Subject | Early Childhood Development | Pages | 16 | Style | APA |
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Question
Language and Literacy Journey
A Language and Literacy Development Journey Outline
Paper / Podcast
Overview: Throughout this course, you will complete multiple assignments that will lead to the final Course Project (PhD) or Major Assessment (EdD/EdS): A Language and Literacy Development Journey. By Week 10, you will compile, edit, and submit:
• A 28- to 38-page paper OR a podcast series consisting of 10 individual podcasts (9 podcasts, of approximately 10 minutes each and 1 podcast that is approximately 2 minutes in length, the podcasts must answer each requirement of the assignment regardless of length and a script provided for each podcast)
• The revisions document (inserted after the title page)
Title Page
Revisions Page: Insert the table found in the Major Assessment 1/Course Project: Revisions document that details any improvements you made to your original work.
Part 1: Conceptualizing Your Child
Consider children you have worked with in your career, children you have known, and yourself as a young child. Your role in Part 1 is to create a fictitious child that you will study for this entire semester related to his or her language and literacy development. Consider characteristics related to the child which you would like to research more. This may include language(s) spoken at home, disabilities, advanced language skills, etc. Imagine the family and community into which this child was born. Part 1 asks you to describe your child in detail. You will then use these details about the child as you complete the rest of this assessment.
(20–25 Pages OR 7 podcasts of approximately 10 minutes each, the podcasts must answer each requirement of the assignment regardless of length)
Introduction: My Child in Context
1. Home life and family:
• Who is my child? Is my child a boy or a girl? What is my child’s name?
• What are the characteristics of my child’s family? Does my child have brothers and sisters? Does my child have pets? Where is my child in the birth order? What was my child’s prenatal experience?
• Who lives with my child?
• Who provides primary care and who is closest to my child?
• What does my child’s family like to do together?
2. Community and culture, including language(s) spoken:
• Where does my child live?
• What language(s) are spoken in my child’s home?
• What language or languages do people speak who interact most frequently with my child?
• What does my child’s family believe about learning to speak English and/or languages other than English?
• What opportunities for language/literacy-rich experiences are available to my child and my child’s family in their home and in the community?
• What additional facts, stories, and/or situations will help provide insights into who my child is related to his or her language development journey?
My Child’s Language and Literacy Development Journey: Developmental Characteristics
Each week, you will focus on a developmental stage of your child:
• Prenatal and Infancy
• Toddlerhood
• Preschool – Week 5 Child’s name is James
• Kindergarten and Primary Grades
For each stage, answer the following:
• In what ways did my child's development align or not align with the milestones reviewed for typically developing children?
• What factors supported and/or inhibited language acquisition, language development, and literacy in my child’s early childhood years (prenatal through third grade)?
• How did the domains overlap in my child’s acquisition of language, language development, and literacy?
• How did my child’s environment support the connections between the domains?
• What aspects of my child’s physical, social, emotional, and/or cognitive development impacted language acquisition, language development, and literacy and in what ways?
With regard to your child’s family and cultural influences:
• What familial and cultural influences impacted my child’s language acquisition, language development, and literacy and in what ways prenatal through third grade?
o How did my child’s family and/or caregiver(s) provide opportunities for language acquisition, language development, and literacy?
o What were the cultural influences on the child’s language acquisition, language development, and literacy? For instance, were there words used, books, TV shows, technology that were culture-specific?
For Part 1, you are required to cite at least three sources from the Learning Resources (from any Module) as well as five additional sources from your own research in APA format to substantiate your thinking.
Part 2: Supporting Your Child’s Language and Literacy Journey
For each of these weeks, consider your role to be the early childhood educator of the child you created in part one. Consider culturally responsive relationships, instructional approaches and strategies, family partnerships, and how to build on the strengths and meet the needs of this child and his/her family in regards to language and literacy development. Review the rubric expectations prior to responding to the assignment.
(Total for Part 2: 8–12 pages in length OR 2 podcasts, of approximately 10 minutes each in length, the podcasts must answer each requirement of the assignment regardless of length, and be accompanied by a script)
Toddler through Preschool (4 pages)
1. Supportive environments, approaches, and strategies that help my child and his or her family to foster language and literacy development.
• Language and literacy interactions between family members, caregivers, teachers, and my child.
• Language and literacy materials at home and in my child’s early care and education settings.
Kindergarten through Primary (4 pages)
1. Supportive environments, approaches, and strategies that help my child and his or her family to foster language and literacy development:
• Language and literacy interactions between family members, caregivers, teachers and my child.
• Language and literacy materials at home and in education settings.
• Main literacy focus during kindergarten through third grade.
For Part 2, you are required to cite at least three sources from the Learning Resources (from any Module), as well as three to five additional sources from your own research in APA format to substantiate your thinking.
Summary Reflection
For this section of your assignment, include:
(A paper that is 1 page in length OR 1 podcast that is approximately 2 minutes in length, the podcasts must answer each requirement of the assignment regardless of length)
1. Specific aspects of your child’s language and literacy development that required different supports. If applicable, strategies used with your child that were different than other children.
2. Ways you involved your child’s family in a meaningful partnership to support their child’s language and literacy growth and development.
3. Language and literacy approaches that you believe would be the most successful with your child and why these approaches were appropriate.
4. As a result of this project, describe your philosophy of language and literacy growth and development. Include one or two strategies/approaches that you believe to be most effective for all children; how language and literacy overlap developmentally; strategies/approaches that are effective in simultaneously developing both language and literacy; whether you believe the two constructs should be addressed together and why. Be sure to explain your reasoning and substantiate your thinking with citations.
Reflection and Growth
Throughout the course, you may have discussed this assignment with peers or received feedback from your faculty member. Please reflect on this feedback, make any additional changes to each section, and compile this Major Assessment/Course Project into one document. Use the revisions page to explain the revisions you made to your project. If changes were not necessary, please explain that on the revisions page as well. Insert this page after the cover sheet.
Module 1 Learning Resources
Required Readings
Pence Turnbull, K. L., & Justice, L. M. (2017). Language development from theory to practice (3rd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson, Inc.
• Chapter 1, “Language Development: An Introduction†(pp. 1-31)
• Chapter 4,â€The Science and Theory of Language and Developmentâ€
o "What Are Some Major Language Development Theories?†(pp. 99-106)
Center for Teaching. (n.d.). Making better PowerPoint presentations. Retrieved September 29, 2015, from http://cft.vanderbilt.edu/guides-sub-pages/making-better-powerpoint-presentations/
Required Media
Chomsky, N. (2014). Language design [Video file]. Retrieved from http://serious-science.org/language-design-679
Note: The approximate length of this media piece is 8 minutes.
Roy, D. (2011). The birth of a word [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.ted.com/talks/deb_roy_the_birth_of_a_word
Note: The approximate length of this media piece is 20 minutes.
Siren Films. (n.d.-a). Born to talk: Communication in the first 3 months [Video file]. Retrieved from http://sirenfilms.co.uk/product/born-to-talk/ Used with permission from Siren Films
Note: The approximate length of this media piece is 24 minutes.
Accessible player
Yue, C. (2013). Theories of language development: Nativist, learning, interactionist [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.khanacademy.org/science/health-and-medicine/executive%20systems%20of%20the%20brain/attention-language-2014-03-27T18:40:12.306Z/v/theories-of-language-development
Note: The approximate length of this media piece is 4 minutes.
Module 2 Learning Resources
Required Readings
Pence Turnbull, K. L., & Justice, L. M. (2017). Language development from theory to practice (3rd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson, Inc.
• Chapter 3, “Neuroanatomy and Neurophysiology of Language†(pp. 65-92)
American Academy of Pediatrics. (2015). MRI shows association between reading to young children and brain activity. Retrieved from http://www.aappublications.org/content/early/2015/04/25/aapnews.20150425-4
Cypel, S. (2013). What happens in the brain as very young children learn. Early Childhood Matters, 13–17. Retrieved from http://earlychildhoodmagazine.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/3-ECMnr120_What-happens-in-the-brain.pdf
Kuhl, P. K. (2010). Brain mechanisms in early language acquisition. Neuron, 67(5), 713–727. Retrieved from http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0896627310006811
Mackey, A. (2014). What happens in the brain when you learn a language? Retrieved from http://www.theguardian.com/education/2014/sep/04/what-happens-to-the-brain-language-learning
Northwestern University. (2015). Redrawing the language map of the brain: Old beliefs upended as dementia research yields new locations for word, sentence comprehension. Retrieved from http://www.sciencenewsline.com/news/2015062600240042.html
Patoine, B. (2008). Ready to read? Neuroscience research sheds light on brain correlates of reading [Briefing paper]. Retrieved from http://dana.org/Briefing_Papers/Ready_to_Read__Neuroscience_Research_Sheds_Light_on_Brain_Correlates_of_Reading/
Rushton, S. (2011). Neuroscience, early childhood education and play: We are doing it right! Early Childhood Education Journal, 39, 89–94. The resources is available through Walden Library.
University of Arizona. (2011). How the brain strings words into sentences. Retrieved from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111128171220.htm
Required Media
Kuhl, P. (2010). The linguistic genius of babies [Video file]. Retrieved from http://www.ted.com/talks/patricia_kuhl_the_linguistic_genius_of_babies?language=en
Note: The approximate length of this media piece is 10 minutes.
Paul, A. M. (2011). What we learn before we’re born [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.ted.com/talks/annie_murphy_paul_what_we_learn_before_we_re_born
Note: The approximate length of this media piece is 17 minutes.
Shonkoff, J. (2013). Driving science-based innovation to strengthen the foundations of lifelong learning, behavior and health [Video file]. Retrieved from http://www.bostonchildrensmuseum.org/summit2013
Note: The approximate length of this media piece is 47 minutes.
To access this media piece, scroll down to the media section following the header, "Plenary Sessions Videos & Supporting Documents," and select the Jack Shonkoff video.
Module 3 Learning Resources
Required Readings
Note: The resources in this module have been paired with each of your 3 Discussions and your Assignment. Review the applicable resources before your posts and submissions.
The following resources should be reviewed before you participate in the Week 3 Discussion:
Pence Turnbull, K. L., & Justice, L. M. (2017). Language development from theory to practice (3rd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson, Inc.
• Chapter 1, “Language Development: An Introduction†(pp. 1-31)
• Chapter 5, “Infancy: Let the Language Achievements Begin†(pp. 122-157)
• Chapter 6, “Toddlerhood: Exploring the World and Experimenting with Language†(pp. 158-194)
Ackerman, J. P., Riggins, T., & Black, M. M. (2010). A review of the effects of prenatal cocaine exposure among school-aged children. Pediatrics, 125(3), 554–565. Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3150504/
Eicher, J. D., Powers, N. R., Cho, K., Miller, L. L., Mueller, K. L., Ring, S. M., … Gruen, J. R. (2013). Associations of prenatal nicotine exposure and the dopamine related genes ANKK1and DRD2 to verbal language. PLoS ONE, 8(5): e63762.
Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.
Lewis, B. A., Minnes, S., Short, E. J., Weishampel, P., Satayathum, S., Min, M. O. … Singer, L. T. (2011). The effects of prenatal cocaine on language development at 10 years of age. Neurotoxicology and Teratology, 33(1), 17–24. Retrieved fromhttp://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2974030/
Mattson, S. N., Crocker, N., & Nguyen, T. T. (2011). Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders: Neuropsychological and behavioral features. Neuropsychology Review, 21(2), 81–101.
Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.
Stromswold, K. (n.d.). Genetics and the evolution of language: What genetic studies reveal about the evolution of language. Retrieved September 30, 2015, from https://linguistics.stonybrook.edu/sites/default/files/uploads/nyct05/abstracts/Stromswold.pdf
The following resources should be reviewed before you participate in the Week 4 Discussion:
Carey, B. (2013). Language gap between rich and poor children begins in infancy, Stanford psychologists find. Retrieved from http://news.stanford.edu/news/2013/september/toddler-language-gap-091213.html
Colker, L. J. (n.d.). The word gap: The early years make a difference. Teaching Young Children, 7(3), 26–28. Retrieved September 29, 2015, from http://www.naeyc.org/tyc/files/tyc/The%20Word%20Gap.pdf
Hart, B. & Risley, T. R. (2003). The early catastrophe: The 30 million word gap by age 3. Retrieved from http://www.aft.org/ae/spring2003/hart_risley
Pungello, E. P., Iruka, I. U., Dotterer, A. M., Mills-Koonce, R., & Reznick, J. S. (2009). The effects of socioeconomic status, race, and parenting on language development in early childhood. Developmental Psychology, 45(2), 544–557.
Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.
Roseberry-McKibbin, C. (2012). The impact of poverty and homelessness on children’s oral and literate language: Practical implications for service delivery. Paper presented at ASHA Schools Conference, Milwaukee, WI. Retrieved from http://www.asha.org/uploadedFiles/Poverty-Homelessness-Childrens-Oral-Literate-Language.pdf
The following resources should be reviewed before you participate in the Week 5 Discussion:
Pence Turnbull, K. L., & Justice, L. M. (2017). Language development from theory to practice (3rd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson, Inc.
•
• Chapter 10, “Language Disorders in Childrenâ€
o What is a Language Disorder (pp. 291-295)
o What Are the Major Types of Child Language Disorders†(pp. 300-314)
Learning Disabilities Association of America. (n.d.). Language processing disorder. Retrieved September 29, 2015, from http://ldaamerica.org/types-of-learning-disabilities/language-processing-disorder/
Newhall, P. W. (2012). Language-based learning disability: What to know. Retrieved from http://www.ldonline.org/article/56113/
Snow, C., Burns, S., & Griffin, P. (1998). Identifying risk factors to prevent difficulties. Retrieved from http://www.readingrockets.org/article/identifying-risk-factors-prevent-difficulties
Snow, K. (2001–13). To ensure inclusion, freedom, and respect for all, it’s time to embrace people first language. Retrieved from http://www.sccoe.org/depts/students/inclusion-collaborative/Documents/Person-First_Language_Article.pdf
Solomon, A. (2012). Far from the tree: Parents, children and the search for identity. Retrieved from http://andrewsolomon.com/books/far-from-the-tree/
The following resources and course text should be reviewed before you participate in the Assignment:
American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. (n.d.). How does your child hear and talk? Retrieved September 29, 2015, from http://www.asha.org/public/speech/development/chart.htm
Child Development Institute. (n.d.). Language development in children. Retrieved September 29, 2015, from http://childdevelopmentinfo.com/child-development/language_development/
DeCasper, A. J., & Spence, M. J. (1986). Prenatal maternal speech influences newborns’ perception of speech sounds. Infant Behavior and Development, 9(2), 133–150.
Prenatal maternal speech influences newborns’ perception of speech sounds by DeCasper, A. J., & Spence, M. J., in Infant Behavior and Development, 9/2. Copyright 1986 by Elsevier Science & Technology Journals. Reprinted by permission of Elsevier Science & Technology Journals via the Copyright Clearance Center.
Document: A Language and Literacy Development Journey Outline (Word document)
IMPORTANT NOTE: If you are an EdD or EdS student, use this document to guide your work as you complete Major Assessment 1: A Language and Literacy Development Journey. If you are a PhD student, use this document to guide your work in completing the Course Project assignment: A Language and Literacy Development Journey.
Keep in mind, you will be working on parts of this assignment throughout the rest of the course. Directions for submitting the final version of this assignment can be found in Module 6. For EdD or EdS students ONLY, be sure to also review the information contained in the ePortfolio link under Course Home for more information.
Required Media
Center on the Developing Child. (n.d.-a). InBrief: The impact of early adversity on children’s development [Video file]. Retrieved September 30, 2015, from http://developingchild.harvard.edu/resources/multimedia/videos/inbrief_series/inbrief_impact_of_adversity
Note: The approximate length of this media piece is 4 minutes.
Center on the Developing Child. (n.d.-b). Three core concepts in early development. Retrieved September 30, 2015, from http://developingchild.harvard.edu/index.php/resources/multimedia/videos/three_core_concepts/
Note: The approximate length of this media piece is 6 minutes.
The Children of the Code Project. (2012). Meaningful differences in the everyday experience of young American children [Video file]. Retrieved from http://www.childrenofthecode.org/interviews/risley.htm
Note: The approximate length of this media piece is 8 minutes.
Gopnik, A. (2011). What do babies think? [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.ted.com/talks/alison_gopnik_what_do_babies_think
Note: The approximate length of this media piece is 18 minutes.
Paul, A. M. (2011). What we learn before we’re born [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.ted.com/talks/annie_murphy_paul_what_we_learn_before_we_re_born
Note: The approximate length of this media piece is 17 minutes.
Reading Rockets. (2014). Reading and the brain [Video playlist]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLLxDwKxHx1yIcczvlSEmrJ3rPwh5RMJ85
Reading Rockets. (n.d.-b). Reading together [Video file]. Retrieved September 29, 2015, from http://www.readingrockets.org/shows/launching/roots#description
Note: The approximate length of this media piece is 3 minutes.
To view this media piece, scroll to the player at the top of the web page, select the playlist button at the top left of the player, and select segment 8: Reading Together.
Reading Rockets. (n.d.-c). Tuning in to speech sounds [Video file]. Retrieved September 29, 2015, from http://www.readingrockets.org/shows/launching/roots#description
Note: The approximate length of this media piece is 3 minutes.
To view this media piece, scroll to the player at the top of the web page, select the playlist button at the top left of the player, and select segment 3: Tuning In to Speech Sounds.
Optional Resources
Geiss, S. A. (2011). Language and literacy issues in children who are homeless or living in poverty. Paper presented at the annual convention of the California Speech Language Hearing Association, Los Angeles, CA.
Module 4 Learning Resources
Note: To access this module’s required library resources, please click on the link to the Course Readings List, found in the Course Materials section of your Syllabus.
Required Readings
Pence Turnbull, K. L., & Justice, L. M. (2017). Language development from theory to practice (3rd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson, Inc.
• Chapter 4 “The Science and Theory of Language Developmentâ€
o “Instruction in English as a Second Language: Theory and Practice†(pp. 117-118)
o “Practices Language Theories May Inform†(pp. 118-119)
o “Evidence-Based Practice: Linking Theory, Science, and Practice†(119-120)
Brown, C. S. (2014). Language and literacy development in the early years: Foundational skills that support emergent readers. The Language and Literacy Spectrum, 24, 35–49. Retrieved from http://www.nysreading.org/sites/default/files/Language%20and%20Literacy%20Development%20in%20the%20Early%20Years_0.pdf
DeBruin-Parecki, A., Perkinson, K., & Ferderer, L. (n.d.). Literacy milestones: Birth to age 3. Retrieved September 29, 2015, from http://www.readingrockets.org/article/literacy-milestones-birth-age-3
Hall, K. (2010). Effective literacy teaching in the early years of school: A review of evidence. In J. Larson & J. Marsh (Eds.), The SAGE handbook of early childhood literacy (2nd ed.) (pp. 523–540). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications, Inc.
Kennedy, E. (2010). Creating positive literacy learning environments in early childhood: Engaging classrooms, creating life-long readers, writers and thinkers. In J. Larson & J. Marsh (Eds.), The SAGE handbook of early childhood literacy (2nd ed.) (pp. 541–560). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications, Inc.
Lan, Y. (n.d.). Fall in love with reading: Ten simple things you can do at home. Retrieved September 29, 2015, from http://families.naeyc.org/reading-writing/fall-love-reading-ten-simple-things-you-can-do-home
Lancaster, L. (2010). Moving into literacy: How it all begins. In J. Larson & J. Marsh (Eds.), The SAGE handbook of early childhood literacy (2nd ed.) (pp. 313–328). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications, Inc.
Lovejoy, C. (2014). Literacy instruction in three preschool programs: A multiple case study (Doctoral dissertation). Available from ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Full Text database. (UMI No. 3641298)
Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.
Luckenbill, J. (n.d.). 12 ways to support language development for infants and toddlers. Retrieved September 29, 2015, from http://families.naeyc.org/learning-and-development/reading-writing/12-ways-support-language-development-infants-and-toddlers
National Association for the Education of Young Children. (n.d.-a). Great books to read to infants and toddlers. Retrieved September 29, 2015, from http://families.naeyc.org/learning-and-development/reading-writing/great-books-read-infants-and-toddlers
National Association for the Education of Young Children. (n.d.-b). Toddlers and reading: Describe but don’t drill. Retrieved September 29, 2015, from http://families.naeyc.org/learning-and-development/reading-writing/toddler-reading
National Association for the Education of Young Children. (2009). On learning to read and write. Retrieved from http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/WWSSLearningToReadAndWriteEnglish.pdf
Reading is Fundamental. (n.d.). RIF activities spark the imagination and encourage reading. Retrieved September 29, 2015, from http://www.rif.org/us/literacy-resources/activities.htm
Reading Rockets. (2015). Retrieved from:http://www.readingrockets.org/
U.S. Department of Education. (2006). The five essential components of reading. Retrieved October 29, 2015, from http://www2.ed.gov/parents/read/resources/readingtips/part_pg5.html
Wohlwend, K. E. (2010). Play, literacies, and the converging cultures of childhood. In J. Larson & J. Marsh (Eds.), The SAGE handbook of early childhood literacy (2nd ed.) (pp. 80–95). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications, Inc.
Zero to Three. (n.d.). Language & literacy. Retrieved September 29, 2015, from http://main.zerotothree.org/site/PageServer?pagename=ter_par_012_langindex
Required Media
Laureate Education (Producer). (2015). Developmentally appropriate practice [Video file]. Baltimore, MD: Author.
Note: The approximate length for this media piece is 12 minutes.
Accessible player
Laureate Education (Producer). (2015). Environments and approaches that foster language/literacy growth in young children [Video file]. Baltimore, MD: Author.
Note: The approximate length of this media piece is 19 minutes.
Accessible player
Laureate Education (Producer). (2015). Language/literacy instruction approaches [Video file]. Baltimore, MD: Author.
Note: The approximate length of this media piece is 6 minutes.
Accessible player
Learning Stewards. (2012). Readiness: Language foundations [Video file]. Anchorage, KY: Author. Retrieved from http://www.childrenofthecode.org/Tour/c3b/language.htm
Note: The approximate length of this media piece is 5 minutes.
Reading Rockets. (n.d.-a). The building blocks of reading [Video file]. Retrieved September 29, 2015, from http://www.readingrockets.org/shows/launching/roots#description
Note: The approximate length of this media piece is 4 minutes.
To view this media piece, scroll to the player at the top of the web page, select the playlist button at the top left of the player, and select segment 7: The Building Blocks of Reading.
Siren Films. (n.d.-b). Firm foundations for early literacy: From 0 to 5 years [Video file]. Retrieved September 29, 2015, from http://sirenfilms.co.uk/product/firm-foundations-for-early-literacy/
Note: The approximate length of this media piece is 53 minutes.
Module 5 Learning Resources
Required Readings
Gardner-Neblett, N., & Gallagher, K. C. (2013). More than baby talk: 10 ways to promote the language and communication skills of infants and toddlers. Chapel Hill: The University of North Carolina, FPG Child Development Institute. Retrieved from http://mtbt.fpg.unc.edu/sites/mtbt.fpg.unc.edu/files/imce/documents/BabyTalk_WEB.pdf
Mongeau, L. (2015). Adjectives, social cues, screens and more: What scientists know about baby brains [Blog post]. Retrieved from http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/early_years/2015/03/adjectives_social_cues_screentime_and_other_stuff_researchers_know_about_baby_brains.html
.
Spencer, T., Knobel, M., & Lankshear, C. (2010). Researching young children’s out-of-school literacy practices. In J. Larson & J. Marsh (Eds.), The SAGE handbook of early childhood literacy (2nd ed.) (pp. 133–160). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications, Inc.
Document: Field Experience: Observing Language and Literacy Development (Word document)
Document: Learning Outcomes Project: Revisions (Word document)
Required Media
ArizonaSLHS. (2013). Strategies for encouraging your child’s speech and language development [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rvf0KqRx1Jo
Note: The approximate length of this media piece is 17 minutes.
Laureate Education (Producer). (n.d.). Observing children [Video file]. Baltimore, MD: Author.
Note: The approximate length for this media piece is 5 minutes.
Module 6 Learning Resources
Note: To access this module’s required library resources, please click on the link to the Course Readings List, found in the Course Materials section of your Syllabus.
Required Readings
Pence Turnbull, K. L., & Justice, L. M. (2017). Language development from theory to practice (3rd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson, Inc.
• Chapter 9, “What are Bilingualism and Second Language Acquisition?†(pp. 273-277)
The following resources should be reviewed before you participate in the Week 10 Discussion:
Espinoza, L. M. (2013). PreK-3rd: Challenging common myths about dual language learners: An update to the seminal 2008 report. New York, NY: Foundation for Child Development. Retrieved from http://fcd-us.org/sites/default/files/Challenging%20Common%20Myths%20Update.pdf
Feustel, B. (2014). Collaborative practices between general and special educators in inclusive classrooms (Doctoral dissertation). Available from ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Full Text database. (UMI No. 3630993)
Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.
Marian, V., & Shook, A. (2012). The cognitive benefits of being bilingual. Retrieved from http://www.dana.org/Cerebrum/Default.aspx?id=39483
McIntyre, C. W., & Pickering, J. S. (1995). Multisensory structured language programs: Content and principles of instruction. Retrieved from http://www.ldonline.org/article/6332/
Williams, C. P. (2015). Better policies for dual language learners: Bridging research, policy, implementation, and classroom practice. Retrieved from https://static.newamerica.org/attachments/768-better-policies-for-dual-language-learners/Better_Policies_For_DLLs.pdf
The following resources should be reviewed before you participate in the Week 11 Discussion:
Parlakian, R., & Sánchez, S. Y. (2006). Cultural influences on early language and literacy teaching practices. Retrieved from http://main.zerotothree.org/site/DocServer/ZTT27-1_Parlakian.pdf?docID=11661
Pro-Literacy. (n.d.). International programs. Retrieved September 29, 2015, from http://proliteracy.org/What-We-Do/Programs-Projects/International
Whitbread, K. (n.d.). What does the research say about inclusive education? Retrieved September 29, 2015, from http://www.wrightslaw.com/info/lre.incls.rsrch.whitbread.htm
Document: Learning Outcomes Project: Revisions (Word document)
Answer
Language and Literacy Journey
I have known James for 10years. Born as an only child, and raised by a single mother, James is enduring a troubled childhood. His father, Mark, and his mother, Jane, divorced when he was hardly two years old. James has been living with his mother since the court granted her custody over him. James’ family is characterized by independence, as James’s mother has granted him the freedom to do house-hold chores. James’s family structure accords him lots of free and lonely times whenever his mother is away at work. The family of two enjoys strong emotional connection that is enhanced each time James and his mother reunite at day end. Additionally, the absence of a pet provides for lonely days. As an only child, James possess both the initiative and responsibility of firstborn children, and the somewhat laidback disposition of a last born child. James’s birth was preceded by bitter feuding between his parents, which was resolved through divorce. For a couple who recently immigrated into the United States to divorce less than four years later is catastrophic at best. As a result, James’s mother descended into alcohol abuse and tobacco use. Consequently, James was born with very low birth weight, of 1.9kg, in the 35th week of pregnancy. Additionally, James experiences sleeping difficulties, particularly falling and staying asleep, conditions directly attributed to tobacco use by the mother during pregnancy. So far, James’s mother remains the only primary care giver, as she routinely drops him at school each morning on her way to work, and picks him up after school. James also enjoys refreshing moments at the children’s park every other Saturday, but is unable to communicate effectively with his age mates as his speech is yet to develop to their levels. As a result, he keeps the company of younger children, some of which are up to four years younger. However, the experiences at the children’s park still accord mother and son rare moments of emotional connection in informal and cordial settings.
As a second generation American, James still espouses conservative mannerisms that his parents taught him during their brief spell in marriage. Incidentally, James speaks his native Swahili language better than English, especially when with his mother. Back in Tanzania, Jane and Mark’s country of origin, there is a general belief that children must be taught in their respective mother tongues, especially in their formative years. Back in Tanzania, the Swahili language is the only medium of instruction for all levels, from basic education to tertiary level. It is perhaps unsurprising that James’s mother still believes that he should be instructed in his native language. This is often enhanced by the belief, back in Tanzania, that students tend to analyze and internalize concepts better when taught in their mother tongues especially during the formative years. The parents’ beliefs coupled with sleep disorders already alluded to earlier, and delayed developmental milestones brought about by congenital factors, are now considered as the attributions of his current predicament.
Falling literacy levels in the Unites States prompted remedial responses from the Federal and State governments. For instance, the American literacy program was mooted to help slow learners to accelerate numeracy and literacy among lower grade classes. The gated communities of Harlem, where James and his mother currently live, has witnessed some extreme methods such as Barbershop literacy initiatives which saw several barbershops in the predominantly African-American neighborhood of Harlem stocked with books (Arthur, 2015). In addition, community libraries have been opened to encourage a reading culture among youth, especially of African American decent.
For preschoolers –typically in the 3rd to 5th years of existence – both semantic and pragmatic domains of language development are rapidly improving (Barrett, 2016). Notably, this period is also distinguishable by the evolution of cognitive capabilities (Wasik, 2014). This period is also marked by enhanced use of language, especially to make their needs known to parents and caregivers. However, in James’ case, he is yet to demonstrate appreciable grasp of phonology. As a preschooler, in stark departure from developmental norms, James cherished quiet lonely moments, and rarely asked questions unless prompted to do so. Owens Jr (2016) describes children with developmental challenges such as James’ as a “lonely onlies”, whose speech problems were further compounded by inability to construct sentences in English, at a time when most preschoolers are expected to effortlessly construct three word sentences with a vocabulary of about 3600 words to boot.
For normally growing children, it is expected that they should be able to walk at 14 months, run at 3 years, catch and throw objects by the age of 4, as well as balance on one foot. However, James’s case was different as he started walking at 18 months even as speech was delayed to the 3rd year (Clark, 2009). Expectedly, James’s gross motor skills, such as walking, preceded finer skills such as writing- James is still struggling with writing. However, just like in any other child, James’s language development followed its own unique trajectory. James’s grasp of key domains of language development is still developing (Siren Films, n.d). Like other children, he has had an overlap of the domains of language development mentioned above. For instance, he can decipher the meaning (Semantics) of some words without pronouncing them well. In some instances, he has demonstrated the ability to understand the meaning of some words from the context in which they are used (Hoff, 2013). James’s environment has rendered language development difficult. The Swahili phonology, for example, largely conflicts with the English one. Similarly, the pragmatic domain of development of the English language is rendered impossible in environments in which people do not speak the language in the first place (Pence, Turnbull & Justice, 2017). The congenital factors which affected brain development, as well as the child’s withdrawn personality, and the emotional toll of fatherlessness have slowed language development.
At preschool, James proved to be a slow learner as he largely lagged behind while his mates began understanding the semantics of the English language. Physically, he was unable to run with his friends, as leg muscle was not appropriately developed by then. The negative labeling among peers created a toxic environment. I did witness an overlap in James’s language development though. For instance, James could attempt the pragmatics of the English language without understanding the syntax and semantics first. The school environment did provide a chance for learning pragmatically, as James could attempt English from listening to practical usage of words. However, cognitive aspects of development were already hindered at the antenatal stage.
Throughout his preschool years, James lagged behind in every developmental milestone. For instance, James could not withstand the physicality of play with his peers. By primary grade level, he was a couple of years behind his classmates. At this stage, language development was affected by the social dynamics of school life which allowed stigmatization to fester. Conversely, continued interaction with classmates has only proved effective in enhancing semantics and pragmatics.
James comes across as preschooler with a lot of catching up to do, in the linguistic sense of development. It should be appreciated that prenatal aspects such as impaired development of the brain, and subsequent low IQ, in addition to lack of prior exposure to English, and the phonetic challenges of differentiating English and Swahili have adversely impacted the acquisition of language and literacy development. Correspondingly, the family set up did not facilitate the learning of English. The cultural issues that affected acquisition, development, and literacy included the absence of English books for private study, the disdain for the English language, and the associated social stigma.
References
Arthur, G. (2015, June 02). Tackling children's literacy in a Harlem barbershop. Retrieved December 29, 2017, from http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-32744194
Barrett, M. (Ed.). (2016). The development of language. Psychology Press.
Clark, E. V. (2009). First language acquisition. Cambridge University Press.
Hoff, E. (2013). Language development. Cengage Learning.
Owens Jr, R. E. (2016). Language Development: An Introduction| Edition: 9. Instructor.
Pence Turnbull, K. L., & Justice, L. M. (2017). Language development from theory to practice (3rd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson, Inc.
Siren Films. (n.d.-a). Born to talk: Communication in the first 3 months [Video file]. Retrieved from http://sirenfilms.co.uk/product/born-to-talk/ Used with permission from Siren Films
Wasik, C. S. (2014, May 01). Language Development in Preschoolers. Retrieved December 31, 2017, from https://www.education.com/reference/article/language-development-preschool-children/