Introduction
Language is more than a spoken word and it is an important tool that humans use every day. Language occurs cognitively, individually and is shared and learned socially (Gee & Hayes, 2011, p. 6). This essay will look at five topics that try to better explain the use of language. These topics outline what language is, how language is affected by context, shared meaning and interaction, varieties of English and cultural differences, links between language and culture, and understanding what oral language is. Language is an interesting and crucial part of development and learning.
What is Language?
Language itself can be defined by a number of aspects. Nagel (as cited in O’Donnell, Dobozy, Bartlett, Nagel, Spooner-Lane & Youssef-Shalala, …show more content…
Oral language is a natural skill learned from an early age and is of great significance to early childhood development. It provides a solid foundation on which to build the skills to read and write (Fellowes & Oakley, 2014, p. 17). Fellowes & Oakley (2014, p. 17) note that children with a good basis of oral language often do well in reading and writing. Conversely, children who are less proficient in using oral language are seen to be at a disadvantage in their learning outcomes. For these reasons, oral language should be at the centre of childhood education (Fellowes & Oakley, 2014, p. 17).
Children become more able users of oral language as they develop physically and as they develop their listening and reasoning skills. A large component that assists oral language is practise (McDevitt et al., 2013, p. 363). Fellowes & Oakley (2014, p. 32) state that in order to become capable users of oral language, children need to be given many opportunities to explore and improve their language skills. Opportunities such as acting, telling news and games are a few options of opportunities for children to develop their oral language (Fellowes & Oakley, 2014, p. 32). In addition, O’Donnell et al. (2016, p. 128) explain how equally important social interaction is for the development of oral language. Teachers should also provide students opportunities to interact socially and allow students to generate language themselves. In the classroom, a teacher can facilitate …show more content…
Human language appears to be incredibly unique and is learned from a very young age. With no rule book outlining how to engage in language ‘correctly’, it is believed exposure to language is how it is learned. As language is reflective of culture, children with families who can better understand the school they attend transition well and typically do better in school than those from other cultural backgrounds. It is important for teachers to consider what students already know and build upon those skills to ensure their understanding. Children from diverse backgrounds can communicate in their own community so it is a learning difference that needs to be understood and not a learning deficit. The key to ensuring material connects to the student is in the delivery approach from the teacher. Furthermore; as oral language is learned through practise, children should be provided with opportunities socially and formally to further develop their oral language skills. Acquiring and developing language is a lifelong skill and although cultures can greatly differ, language is one feature they all
Language is more than a spoken word and it is an important tool that humans use every day. Language occurs cognitively, individually and is shared and learned socially (Gee & Hayes, 2011, p. 6). This essay will look at five topics that try to better explain the use of language. These topics outline what language is, how language is affected by context, shared meaning and interaction, varieties of English and cultural differences, links between language and culture, and understanding what oral language is. Language is an interesting and crucial part of development and learning.
What is Language?
Language itself can be defined by a number of aspects. Nagel (as cited in O’Donnell, Dobozy, Bartlett, Nagel, Spooner-Lane & Youssef-Shalala, …show more content…
Oral language is a natural skill learned from an early age and is of great significance to early childhood development. It provides a solid foundation on which to build the skills to read and write (Fellowes & Oakley, 2014, p. 17). Fellowes & Oakley (2014, p. 17) note that children with a good basis of oral language often do well in reading and writing. Conversely, children who are less proficient in using oral language are seen to be at a disadvantage in their learning outcomes. For these reasons, oral language should be at the centre of childhood education (Fellowes & Oakley, 2014, p. 17).
Children become more able users of oral language as they develop physically and as they develop their listening and reasoning skills. A large component that assists oral language is practise (McDevitt et al., 2013, p. 363). Fellowes & Oakley (2014, p. 32) state that in order to become capable users of oral language, children need to be given many opportunities to explore and improve their language skills. Opportunities such as acting, telling news and games are a few options of opportunities for children to develop their oral language (Fellowes & Oakley, 2014, p. 32). In addition, O’Donnell et al. (2016, p. 128) explain how equally important social interaction is for the development of oral language. Teachers should also provide students opportunities to interact socially and allow students to generate language themselves. In the classroom, a teacher can facilitate …show more content…
Human language appears to be incredibly unique and is learned from a very young age. With no rule book outlining how to engage in language ‘correctly’, it is believed exposure to language is how it is learned. As language is reflective of culture, children with families who can better understand the school they attend transition well and typically do better in school than those from other cultural backgrounds. It is important for teachers to consider what students already know and build upon those skills to ensure their understanding. Children from diverse backgrounds can communicate in their own community so it is a learning difference that needs to be understood and not a learning deficit. The key to ensuring material connects to the student is in the delivery approach from the teacher. Furthermore; as oral language is learned through practise, children should be provided with opportunities socially and formally to further develop their oral language skills. Acquiring and developing language is a lifelong skill and although cultures can greatly differ, language is one feature they all