Young Children
Language enables children to develop organization and focus that aids in understanding and managing emotions.
Communication skills that develop during the preschool years form the foundation for literacy (Hart and Risley, 1995). Early communication skills also form the foundation for self-regulation. The ability of young children to understand what is said to them, express themselves in words, and know what tone of language the situation requires makes a unique and important contribution. Language enables them to develop organization and focus and to understand and manage emotions (e.g., Long, Gurka, and Blackman, 2008). Young children’s knowledge and use of words that describe their internal state and the internal state of others is particularly important. Self-awareness of our own internal state makes it possible to adjust it when needed so that it is compatible with achieving our goals. Awareness of the internal state of others promotes respect as well as empathy. I have developed a program to help children learn the knowledge and use of internal state words. I also provide guidance and support to teachers and parents in helping young children to strengthen every aspect of their communication skills.
Young children are being introduced to Ipads, smart phones, and videos that claim to strengthen their brains. Yet the research tells us that it is connection with trusted caregivers that builds networks of neurons for a lifetime of success (Eigsti, 2004). Within the safety and security of their parents’ love, babies, toddlers, and preschoolers learn to communicate their wants and needs. Asking questions and making comments enables them to explore their world. These language skills form the foundation for literacy as well as self-regulation. I provide parents with information and practice to use language with their child that builds their child’s language. Helping children to acquire the communication skills that promote self-awareness (Carlson, Mandell, and Williams, 2004) requires that parents be aware of their own internal states as well as the internal state of their child. It also requires that they use words often with their child to describe perception (e.g., hear, see), physical states (e.g., hungry, tired), will and ability (e.g., can, want), emotions (e.g., sad, laugh), states of mind (e.g., think, know), and moral judgment/obligation (e.g., have to, naughty). My work with parents provides the opportunity to use the words that both reflect and build self-awareness. Coaching Parents
Teachers are often told that it is important for them to talk to children, because this builds children’s communication skills. In order to maximize opportunities to foster children’s language, teachers need to know how to model, imitate, and expand what children say to them. These types of language exchanges are most effective in building children’s language. Building turn taking in teacher-child communication, providing information about what the child is focusing on, and introducing new vocabulary as part of novel experiences are other language “scaffolds” or supports that can make a positive difference in children’s communication skills. Teachers also need opportunities to practice these techniques, so that they will be able to use them automatically while they are changing a diaper, serving lunch, etc. The teacher training I provide is built on a foundation of research on language development, as well as principles of adult language learning.Training Teachers