Our Pre-school theme this month is Community Helpers. There also happens to be a little holiday this month, St. Patricks Day! The children will be learning a lot about different kinds of people and that tricky leprechaun. My challenge this month is to really practice appropriate usage of pronouns. If your child is doing well with pronouns then improving their syntax and grammar structure while speaking.
As always these units will be chalked full of vocabulary. You can print off copies of images you find online for our monthly vocabulary listed below or just have these words/actions in mind when talking with your child this month.
The formation of language begins at birth. As a child’s language develops, you can help your child understand how to use their language more effectively through your own use of appropriate grammar (classes of words, their forms, and functions) and syntax (the arrangement of words and how we put them together for a specific meaning). Some children with speech and language difficulties have problems understanding, pronouncing, and using even the simplest and smallest units of a word (-ed, - ing, -s). Children begin to realize that the more words they hear and repeat, the more their world is expanding. Even though children put together crazy sentences (that may make sense to a parent) or questions that are cute and comical, you should always respond to your child’s communication attempts with correct grammar and syntax. Responding to your children with baby talk when they are trying to communicate with you teaches them that this type of talk is correct and appropriate.
Here are some strategies to use with children at home to help improve their use of grammar and syntax.
· Use correct grammar and syntax when speaking or responding to your child. Don’t focus on correcting your child. For example, if your child says, “Her hitted me!” you should respond, “Did she hit you?” Always respond as an adult. Don’t use baby talk.
· Cut out cartoon frames from newspaper comics and glue them to cards. Add a cartoon speech bubble to the cards and have the child tell you verbally what the cartoon is saying. Ask questions about the cartoon that prompts the child to use different forms of the verb. “What do you think he is saying? What was he saying? What do you think he will say? Where are they going? Where have they been? Where are they?”
· Print pictures of boys and girls off the Internet or make a point of discussing gender in your story books at home. Plainly state to your child, “This is a boy- HE is walking. This is a girl, SHE is swinging”. I often use the phrases, “When I see a boy doing something- I say HE. When I see a girl doing something- I say SHE
· Make placemats for the kitchen table with pictures cut out of old magazines or newspaper of categories for the child to talk about before or after eating. Use a single piece of construction paper and place cut outs of letters on one mat, animals, machines, sports, and body parts on different mats. (Your wonderful teachers have these in their classrooms to use during all meals)
· Use everyday objects around the house to teach plurals. “I have a spoon. You have two spoons.”
Even before children learn to read and write, they can learn to use correct grammar and syntax. Having a grasp of grammar and syntax will help your child with reading comprehension and writing in the future.
Adapted from: http://www.superduperinc.com/handouts/pdf/233_TeachingFundamentals.pdf
Monthly Vocabulary:
- Teacher
- Farmer
- Police officer
- Fire fighter
- Mail carrier
- Doctor
- Dentist
- Librarian
- wave
- hide
Now back to Mrs. Massey........
A couple of other side notes:
- Please make a Yes I can! poster with your child showing all the things they can do. Posters will be displayed around the school for Exceptional Children's Week to show how fabulous your child is
- Please, please, please send in a white t-shirt for the show
- Chick-Fil- A night is Wednesday, March 7 from 6-7
Upcoming Calendar Dates!
March 1- Send in your plain white t-shirt for Mrs. Massey to tie dyeMarch 5- Have your child bring their Yes I can poster to school.
March 7- Chick- Fil- A at 6pm
March 9- Teacher Workday
March 15- Picture Day (this will be for spring individual pictures and a class picture)
March 23- Spring Show
March 28- Boosterthon
April 2-9 Spring Break
Now back to Mrs. Massey........
A couple of other side notes:
- Please make a Yes I can! poster with your child showing all the things they can do. Posters will be displayed around the school for Exceptional Children's Week to show how fabulous your child is
- Please, please, please send in a white t-shirt for the show
- Chick-Fil- A night is Wednesday, March 7 from 6-7
Upcoming Calendar Dates!
March 1- Send in your plain white t-shirt for Mrs. Massey to tie dyeMarch 5- Have your child bring their Yes I can poster to school.
March 7- Chick- Fil- A at 6pm
March 9- Teacher Workday
March 15- Picture Day (this will be for spring individual pictures and a class picture)
March 23- Spring Show
March 28- Boosterthon
April 2-9 Spring Break
