So what should children be learning about words in order to participate effectively in school?
There are four kinds of information that apply to every word. The first impression that a word makes is its sound, which is called phonology. For example we make upward intonations when we ask yes/no questions. When pronouncing words we use different sounds which are produced through ddifferent parts of our mouth, throat & nose, and parts of the tongue. Here is a chart with examples of when children developmentally are able to say certain sounds.
There are four kinds of information that apply to every word. The first impression that a word makes is its sound, which is called phonology. For example we make upward intonations when we ask yes/no questions. When pronouncing words we use different sounds which are produced through ddifferent parts of our mouth, throat & nose, and parts of the tongue. Here is a chart with examples of when children developmentally are able to say certain sounds.
Example of processes expected as phonological structures develop Adult word
|
Child says
|
Expected until
|
Process used until the adult phonological structure is developed:
|
mug
|
muck
|
3 ½ years
|
Final voiced sound is voiceless rather than voiced
|
bam
|
baa
|
Final consonant omitted -- even before words beginning with vowels
| |
Sap
Vein
zap
|
Tap
Bane
dap
|
Consonant with continuant feature pronounced without it ( /s/ → /t/; ( /v/ → /b/; ( /z/ → /d/)
| |
ship
|
sip
|
Fronting – using a part of the tongue closer to the front to press against an area of the roof of the mouth that is also closer to the front (/ʃ/ → /s/).
| |
tiger
|
diger
|
Voiceless consonant (/t/) voiced (/d/) to match voicing later in the word (/g/).
| |
moon
|
moom
|
4 years
|
Consonant later in the word changed to match earlier one in place of articulation.
|
Bicycle
beautiful
|
Biskle
byuful
|
Weak syllable in a word omitted
| |
Click
spill
|
Kick
pill
|
Consonant cluster reduced
| |
Shot
Jack
Chain
Thin
this
|
Tot
Dack
Tain
Tin
dis
|
5 years
|
Consonant with friction and continuant feature pronounced without either (/ʃ/ → /t/; /ʤ/ → /d/; /ʧ/ → /t/; /θ/ → /t/; /đ/ → /d/)
|
Rut
leg
|
What
weg or
yeg
|
Consonant with liquid feature (/l/, /r/) pronounced as glide (/w/, /y/)
| |
trucking
|
chucking
|
Tongue placement more toward back of mouth so consonant cluster is pronounced as a single consonant (/tr/ →/ʧ/).
|
Semantics is the interpretation of phrases and clauses. It's units include subject, predicate, object, modifier, quantifiers, agent, action, and topic/comment. For example in order to understand what one word means, like cabinet, the brain tires to connect it to the meaning of other words that are already in its vocabulary. The more children know about the words that they learn the better they will do in school. As a parent you have the privilege of introducing new words to your child and defining the words for them as well. As your child learns new words, the brain tries to figure out which other words can come before, after, or with them. Syntax is the form of phrases and clauses, units include main and subdorinate clasues, noun, verb, prepositional phrases. For example, the syntax is ok in this sentence: "This sentence is a lie." The syntax is not correct in this example: "Mary promised her to exercise everyday." Children are still learning correct syntax until about age 6.
The last information about a word is called morphology. Morphology is the form of the word and how it can change. So an example of this is to take a verb and conjugate it. “It’s growing.” (Example taken from Cane’s Beehive in Child Talk Task 3. Retrieved from online.) In this example through the child taking the word "grow" and changing it into "growing" they gave the sentence more meaning to indicate an action.
Things you can do at home:
- Read, read, read! Reading to your child will enable them to hear the correct phonology, syntax, semantic, and morphology of words. Later on the blog we will talk about active participation where reading isn't just reading.
- Children also learn through correction. So when they say something that is incorrect, repeat the sentence back to them with the corrections.
Next we will look at another aspect of language that has two functions: pragmatics and rhetoric/discourse/genre.
References:
Griffin, P. (2012). Notes Class 4 : Phonology, Speech, Hearing [PDF] Retrieved from online lecture notes.
Resnick, L. B., Snow, C.E. (2009). Speaking and Listening for Preschool Through Third Grade. Washington D.C.: University of Pittsburgh and The National Center on Education and the Economy.
