“In order for a child to be successful in school, they must have a rich language (vocabulary), where adults communicate well, listen, and read out loud everyday.” Ernest L. Boyer, 1991
The Patchogue-Medford Library offers the following
programs for young children in the Children’s
and Parents’ Department:
Bilingual Rhyme Time – for children ages 2- 35 months
Games for Ones – for children ages 12 – 23 months
Games for Twos – for children ages 24-35 months
Baby Games – for children ages 3 – 11 months
Parachute Play – for children ages 18 – 35 months
Babies’ introduction to language is initially made by parents/caregivers. They should hear a language consistently in order to learn vocabulary. By hearing the words made daily by all the members of a household as well as others, they learn how to communicate. In this process, children will learn how to use sounds, words and sentences to inform their emotions to their family members as well as others. A child’s vocabulary will increase at an amazing speed especially in the beginning first year of physical development.
Some guiding concepts of language are:
- When children are emotionally secure and receive linguistic stimulation, they will be more likely to meet and/or exceed expectations over time.
- There is a standard for each stage of language development, but each child is unique and learns in his or her own fashion. Therefore, the age at which a child begins to talk may vary. If parents observe something that concerns them, they need to consult a pediatrician, and if necessary, find services and resources to help support their child and family.
- Reading to children between the ages 0-5 is one of the most important factors in language development of a child. Reading and achieving the necessary pre-literacy skills during these early years helps a child learn to read at grade level and achieve academic success. Parents, as their children’s first teachers, and home as the first school, have a lot of influence in ensuring that this happens.
The above information is part of the Abriendo Puertas/Opening Doors, Session 4 entitled, “My Child Talks/Mi Niño Habla” – Building a Better Future Through Parent Leadership: http://ap-od.or/
Photo Credit : www.drdeukens.com