. Objects should be displayed to the group,
rather than passed around. Teachers should also
help children learn how to begin and end
presentations, and sessions should be
structured so that children are not required to
stand up or come to the front of the class in order
to participate.

The following activities may help achieve the control during sharing time:
1. Sharing can be organized so that children describe the details of the process for
making objects they have created in the class.
2. Children can bring objects from home that are related to a theme or topic of study.
3. Children can share personal experiences that are important to them.
4. Sharing time can be used as a brainstorming session for solving class problems and
planning class activities.
Teachers must also consider children’s ages in planning activities for sharing
time. Playing with Language
Once children have a good grasp of the principles of language and the correctness of a
concept, they delight in confirming this by expressing the opposite, usually accompanied by much
laughter and giggling.
Incongruity – For preschoolers, this can involve changing the words of favorite rhymes. Ex.
“Mary had a little bleep”

Conversations
A natural way of using language is through conversation. It is important that there be many,
many opportunities for children to practice their emerging conversational skills. Engage children in
conversation throughout the day.
 • Why did you color the house orange, Rana?

• Look at all the birds at our birdfeeder this morning. What different ones do
you see?
Fingerplays

When children learn action

songs and
fingerplays, they learn about number,
shape,
color, size, order, and sequence, and
names of
body parts; they also learn muscle
control
and manual dexterity, rhythm of
music and
speech, new words, to follow
direction, to be
attentive, listening skills,
predictability, and
auditory discrimination (Diffily & Morrison,
1996).
Fingerplays and chants are especially
suited for young children, and very often they
are repeated in unison as a type of choral
speaking.

Fingerplays are short poems accompanied with finger motions; thus they are also a type of
dramatization. They are useful attention getters and rest exercises. Whenever you prefer, change
dramatizations, finger motions, or words to fit the developmental level, desired objectives, and
enjoyment of the children. To extend the opportunities for literacy development, have the children
illustrate each part of the fingerplay and then put them to together as a book to be read.

Storytelling
 Telling rather than reading a story from a book can be a more direct, intimate experience
and can stimulate children’s imagination as they visualize the storyline and characters. Storytelling
has the advantage of being a direct communication between the listener and the teller. Children
listening to the story are required to be active listeners.
The story teller should invite participation in the tale, especially after the first telling.
Possible activities include these:
1. Invite children to dramatize a story as you tell it.
2. Provide materials so that children can retell stories during activity periods. Make available
flannel board pieces or puppets.
3. Encourage children to tell their own stories. Older children can write and produce their stories in
many forms.
4. Encourage children to join the storytelling by repeating certain phrases or sounds.
Shared stories assist children in organizing their thoughts and expressing emotions. Stories
capture the attention of children and adults and give enjoyment and relaxation. In addition, stories
provide information, teach new words and concepts, are often remembered more easily than
general information, and encourage an appreciation for literature. A story, although a vicarious
experience, can often teach a concept or give information that otherwise might be difficult to learn.
Stories can be used:
• to teach social skills and values
• children learn from the “friends” that they identify with in stories
• offer opportunities for children to enjoy the world of pretend
• encourage appreciation of beauty and various culture
• help children to learn to follow a sequence of events.

Try telling a story and then retelling it using the “What happens next?” approach. Begin the
story and then allow the children to relate the sequence and events. Well-chosen and well-told
stories will also provide appropriate pattern of speech and foster language skills. Reading aloud
satisfies emotional needs as the listeners enjoy physical closeness with the reader, and its facilities
development of social skills through pictures, content, and learning appropriate behavior during the
reading experiences.

Often when children are restless or when the teacher is in need of an immediate activity, a
well-told story is the best solution. For this reason, teachers of young children should know many
stories and use a variety of storytelling techniques, such as felt boards, puppets, origami,
photographs, music, chalk talks, and flip charts. What a teacher needs most to tell a story effectively
to young children is a love of stories and enthusiasm for telling them.