Supporting Child Language Development

Supporting Child Language Development Hay Fielding-Barnsley (2012) believed that there are firm reciprocal connections between childrens language development, logical reasoning and their achievements at school. In order to best promote these relationships, childrens language and speech should be motived, acknowledged and respected in a social positive learning environment. Childrens academic achievement in literacy, which is multi-dimensional and interactive, depends on two periods of learning (Hay Fielding-Barnsley, 2012). Cunningham Stanovich (1997) stated that a first process is the cognitive memory development; children quickly identify the orthographic features of the word then connect this to semantic meaning of the word (Hay Fielding-Barnsley, 2012). Second, they get the meaning of the text by motivating and interacting to become independent readers (Bishop Leonard, 2000) as cited in Hay Fielding-Barnsley (2012). A key factor to a successful rate of childrens mastery language and literacy is the quality of environment; surrounding in the home and out of home settings (Hay Fielding-Barnsley, 2012). Fellows Oakley (2014, p. 71) highlights that from the moment of birth, parents and family members influence childrens speech, language acquisition and learning through daily communicative exchanges. Evidences also show that the higher socioeconomic status children are from, the better childrens language and literacy skills will be improved. For example: children of low-income and low-educated parents lack three times opportunities to communicate and interact with their parents (Hay Fielding-Barnsley, 2012). In an outside aspect, childcare setting plays significant role on nurturing secure relationship and fostering rich language experience (Fellows Oakley, 2014). For example: appropriate programs at school and designed interventions such as closing expressive and receptive language gap activitie s can help children become more fluent in their language and literacy (Hay Fielding-Barnsley, 2012). Winne and Nesbit (2009) and Vygotsky (1978), researchers of social learning theory, state that Language and literacy development has seen as an essential part of childrens cognitive development framework (Hay Fielding-Barnsley, 2012). In addition, Blank (2002) believes that interactive and self-enhancing skills are important to young childrens early language and ability to use reasoning from the social learning circumstance. When children understand the words expressed, they are able to use them in complex settings and their ability is enhanced to reason. As educators, we support childrens language and reasoning development by providing opportunities for them to make their own dialogue, questioning and talking (Blank, 2002). Any childs response should be always seen as a learning opportunity to enhance his or her confidence in conservation with others, criticizing or closing off the conversation for wrong responses of a child is not highly recommended (Hay Fielding-Barnsley, 2012). On the other hand, if childrens responses are not valued and accepted, they remain silent to talk and lack language and literacy development (Hay Fielding-Barnsley, 2012). The article shows evidence of the necessary and appropriate preparation for childrens language and cognitive development in early school years. Priority is given for educators and others to understand the strong relationship between childrens language development, cognitive thinking and their school achievement as well as supporting; valuating childrens language development in a positive environment. References: Blank, M, (2002), Classroom discourse: A key to literacy. In K, Butler E, Silliman (Eds), Speaking, reading and writing in children with learning disabilities: New paradigms in research and practice (pp. 151-173), Malwah, NJ: Erlbaum Hay, I. Fielding-Barnsley, R. (2012). Social learning, language and literacy. Australasian Journal of Early Childhood, 37(1), 24 29. Fellows, J., Oakley, G. (2014) Language, Literacy and early childhood education (2nd ed.). Melbourne: Oxford University Press.