Comments on: ~@!!?**! Or how many times do you need to hear a word before you remember it?

By: Michael Jones

Michael Jones — Sun, 03 Apr 2016 06:25:43 +0000

Hi Karen! Thanks for your reply. Music making, singing and communication and language development go hand in hand.
Thank you for the link to your blog. Keep up the great work!
Best wishes from Michael

By: Karen Dickinson

Karen Dickinson — Tue, 29 Mar 2016 13:59:53 +0000

How interesting your blog is! Thank you for sharing and I know the importance of repetition, so long as the word is interesting enough – we have a song about “uggily buggily buggies” which the children love. I’m so interested in using music as a tool for language development – there’s a blog here where i talk about nursery rhymes – http://www.musicforlittlepeople.co.uk/blogs-music-for-little-people

By: Michael Jones

Michael Jones — Fri, 01 Feb 2013 13:23:30 +0000

Hi Mindy
I do agree with you about the ratios. As important a point is HOW children talk WITH children when they are with them. That is where the real skill lies. Some people are intuitively tuned into talking with children, while others can learn the skills.
It’s great to see how in our increasingly technologically driven lives and sedentary lifestyles Forest Schools are becoming more and more popular.
Keep up the great work!
Michael

By: Mindy Pickering

Mindy Pickering — Fri, 01 Feb 2013 13:14:51 +0000

Fantastic story! As well as concerns for the consequences for children’s development it also raises issues of practicality.

I run Forest Schools for schools and child minders where maintaining ratios are cruical. Combined with the hands-on, ‘real-life’ learning, the adults role as facilitator is key to extending and enriching learning.

It’s important to get as many people on board the consultation as I fear that there may be many consequences if ratios increase.

By: Michael Jones

Michael Jones — Thu, 31 Jan 2013 19:40:41 +0000

Thanks Penny. I didn’t know what an arboretum was until a few years ago! I agree with you entirely: talking, and word learning in particular, is all about sharing experiences that children already know, and sharing new experiences too. This is so important for very young children, who learn everything IN CONTEXT. That means doing things and going places together.
I have a huge admiration for Childminders, who regularly take children on trips out.They always seem to have huge people carriers, vast buggies and an amazing determination that the children in their care are going to have a great time.This gives them loads to talk about: even if it is saying they don’t like a peacock!
Best wishes
Michael

By: Michael Jones

Michael Jones — Thu, 31 Jan 2013 11:28:47 +0000

Thanks Sian.
That is a fantastic TED talk! Yes, we can see that the role of staff in the ‘baby room’ in daycare settings is crucial.
Attached is an article that I wrote about this subject. many writers are quoting Sue Gerhardt’s work, and also Dr Brazelton, and this is having a huge impact on day care. Let’s hope that adult child ratios stay the same or improve!
Best wishes
Michael
/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/198.pdf

By: Michael Jones

Michael Jones — Thu, 31 Jan 2013 11:20:54 +0000

Hello Mary
Please see my reply to Katja. The children in your setting really do get the best experience of English: from the adults and, crucially from talking and playing with other children.
I think the ‘500 words per new word’ number is a bit arbitrary, and only really applies to babies who are working towards their first words and during the start of the first word stage. Children learning a SECOND language have the advantage that they are older and more experienced. they already have words in their mother tongue and the concepts to go with them. Many children go through a ‘silent phase’ but it is an active phase when they are sorting out in their minds important things like ‘when does one word end and another begin’. how long that lasts depends on the personlaity of the child.
You know that children are well on their way with learning English when the parents complain that ‘she will only speak English with us at home’!
Seriously though, the best way for children to have the exposure to English they need is through sharing books (fiction and non-fiction), everyday talk as part of routines, and through singing. I have touched on this in a previous post.
All of these things you do fabulously well in your setting!
Here is a link to an excellent website, and I will be writing another blog post looking at children learning a second language, rather than two at the same time.
http://literacyencyclopedia.ca/index.php?fa=items.show&topicId=305
It’s great to hear from you again!
Best wishes
Michael

By: Penny Webb

Penny Webb — Thu, 31 Jan 2013 11:15:10 +0000

Really interesting blog making very good points.

As a childminder who has many years experience I can back up what Betty said and your point about a word having meaning and the link to emotions / memories.

Last year the two year olds in my setting were using the word ‘arboretum’ in context and pronounced correctly. Most of the children who at that time were using 3,4 and 5 word sentences would say ‘Go arboretum have picnic’ but one little would say ‘No like it arboretum’ – actually he did not like the peacock that we saw on one occasion, but associated the peacock with the whole visit in both cases the visit and therefore use of the word arboretum was because it was a place we visited regularly and a word associated with emotions (both negative and positive).

I think a lot can be learned from this both in terms of adult ratios – and the use of ‘carpet time’ as a means of speaking to large groups of children – and the use of flash cards, phonics schemes for very young children – that are not (in the children’s eyes) related to real life important things or have an emotional connection.

It really is no surprise that a child’s first clearly spoken word after the da,da and mummum sounds is NO – heard often and associated with emotions.

Finally can I also urge everyone to respond to the consultation as mentioned by Laura Henry – and if you agree that ratios in childcare setting should not change to sign the petition also mentioned by Laura

By: Michael Jones

Michael Jones — Thu, 31 Jan 2013 11:08:26 +0000

Hi Katja
As an EAL learner yourself, would you agree that it is easier for children to learn a second language, as they already have the concepts and ideas about language from their mother tongue? Also being older (than the babies i was referring to) they can really pick up from other children that they are playiing with.
Here is a link to a very good site that answers some questions about children learning two languages at the same time. It is from the Encyclopedia of Language and Literacy Development website, that I read a lot.
http://literacyencyclopedia.ca/index.php?fa=items.show&topicId=305

Mary need not worry about children in her setting. I have been there, and she has a terrific nursery school with dedicated and experienced staff… and generous adult to child ratios!! the children come from all over the world, and learn english very quickly.
Michael

By: Michael Jones

Michael Jones — Thu, 31 Jan 2013 10:56:50 +0000

Hi Lorna
That made me laugh so much! I’m afraid that probably every parent (and child) has had the same experience, but it does prove the point!
On a positive note, it does show that children learn so much language from EACH OTHER, and this is so important for our young EAL learners.
I’m still laughing at your reply!
Best wishes
Michael