Comments on: Register time: or the importance of developing children’s Standard English

By: nicki

nicki — Mon, 01 Apr 2013 14:25:17 +0000

Hi Moriel and Michael,
Whilst I was studying last year for my B.A (hons)Early Years, the subject of how young children behave once in parental custody was raised in the context of ‘transitions’. The upshot of this nationwide Open University debate was that young children also have different perceptions of what is expected of them according to the context or situation they are in. It would appear that children are able to code-‘switch’ in their behaviour patterns as well as in their use of language.

An interesting thought though! 😀

By: moriel gidney

moriel gidney — Sat, 30 Mar 2013 14:19:21 +0000

Would you say this is in parallel with standard behaviours also – that as children are picked up from Nursery and transfer to the custody of their parent/carer, their behaviour can also revert to another ‘dialect’. We have seen this regularly, a child who will accept boundaries here yet behave outside them as their parent stands next to them (eg throwing something across the room). Do not these two areas of life also at times exclude the child – from those who don’t understand their speech and those who do not accept their behaviour?
Very interesting yet also challenging for those working with young children who are learning acceptable behaviour and speech in order to fit into the broadstream of society.
Does it not also raise a question for secondary teachers/workers to live out this understanding of context for language?
Thank you for your thoughts and the way they come out of experience and life alongside your expertise.

By: Sally spaghetti belly

Sally spaghetti belly — Sat, 30 Mar 2013 11:28:01 +0000

You do make me laugh! Innit.