JGL EXAM NOTES 02 NOV

PERCEPTUAL SKILLS

AUDITORY PERCEPTION
-Is the ability of the brain to make contact the outside world through
hearing.
-Hearing plays a cardinal role in the learning of a language. Even though
a child may have perfect hearing, it is possible that he does not
perceive and conceptualize what he hears properly. As is the case with
visual perception where the child regards a part as a whole, it is
possible for a child to accept a part of word as a whole, even though he
has in fact heard the whole word. If he suffers from erroneous auditory
perception and hears words differently, he will also speak and produce
them differently. A child’s auditory perception can be disorganized or
fragmentary.
Dysfunction of auditory perceptual
-Children with auditory perceptual dysfunction are confused by their
inadequate reception of information from the outside world.
• They find it difficult to remember what they have heard.
• They confuse that sounds similar and they forget messages they
were sent to convey, or they return with the wrong response or
object, as a result of auditory confusion. Their becoming is thus
impended (Grove 1972:44).

COMPONENTS OF AUDITORY PERCEPTION

1.1 AUDITORY DISCRIMINATION- Is the ability to distinguish between
and to hear similarities and differences in certain noises and
sounds.
PROBLEMS WITH AUDITORY DISCRIMINATION
• Child find it difficult to distinguish between sounds that are
similar, e.g., b/d. neither can he distinguish between words that
sound similar.
• He also has problems with clapping rhythmic patterns because he
cannot hear which are short sounds and which are long sounds.
• Experience difficulties when diving words into syllables.
• Problems with auditory discrimination are fairly common,
particularly in children with specific learning disabilities.
ACTIVITIES FOR PROMOTING AUDITORY DISCRIMINATION
a. Noises in the environment
• Record noises in the environment on tape. Play the tape and
let the child identify each sound. Tape sounds like paper
tearing, hands clapping, a whistle being blown, a car
starting, a ball bouncing, etc.
b. Identify sounds
• The child closes his eyes and must identify as many of the
sounds in the environment as possible, e.g., cars passing by,
airplanes flying by, a bird singing, people talking, etc.
c. Identify objects
• Place a number of objects with which sounds can be made
on a table. Introduce them to the child. With eyes closed, he
must identify the object making a particular sound, for
example: a spoon being stirred in a cup, a drum being
beaten, a rattle being shaken, keys being jangled, paper
being cut with scissors, etc.
 d. Distinguish between intensity and direction of sound
• Play loud and soft notes on the piano. The children clap their
hands when they hear a soft note and stamp their feet once
when they hear a loud note.
• Blindfold a child and position him in the Centre of the room.
Four children, each with a bell, sit round him, one in front,
one behind, one on his left, one on his right. Each child gets
a chance to ring his bell and the child in the middle must
identify the direction of the sound.

1.2 AUDITORY ANALYSIS AND SYNTHESIS

- Auditory analysis-Is the ability to perceive through hearing alone,
that a whole consists of various parts.
- Auditory synthesis- is the ability to join the parts or syllables of a
word to form a total image based on hearing only.

-When a baby is taught to say words at the age of about fifteen

months, the adult enunciates the words slowly and clearly, e.g.,
ma-ma, da-da.
-Similarly, the child must learn new skills in the school situation.
Only top often the fact that auditory analysis and synthesis are
just as important in these skills, e.g., reading, as they are to a baby
who is learning to talk, is forgotten. The child has to assimilate
auditory stimuli during every presented in the school. Analysis
and synthesis are the foundation of almost all the aspects of
auditory perception.

• An inability in the sphere of auditory analysis and synthesis

is responsible for the development of spelling and learning
 problems. These children will also make errors in their
pronunciation, ‘elephant’ and ‘ephelent’.

• Deviation in hearing perception make it impossible to

distinguish between sounds that almost alike and cause the
child to pronounce certain words incorrectly. Some children
do not draw the correct association between the sounds and
the symbol representing the sound. They will, for example,
say ‘beard’ for ‘bread’ and ‘sake’ for ‘case’.

• A child with poor auditory analysis and synthesis cannot

analyze a word auditively into syllables, letters, and sounds.
Neither does he have the ability to join sounds or syllables
auditively.

1.2.1 ACTIVITIES PROMOTING AUDITORY ANALYSIS AND SYNTHESIS

• The teacher says a short sentence. The children take the same
number of steps as there are words in the sentence. At a later
stage, the words can eventually be identified.
• Give children instructions such as ‘touch something that begins
with an ‘s’.
• Say the word in syllables and then let the child guess the word.

1.3 AUDITORY MEMORY- Is the ability to remember what the ear has
heard, this includes the ability to recall and to produce auditory
information in the correct order, association, and comprehension.

SHORT TERM MEMORY- Ability to recall general auditory

information immediately. Is referred as temporary memory, it
plays an active role when one is listening to someone at the
beginning of a sentence by the time the speaker finishes the
sentence. It functions on a word level all the sounds must be
remembered, as well as the sequence in which they heard.

PROBLEMS WITH SHORT TERM MEMORY

• Children can carry simple instructions but cannot remember
complex ones or a series of instructions or words.
• Find it difficult to take down dictations in the primary
schools.
• Characteristic of these children is to talk in a jumbled way
because they cannot remember what they wanted to say.
• They ummm and ahh and frequently repeat the same words
and sentences.

LONG TERM MEMORY- Is the ability to store general auditory

information so that it can be recalled at the required time.
Other stimuli must therefore have reached the brain between
reception and expression.

PROBLEMS OF LONG-TERM MEMORY

• Regarding the recalling of sounds a child may find it
difficult to store sound images and to call them back to
mind. This means that he won’t be able to say sounds. He
will however be able to recognize and identify the right
sound from a choice of two or three or remember a
sound if he is given some indication of the sound.
 • Sometimes a child can store the sound image but is
unable to recall it. Auditory memory disorders can have
an adverse effect on speech and writing. The child’s
speech can be hesitant and full of circumlocutions such as
‘thingamabob’ ‘stuff’ and ‘what-d’ you call it’ which
render his communication pattern disconnected and
confused.
• The child is very dependent on the hearing and
pronouncing of a word before he can write it. If his ability
to hear, distinguish between, remember, or pronounce
groups of sounds is impeded, he will have problems
writing the words himself, although he will be capable of
copying words from an example.

ACTIVITIES PROMOTING AUDITORY MEMORY

a. A motor action resulting from an auditory instruction

• Put your crayon on the table, shut the window, and then
bring your picture to me.
• Push your chair under the table, put your picture in your
cupboard, go and fetch a book from reading corner, and
sit on the mat.
b. Story or facts
• Read or tell a short story containing three to eight facts
which the child must repeat.
AUDITORY SEQUENCING- Is the ability to recall and reproduce auditory
stimuli in the correct sequence.
-Here memory plays a major role. Auditory sequencing is closely linked
with the auditory analysis and synthesis abilities. As a result, this makes
it difficult to diagnose auditory sequencing dysfunction.
-Asking a child to repeat a series of figures helps with the diagnosis. If
he repeats 2451 as 2154, it may be assumed reasonably accurately that
there is sequencing dysfunction. The problem will make spelling and
the execution.
-It must be stated quite clearly that a child who cannot carry out a
series of tasks does not have a motor dysfunction. The fact that he has
a sequencing problem is clear if he can remember what to do but
confuses the order in which the task must be done. Since he in facts
does everything, he has to do, one can assume that his memory is in
order.
-It is important to determine the basic problem, the child may not
understand verbal instructions, or he may have a motor disorder, or he
may be experiencing a problem with preservation if he cannot change
from one rhythm to another.
PROBLEMS WITH AUDITORY SEQUENCING
• Difficulty in remembering parts of words, sentences, or
other items that they have perceived auditorily before, in
the right order.
• Sometimes a child can remember what he has heard for a
short period of time, but not long enough to support his
learning development successfully.
• Struggle to memorize short poems, cannot execute a
verbal instruction correctly, and forget the steps involved
in long division and multiplication.
 • Cannot remember the messages, by the time they have
reached the people who are to receive the messages,
they have forgotten the actual message.
• Cannot retell stories, struggle to answer questions after
hearing.
1.4.1 ACTIVITIES FOR PROMOTING AUDITORY SEQUENCING
• Carrying out specific instructions in a given order.
• Musical rhythm: The teacher beats a simple, rhythmic pattern on
a drum, cardboard, etc., and the child repeats it. Repeat and
elaborate by making use of metal triangles, musical bells, etc.
• Time activities: What comes before Monday, after Wednesday,
etc. Give the child practical exercises on the days of the week.
• Telephone number game: a child says his telephone number and
the others repeat it.
• Recall: What comes before 4, or what comes after 7?
• Extended sentences: listen carefully to what I am saying and
repeat exactly what I say: “Today is the 10th of February. The big
dog with the bone in his mouth runs down the street”.
1.5 AUDITORY ASSOCIATION- THE ABILITY TO RESPOND TO
AUDITORY STIMULI OR TO A SET PROBLEMS IN A
MEANINGFUL WAY BY ASSOCIATING IT WITH PREVIOUS
EXPERIENCES.
-It covers a wide spectrum of possibilities. Association can be for
example, objective or subjective. It can also be freely restricted,
freely unrestricted, or concretely abstract. The child can be asked
to give another word for ladder. The association he makes will
produce different meaning of the word:
• The ladder is made of wood. (descriptive)
• I climb a ladder. (functional)
 • The ladder is long. (descriptive, concrete)
• The ladder will fall and its dangerous to climb it. (subjective)
• Sadder sounds like ladder. (Perceptual- it rhymes)
-Much information can be deduced from listening closely to the child’s
answers and analyzing them critically.
PROBLEMS WITH AUDITORY ASSOCIATION
• Children are inclined to carry out verbal instructions slowly.
• They are inattentive, and their thoughts appear to be elsewhere
when they are being spoken to.
• They aren’t clearly understanding what is being said to them.
• Has problem with reading and spelling because he does not
understand what he hears.
• He tends to misinterpret questions, thus giving the wrong
answers.
• Defective auditory association can seriously impede a child’s
ability to learn language.
• Difficulties in determining the source of a sound, poor auditory
memory, an inability to localize sound, and weak acoustical
discrimination ability. They find it difficult to progress in the
ordinary playroom and classroom situation.

1.5.1 ACTIVITIES FOR IMPROVING AUDITORY ASSOCIATION

-To help children to listen, it is essential that their
auditory world be structured and organized in
advance. This will make it easier for them to associate
what they hear with a familiar object or experience.
They will be able to communicate with their
environment without much effort.
• Undertake a sound journey
 • Riddles
1.6 AUDITORY CLOSURE- The ability to understand the spoken
word when only part of it has been heard, or when it is
presented against a noisy background.

PROBLEMS WITH AUDITORY CLOSURE

• Child does not speak properly
• Does not recognize words that are partially heard.
• Not able to connect individual letters that are sounded by
someone else
• Not able to join sounds into syllables and words.
• In mathematics does not recognize similarities and
differences in shapes and sizes if they are explained to him
on an auditory level only.
• Spelling difficulty because the letters are not all heard in
their correct order.
• Struggles to draw a correct auditory distinction in words in
which they occur.

ACTIVITIES PROMOTING AUDITORY CLOSURE

Where is the ‘p’ in ‘pain’?
Is it at the beginning, end, or in the middle?

CHILDRENS LITERATURE
INTRODUCTION
 • It can play an important role in the lives of children, especially in
our country, where children from different cultures must learn to
understand one another and work together. Martha Maarten’s
say, children’s literature can be instrumental in building a nation.

4. WHAT IS CHILDREN’S LITERATURE?

• It forms part of the general body literature but is written
specifically for children of the way in which they experience and
react to the things around them, their life world, in other words. A
good story is rich imagination and is well illustrated, the author
regards children’s literature as an art form. It can contain poems,
riddles, and rhymes. Children’s literature can play a very
important part in the child’s growing up process.
-Most children enjoy books and like to have their favorites read to
them again and again. If children learn to love reading at an early
age, it become a lifetime habit.
CHILDRENS LITERATURE PLAYS AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN THE
FOLLOWING:
4.1 Language skills
• Learning to talk is a lengthy, complicated process. Books help the
child to become familiar with words, ideas, and facts.
• They also demonstrate how to use language correctly. The child
learns that words and pictures have meaning, and gradually
discovers how to express himself. Once he can read, he should
have access to reading material to stimulate his interest:
• story books can also be useful in learning a second language.
4.2 Intellect
 • Children’s literature can provide the child with valuable
knowledge.
• It can also broaden his interest in and the things around him.
• Stories stimulate the child’s imagination and develop the
observation skills which form the basis of creative thought.
• The logical course of events in stories helps the child to make
connections between events and to become aware of the notion
of sequence.
• He also learns to weigh things up against one another.
• Children’s literature can teach children to think and reason.
4.3 Satisfying emotional needs
• Can help to satisfy the emotional needs of the child. He takes
pleasure in listening to a story or paging through a picture book,
especially if it makes him laugh.
• The child identifies with the characters and their experiences. This
can help him to work through negative emotions such as fear of
the dark, of the doctor, etc.
4.4 Social development
• The story form promotes a friendly, relaxed relationship between
the narrator/author and the listener/reader.
• It can also help to promote self-discipline: while the child is
listening, he must sit still and concentrate.
• Stories can be used to teach to be considerate towards people of
different ages, sexes, and cultures. They learn about society and
their role in the community.
4.5 Moral development
• Stories embody the norms and values of society. They can
contribute to the formation of the formation of the child’s
 personality by reinforcing virtues such as helpfulness, purity,
thoughtfulness, and a love of nature. Because children identify
with ‘good’ literary characters, they learn to emphasize with other
creatures.
• It can be a valuable educational aid in guiding the child towards
maturity.
4.6 Religious development
Every child has a right to be happy and carefree, to grow, to love, to
care and be cared for. Books with a religious slant should acknowledge
this. They should teach the child about God’s love and his triumph over
evil and make him aware that love can overcome hatred. There are
many books of Bible stories. Before using a book for religious purposes,
you should make sure that it meets the criteria of a good children’s
book.
4.7 Physical development
Stories and rhymes in which parts of the body are named help the child
to develop body awareness and understand concepts such as left and
right. Stories can also be imitated and acted out through movement.
The child does not develop in separate compartments, but as a whole.
It is important to know which books are appropriate for a particular age
group.

5. CRITERIA FOR SUITABLE CHILDRENS LITERATURE.

• The characters in the stories should manifest the norms and
values of society and set an example for the child. For example, if
society considers education to be important, the characters in the
 stories should reflect this. Avoid stories with too many characters
when reading to children of the age of five.
• Stories for children up to the age of four should not stress
emotions such as anxiety or fear because the child still needs to
feel safe at this age. The events should be simple, and the story
should have a happy ending.
• The style and language should not be too difficult, and the story
should not contain too many unfamiliar words. If you are reading
to very young children, you could substitute simple words for
those that are too difficult. If the child is starting to read, you will
have to explain words that are unfamiliar.
• Small children cannot sit still for long. Stories should be short to
be told in one session. Older children can sit still and concentrate
for longer periods of time. They enjoy repetition, action, and
uncomplicated humor. If they can read well, they may also enjoy
series in which the same characters reappear, but every book has
its own story.
• Good children’s literature affords the child pure enjoyment and
instils positive deals and values him.
• Avoid stories with themes such as snow at Christmas, which is
unfamiliar to the south African child. Also avoid stories featuring
racism, sexism, and stereotypes. No ethnic group should be
families, for example, the mother is the breadwinner, and the
father does the housework. Some grandparents have active
careers – they do not just sit in the sun. Avoid stories that contain
violence or that will make the child anxious.
• You should know that children like different types of books at
different ages so that you can provide the right material at the
right time. This will help to promote a lifelong love of reading.
5. READING PHASES OF THE CHILD
5.1. BABIES
CHARACTERISTICS OF BABIES
• Are children between birth and one year old. They need a great
deal of physical contact and love. At this age, they not yet
acquired language skills and cannot physically handle books.
BOOKS FOR BABIES
• When the baby is older, he can begin to look at picture books
made of cardboard or fabric that are easy to hold. The pictures
should represent simple, familiar objects such as a blanket, a
feeding bottle, etc. lift the baby onto your lap so that you can look
at the picture together. Say the name of the object aloud while
pointing at the picture. Picture books are ideal for babies because
they contain little or no text.
5.2 THE TODDLER
• CHARACTERISTICS OF THE TODDLER
Toddlers are children aged from twelve months to three years. Their
language skills develop rapidly during this phase. They are keen to
learn new words and enjoy repeating over and over. Their world
now extends beyond their immediate environment.
• BOOKS FOR TODDLERS
The three-year-old is able to appreciate a simple story. Picture books
for toddlers can deal with less familiar topics such as farm animals or
miners in a mine. Stories containing rhymes and repetition as well as
sound imitation would be appropriate. There should be a central
theme with few characters. Books in other language could be used
because the text is simple enough to translate or explain easily.
5.3 THE THREE-YEAR-OLD
CHARACTERISTICS OF THE THREE-YEAR OLD
• He is interested in his environment but cannot yet distinguish
between reality and fantasy.
• He still enjoys repetition and rhyme. He needs the proximity of an
older person and cannot sit still for long periods.
BOOKS FOR THREE-YEAR-OLD
• Stories should be about familiar events such as a birthday party
or granny and grandpa’s visit. A repetitive refrain would be
very suitable. The same story can be repeated several times.
• He likes rhythm, rhyme, repetition, sounds, actions and happy
endings. Stick to realistic stories without a fantasy element and
avoid those which contain cruelty or fear. The story should take
8-10 minutes to read and should be completed in one session.
5.4 THE FOUR-YEAR-OLD
CHARACTERISTIC
• Begins to take an interest in the world beyond his immediate
environment.
• He enjoys exaggeration and simple humor. He is fascinated by
new words and hi natural curiosity makes him want to discover
new things.
BOOKS FOR FOUR YEARS
 • Stories can deal with things beyond the child’s environment
but should have a link with the child himself. They can be
realistic or contain an element of fantasy.
• Humor and exaggeration are suitable (nonsense stories). The
four-year-old is able to cope with stories that contain emotions
such as fear, jealousy, anger and love. He enjoys animal tales
and stories about people, how things are made, how plants
grow, different forms of transport, etc. The story should be
about 15 minutes long but could be read over two days.
5.5 THE FIVE- TO SIX-YEAR-OLD
CHARACTERISTICS OF FIVE AND SIX
• There is no significant difference between them, which is why
they have been grouped together. Children of this group are
curious about the world around them.
• They can think and reason things out and are able to distinguish
between fantasy and reality. Emotionally, they are comparatively
stable and are able to carry out tasks on their own. They still enjoy
funny stories and like t tell their own.
• They can sit still for relatively longer periods.
BOOKS FOR FIVE AND SIX
• They enjoy stories containing new information about nature and
people from other countries; also adventure stories. Fantasy tales
without too much suspense are suitable, as stories are containing
humor and exaggeration. Abstract concepts can now be included.
Series of books are popular, and they still enjoy nonsense rhymes
and stories. Accounts of scientific events are interesting. Make
sure that all the facts are correct.
 • The sentence structure of the story can be more complex, and
new words and concepts included. Literature can serve as a safety
valve for intense emotions such as fear and aggression. The story
can be 20 minutes long and divided into more than one
instalment.
5.6 THE SEVEN-YEAR-OLD
CHARACTERISTICS
• Unless he has spent his reception year preschool or grade r at a
primary school, the child in grade 1 is confronted with a whole
new world. He still feels safe with what is familiar to him.
• Many demands are made of the child during the 1st year of school.
He is becoming familiar with a more formal teaching situation. He
wants to acquire knowledge and learn to read and write. He must
be responsible for his own reader.
• He learns to read in a group or by reading aloud to the teacher.
The child in Grade 1 needs to be exposed to many kinds of
children’s literature that he can read by himself.
BOOKS FOR SEVEN-YEAR-OLD
• He still enjoys books that deal with familiar topics. Stories
containing repeated actions, sentences and rhymes are popular.
• He also enjoys action tales, animal stories- especially those in
which animals behave like humans (animism).
• The language of such supplementary reading should be simple.
THE EIGHT-YEAR-OLD
CHARACTERISTICS
• They realize that the world is bigger than his immediate
environment.
 • He marvels at all the unfamiliar things happening around him.
• He tries to find explanations in his fantasy world.
• He is still interested in real world and is curious as to how other
children his age live.
BOOKS FOR THE EIGHT-YEAR-OLD
• He likes realistic stories, especially those about the lifestyles of
children from other cultures.
• He identifies with fantasies and identifies with high ideals such as
the good and the beautiful, which always triumph over what is
ugly and evil. This contributes to the child’s moral development in
that the child learns to identify with the good, which is
represented as being beautiful and right.
• He lives in a fantasy world, and he can and be able to distinguish
between the real and the imaginary. Books containing repetition
are still popular, as are animal tales.
CHARACTERISTICS
• Is firmly rooted in the real world and seldom resorts to fantasy.
• He wants to know everything, how they work, why and how
various things take place. He likes action stories featuring a hero
with whose physical strength and courage he can identify.
BOOKS FOR NINE YEARS
• He likes stories about daring exploits and great achievements as
well as stories in which a girl or boy is the protagonist. Series in
which one book follows another are very popular.
• At this age, the child should be reading by himself and also
choosing his own literature. There are various ways of
encouraging the child to read.
6. DIFFERENT TYPES OF CHILDREN’S LITERATURE
1) Books about actual things and events (reality)
2) Books about imaginary things an events (fantasy)
3) Picture books
4) Cartoon strips
5) Poetry

6.1 Books about actual things and events

• It deals with real life, a visit to the shop, the hospital, the dentist,
etc., as well as books about tame and wild animals.
• About children from other cultures in other countries.
6.2 books about imaginary things and events
• Fairytales
6.3 Picture books
Are the books where two worlds meet, literature and art.
6.3.1 illustrations
Are very important because the young child uses them to make out the
story without being able to read the words.
6.3.2 The story of the picture book
Can deal with either reality or fantasy. The criteria are the same as for
the story book.
The theme should fit in the child’s life world.
There should be one identifiable protagonist and not too many other
characters, a simple sequence of events, an interesting climax, and
happy ending. The language should be descriptive and contain a few
new words. Many suspense and abstract elements should be avoided.
6.3.3 Technical editing
Includes choosing the size, form, binding, design of the pages and
printing of the text.
The outer cover of the book should be attractive and inviting the child
to leaf through the content. Binding should be sturdy and the paper of
good quality. The font should be legible and in keeping with the
illustration.
6.4 Cartoon Strips
Are the representation of an incident or a short story by drawings and
text in balloons? There are meant to be amusing, they help children to
learn to read because the picture tells the story. The storyline is simple.
Little text required because the action is expressed by the picture.
6.5 Poetry for young children
Usually contain rhymes, jingles and riddles.
Rhyme- the words are replaceable. Event recounted in a unique
combination of words. The content has deeper meaning that can be
read and understood in different ways. Can describe an event or
situation. We speak of a ‘story rhyme’ if the rhyme tells a story.
Jingles- there are very short. Appeal lies in the rhythm, rhythming
pattern and the play of words. The content is connected with the child’s
anatomy or immediate environment. Can be nonsense interpretation of
reality. A good jingle contains an element of surprise.