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A System of Communication

Language is a complex system that humans use to communicate with one another. This system includes the ways we express ourselves, such as speaking or writing, and ways we receive information, such as listening and reading. As noted in the introduction, children come to school with many differences in their language development. We know that how much children have to say, how long they can sustain active participation in a conversation, and how many words they know are indicators of their language ability. We also know that children’s language ability upon entering kindergarten is strongly related to early reading achievement. Let’s take a look at areas of spoken language and communication that are important to early reading achievement.

Meaning and Vocabulary

	Standard: IV.A.1 - Gains meaning by listening Standard: IV.E.3 - Uses appropriate language and style for context

By listening to and talking with others, children discover early that spoken language has meaning. They learn that they can use language to communicate and make things happen. The more words they know, the more clearly they can express their ideas. Children learn the meanings of many new words from listening to the people around them. For example, a child may know what the word happy means and can figure out that when others say they are glad that they really mean they are happy too.

Children may also learn the meanings of new words through their conversations with others. When a child finishes a structure in the block area and tells the teacher, “Look at how big my building is!” and the teacher responds by saying “That’s an enormous building!” then the child learns that the word enormous is one way to let others know that something is really big!

Children are careful observers of the world around them. They rely on their observations and interactions with the world to learn the meanings of new words or new meanings for familiar words. For instance, a child who is familiar with the sandbox in his backyard may be confused at first when you tell him to put his toy in the box after he is finished playing with it.

Children also learn that changing the forms of familiar words changes the meaning and use of these words. For example, when you ask a child in your class to “sit down,” she knows to bend her knees and rest her bottom on a chair. However, when you tell your class as they are standing in line that they “will be sitting during the bus ride” they know you do not mean that they are to sit down immediately—they understand you are letting them know that they will be sitting down in the future.

Children quickly and easily learn how to use and combine words to make things happen. Learning how to choose both the right words and the right way to combine those words is important if children want to express their meaning clearly. If children are to learn to use language effectively, they must learn the meanings of many different words. Children learn to identify and clarify the meanings of new words and phrases by carefully observing experienced language users and thinking about the objects and actions that are present during the language exchange. The greater the variety of language experiences a child engages in, the greater will be the child’s language ability.