EDSP 6560EDSP 6560Sessions 8 & 9Sessions 8 & 9

Communication and Communication and Literacy Development Literacy Development Birth to Five Years OldBirth to Five Years Old

Preschoolers- Becoming Preschoolers- Becoming little people: language little people: language

and literacy Developmentand literacy DevelopmentRosemary Kerrin, Ph.D.

Objectives-Objectives-The students will be able to – • Integrate gross, fine, and oral motor skills

in an understanding of early language• Describe the theories of Piaget, Vygotsky,

and Skinner• Identify the linguistic aspects of early

language development• Explain the role of social interaction theory

in early language development• Integrate theoretical perspectives of early

language development

OverviewOverviewPhysical Factors

PsychologicalPerspective

Social-InteractionPerspective

LinguisticPerspective

Piaget

Vygotsky

Skinner

Gross/Fine

Oral

Neuro

Attachment

Interaction

Phonology

Syntax

Semantics

Pragmatics

Gross MotorGross Motor• Walks up & down steps alone

(alternating feet, 2 to a step; one foot per step)

• Runs on tiptoe• Climbs ladders, trees, playground

equipment• Rides tricycle, using pedals, turning

corners• Throws ball overhand, catches with

extended arms

Fine MotorFine Motor

• Builds towers, bridges, steps• Threads beads• Draw-a-man• Cuts with scissors• Copies circle, cross, square, triangle,

letters

Oral MotorOral Motor

• Eats with spoon, fork• Baby teeth grown in, used for

chewing• Mouth no longer primary sensory

organ• Question of bottles, pacifiers, thumb

sucking

Psychological - PiagetPsychological - Piaget

• Pre-operational period• Large -> small toy -> imaginary

play• Egocentric speech• Solitary play -> Parallel play ->

Cooperative play • assimilation• accommodation

Psychological - LuriaPsychological - Luria• Verbal comprehension &

expressive language interact with symbolic understanding (each strengthens the other)

• Language integrates with cognition as vehicle for thought

• ZPD = Zone of Proximal Development

Psychological - SkinnerPsychological - Skinner

• Setting Event: context or situation that sets the occasion for interaction

• Stimulus -> Response -> Consequence

• Multiple Causation: setting event may not have apparent connection to response

Psychological ProcessingPsychological Processing

• Figure-ground• Discrimination• Processing• Memory (short term; long term;

working memory) • Attention*

Development of AttentionDevelopment of Attention(per Cooper, Moodley, & Reynell, 1979)(per Cooper, Moodley, & Reynell, 1979)

• Stage 1: extreme distractability (0-1 year)• Stage 2: can concentrate for short time on

concrete task of own choice; rigid & inflexible; reward must be part of task (1-2 y)

• Stage 3: attention single channeled, but more flexible & allows shift from task to directions and back again (2-3 y)

• Stage 4: attention single channeled, but child gaining control of attention focus (3-4 y)

• Stage 5: two channel attention; can assimilate verbal directions directly related to task without interrupting task to look at speaker (necessary for learning in large group situations) (4-5 y)

• Stage 6: fully integrated control of attention (6y+)

Social Development - Social Development - AttachmentAttachment

• Tries to help adult with tasks• Shows empathy with others’ feelings • Shares with others• Affection for younger children;

companions

Social Development - Social Development - InteractionInteraction

• General behavior grows in independence; more amenable, affectionate -> self-willed, impertinent

• Joint play with other children; turn taking

• Understands need for rules, fair play• Sense of humor developing• Delays gratification to later time

Linguistics - FormLinguistics - FormPhonology• phonological

processes• articulation of

majority of consonants

• speech intelligible to most listeners

• easiest new words have phonemes in repertoire; reduplicated syllables easier

Syntax & Morphology - • MLU (Mean Length of

Utterance)• -ing; in / on; reg plural

/s/, /z/, /wz/; irreg past; poss; copula; articles; reg past...

• regularity & variability across individuals

• phrase / clause / sentence• pronouns / interrogatives /

negatives• comprehension v.

production (imitative skills)

Linguistic - ContentLinguistic - ContentSemantics • size - 50 words at 18 mo; 2,200 words at 5 y• fast mapping: associates word w/ referrent after

initial exposure• extended mapping: info gradually expanded and

modified• referential learning style vs. personal-social

learning style• invented words / idiomorphs• Relational terms: dimension / color / spatial /

kinship / temporal

Linguistic - UseLinguistic - Use

Pragmatics• private speech - monologue; collective

monologue; associated monologue• socialized speech: acknowledge partners’

utterances• Discourse: series of successive utterances

shared by at least 2 persons• Cohesion: topic introduction / turn taking /

presupposition (perspective taking - linguistic, cognitive, perceptual)

• Conversational repairs

Other aspectsOther aspectsNarratives - storytelling

– heaps– sequences / chaining– primitive narratives– mature narratives

Metalinguistics - listening to and talking about language