supporting your child as a language learner · slide 2 isa • sarah garland-zach • 27.11.2008...

ISA • Sarah Garland-Zach • 27.11.2008

Supporting Supporting your child as a your child as a

language learnerlanguage learner


Supporting your child as a Supporting your child as a language learnerlanguage learner

Bilingualism and the importance of Bilingualism and the importance of supporting your child‘s mother tonguesupporting your child‘s mother tongue

Speaking and listeningSpeaking and listening

Reading and writingReading and writing

SpellingSpelling


BilingualismBilingualism

By sending your child to this school, By sending your child to this school, you have decided to give him / you have decided to give him / her a bi(multi)lingual education.her a bi(multi)lingual education.


Additive bilingualismAdditive bilingualism

A second language adds to, rather than A second language adds to, rather than replaces, the first language.replaces, the first language.

AdvantagesAdvantages::communication, cultural, cognitive, communication, cultural, cognitive,

careercareer


Subtractive bilingualismSubtractive bilingualism

A second language is learned at the A second language is learned at the expense of the first language.expense of the first language.

DisadvantagesDisadvantages::Intellectual growth can be Intellectual growth can be

hindered when there is no strong hindered when there is no strong grasp of the mother tongue.grasp of the mother tongue.


Mother tongue supportMother tongue support

““One parent is worth a thousand One parent is worth a thousand teachersteachers.“.“

You are your child‘s first and most You are your child‘s first and most important teacher. important teacher.


Mother tongue supportMother tongue support

ISA provides some mother tongue ISA provides some mother tongue support at school, but this is not support at school, but this is not

enough. enough.

It is essential that you support your It is essential that you support your child‘s mother tongue child‘s mother tongue

development at home. development at home.


Teaching language at ISATeaching language at ISA

Learning language is Learning language is developmental, and developmental, and

children move through children move through different phases. different phases.



As our guideline for teaching language at As our guideline for teaching language at ISA we use “First Steps“, a literacy ISA we use “First Steps“, a literacy

programme developed by Education programme developed by Education Department of Western Australia. It gives Department of Western Australia. It gives a very comprehensive description of the a very comprehensive description of the

different phases in language learning.different phases in language learning.Parents as Partners: Helping Your Child‘s Literacy and Language Development; Parents as Partners: Helping Your Child‘s Literacy and Language Development;

Rigby Heinemann, ISBN 0 73 12 2363 2Rigby Heinemann, ISBN 0 73 12 2363 2



Each child is different so will develop Each child is different so will develop at his / her own pace.at his / her own pace.

As parents and teachers we need to As parents and teachers we need to know how to give the right sort of know how to give the right sort of

support at the right time.support at the right time.


Supporting your child in Supporting your child in speaking and listeningspeaking and listening

Surround your child with language.Surround your child with language.

Talk and listen to your child.Talk and listen to your child.

Set aside some time each day to Set aside some time each day to discuss things that have happened.discuss things that have happened.



Encourage him / her to ask questions Encourage him / her to ask questions and express ideas.and express ideas.

Read school newsletters together.Read school newsletters together.

Play language games, e.g. “I spy“.Play language games, e.g. “I spy“.



Read to your child, Read to your child, and talk about the book:and talk about the book:

““The single most important activity for The single most important activity for building the knowledge required for building the knowledge required for eventual success, is reading aloud to eventual success, is reading aloud to children.“children.“(US Dept of Education research findings)(US Dept of Education research findings)


ReadingReading

Phase 1: Role Play ReadingPhase 1: Role Play Reading

Phase 2: Experimental ReadingPhase 2: Experimental Reading

Phase 3: Early ReadingPhase 3: Early Reading

Phase 4: Transitional ReadingPhase 4: Transitional Reading

Phase 5: Independent ReadingPhase 5: Independent Reading

Phase 6: Advanced ReadingPhase 6: Advanced Reading


Phase 1: Phase 1: Role Play ReadingRole Play Reading

The child:The child: shows an interest in books shows an interest in books

and printand print copies adult‘s behaviour, e.g. copies adult‘s behaviour, e.g.

holding the book and turning holding the book and turning pagespages

retells stories in his / her own retells stories in his / her own wordswords


How to give the right support in How to give the right support in Phase 1 Reading:Phase 1 Reading:

Be a good role model: let your child see Be a good role model: let your child see you read.you read.

Read to your child as often as possible, Read to your child as often as possible, and talk about the book.and talk about the book.

Draw attention to the pictures in books.Draw attention to the pictures in books.


How to give the right support in How to give the right support in Phase 1 Reading:Phase 1 Reading:

Select repetitive books, and encourage Select repetitive books, and encourage your child to join in when you read.your child to join in when you read.

Play good quality story and song CDs in Play good quality story and song CDs in the car on long journeys.the car on long journeys.

Point out print in the environments: shop Point out print in the environments: shop names, traffic signs, etc.names, traffic signs, etc.


Phase 2:Phase 2:Experimental ReadingExperimental Reading

The child:The child: has memorised familiar stories, and can has memorised familiar stories, and can

match some spoken and written wordsmatch some spoken and written words begins pointing to some words and begins pointing to some words and

“reading“ them“reading“ them has an increasing knowledge of letters has an increasing knowledge of letters

and the sounds they makeand the sounds they make uses pictures to help get the meaninguses pictures to help get the meaning knows that we read from left to right, knows that we read from left to right,

and top to bottomand top to bottom


How to give the right How to give the right support in Phase 2 Reading:support in Phase 2 Reading:

Read to your child as often asRead to your child as often aspossible, talk about the book, possible, talk about the book, and ask some “why“ questions.and ask some “why“ questions.

Draw attention to the pictures in Draw attention to the pictures in the books, and ask your child to the books, and ask your child to tell stories from these pictures.tell stories from these pictures.

Point to the words as you read.Point to the words as you read.



Encourage your child to join in when you read Encourage your child to join in when you read familiar stories.familiar stories.

Read labels on packages.Read labels on packages.

Join the local library.Join the local library.

Point out interesting or long words in books.Point out interesting or long words in books.

Recognise letters on car number plates.Recognise letters on car number plates.


Phase 3:Phase 3:Early ReadingEarly Reading

The child:The child: reads slowly and deliberatelyreads slowly and deliberately concentrates more on the words concentrates more on the words

themselves, than on the meaningthemselves, than on the meaning can read some commonly used wordscan read some commonly used words relies on sounding out words to read relies on sounding out words to read

them, and doesn‘t take so many risks at them, and doesn‘t take so many risks at guessing the wordguessing the word

points to words as an aid to readingpoints to words as an aid to reading can correct him / herselfcan correct him / herself


How to give the right How to give the right support in Phase 3 Reading: support in Phase 3 Reading: Continue to read to your child every day.Continue to read to your child every day.

Read a variety of books: short stories, Read a variety of books: short stories, chapter books, poems.chapter books, poems.

Talk about the book together: the Talk about the book together: the illustrations, characters and the plot. illustrations, characters and the plot.

Play word games, e.g. “Hangman”Play word games, e.g. “Hangman”


How to give the right How to give the right support in Phase 3 Reading: support in Phase 3 Reading:

Browse together in bookshops.Browse together in bookshops.

Write your child short messages, and Write your child short messages, and encourage him / her to write some encourage him / her to write some

back.back.

Emphasise the importance of making Emphasise the importance of making sense when your child reads.sense when your child reads.


Phase 4:Phase 4:Transitional ReadingTransitional Reading

The child:The child:

is becoming more fluent, and is becoming more fluent, and already has preferences for certain already has preferences for certain types of bookstypes of books


Phase 4:Phase 4:Transitional ReadingTransitional Reading


has developed many strategies to has developed many strategies to help read for meaning:help read for meaning:

uses his / her background knowledgeuses his / her background knowledge reads on to discover the meaningreads on to discover the meaning re-reads for clarificationre-reads for clarification uses illustrations and glossaryuses illustrations and glossary pays attention to punctuationpays attention to punctuation



Ensure that your child knows that you Ensure that your child knows that you enjoy and value reading.enjoy and value reading.

Continue to read to your child if he / she Continue to read to your child if he / she enjoys it.enjoys it.

Encourage him / her to go to the library.Encourage him / her to go to the library.

Discuss favourite authors together, and Discuss favourite authors together, and why you like them.why you like them.



Encourage him / her to read to Encourage him / her to read to younger children.younger children.

Encourage him / her to read and Encourage him / her to read and write letters and postcards. Provide write letters and postcards. Provide attractive paper and unusual pens.attractive paper and unusual pens.

Encourage him / her to find an Encourage him / her to find an interesting article in the newspaperinteresting article in the newspaperand tell you about it.and tell you about it.


Phase 5:Phase 5:Independent ReadingIndependent Reading


automatically uses a wide range of automatically uses a wide range of techniques when reading: self-techniques when reading: self-correcting, re-reading, reading on, correcting, re-reading, reading on, slowing downslowing down

understands and uses a wide range of understands and uses a wide range of techniques to comprehend different techniques to comprehend different types of textstypes of texts

is totally absorbed when readingis totally absorbed when reading


Phase 5:Phase 5:Independent ReadingIndependent Reading

The child:The child: feels strongly about his / her reading feels strongly about his / her reading

preferences, and can justify these preferences, and can justify these opinionsopinions

sees books as a major source of sees books as a major source of informationinformation

is able to appreciate different points of is able to appreciate different points of view and alternative interpretations of a view and alternative interpretations of a texttext

can compare texts criticallycan compare texts critically



Recognise and be proud of your child‘s Recognise and be proud of your child‘s successes in reading.successes in reading.

Ensure he / she is exposed to a wide variety of Ensure he / she is exposed to a wide variety of reading material: novels, newspapers, reading material: novels, newspapers,

magazines, letters, recipes, puzzle books.magazines, letters, recipes, puzzle books.

Make sure he / she has a quiet, well-lit study area.Make sure he / she has a quiet, well-lit study area.



Encourage him / her to read for different Encourage him / her to read for different purposes, e.g. story books to a younger child, purposes, e.g. story books to a younger child, game instructions, or an instruction manual.game instructions, or an instruction manual.

Encourage him / her to talk about the books he / Encourage him / her to talk about the books he / she has enjoyed or disliked.she has enjoyed or disliked.

Encourage thoughtful criticism and comment.Encourage thoughtful criticism and comment.


WritingWriting

Phase 1: Role Play WritingPhase 1: Role Play Writing

Phase 2: Experimental WritingPhase 2: Experimental Writing

Phase 3: Early WritingPhase 3: Early Writing

Phase 4: Conventional WritingPhase 4: Conventional Writing

Phase 5: Proficient WritingPhase 5: Proficient Writing

Phase 6: Advanced WritingPhase 6: Advanced Writing


Phase 1:Phase 1:Role Play WritingRole Play Writing


experiments with marks on paperexperiments with marks on paper copies adult writing behaviour copies adult writing behaviour

and often tries to communicate and often tries to communicate a message through their a message through their scribbles, e.g. a letter to a friend, scribbles, e.g. a letter to a friend, or a shopping listor a shopping list

writes in a mixture of letters, writes in a mixture of letters, numbers and invented letters, numbers and invented letters, and the letters are often capital, and the letters are often capital, and sometimes reverseand sometimes reverse

understands that writing and understands that writing and drawing are different, but drawing are different, but sometimes mixes them upsometimes mixes them up


How to give the right How to give the right support in Phase 1 Writing:support in Phase 1 Writing:

Value your child’s first attempts atValue your child’s first attempts at writing. writing.

Be a good role model as a readerBe a good role model as a reader and writer. and writer.

Support your child as a reader, as Support your child as a reader, as reading teaches the child many reading teaches the child many things about writing.things about writing.

Talk about print in the environment, Talk about print in the environment, e.g. stop signs and advertisements.e.g. stop signs and advertisements.



Show your child how you useShow your child how you use writing. Write lists, telephone writing. Write lists, telephone messages and greeting cards in messages and greeting cards in front of him / her, and talk about front of him / her, and talk about what you‘re doing. what you‘re doing.

Provide a special place for your child to Provide a special place for your child to write, with a range of different pens, write, with a range of different pens, paper, envelopes, etc.paper, envelopes, etc.

Allow him / her to use the computer word Allow him / her to use the computer word processor for writing.processor for writing.


Phase 2:Phase 2:Experimental WritingExperimental Writing

The child:The child: knows that speech can be written knows that speech can be written

down and that print remains constantdown and that print remains constant understands that writing goes from understands that writing goes from

left to rightleft to right experiments writing letters and wordsexperiments writing letters and words mixes up capitals and small lettersmixes up capitals and small letters tries to read back his / her writingtries to read back his / her writing can tell the difference between can tell the difference between

letters and numbersletters and numbers starts to leave spaces between starts to leave spaces between

“words““words“ starts to notice full stops and commasstarts to notice full stops and commas



Continue to support your child as a Continue to support your child as a reader.reader.

Write messages to your child, and Write messages to your child, and encourage him/ her to write back.encourage him/ her to write back.

Provide a special place for your Provide a special place for your child to write, with a range of child to write, with a range of different materials, including lined different materials, including lined paper, different pens and markers, paper, different pens and markers, notebooks, etc. notebooks, etc.



Support your child‘s efforts at spelling and praise Support your child‘s efforts at spelling and praise

his / her attempts at having a go.his / her attempts at having a go.

Don‘t criticise him / her for not spelling a word Don‘t criticise him / her for not spelling a word correctly. correctly.

Talk about the purposes for which you write: Talk about the purposes for which you write: shopping lists, recipes, greeting cards, messages shopping lists, recipes, greeting cards, messages to friends.to friends.

Encourage your child to make his / her own Encourage your child to make his / her own books.books.


Phase 3:Phase 3:Early WritingEarly Writing

The child:The child: writes about things that are writes about things that are

personally significant, e.g. their personally significant, e.g. their pet or their holidaypet or their holiday

writes in sentenceswrites in sentences makes some attempts at makes some attempts at

punctuation: full stops, capital punctuation: full stops, capital letters, question marksletters, question marks

uses words like “and then“ a lotuses words like “and then“ a lot begins to write for people other begins to write for people other

than his / her teacher or parentsthan his / her teacher or parents knows what he / she wants to knows what he / she wants to

write and struggles to put it on write and struggles to put it on paperpaper

provides some detail and provides some detail and description in his / her writingdescription in his / her writing

starts to use language he / she starts to use language he / she has heard from books and films, has heard from books and films, e.g. „Once upon a time…“e.g. „Once upon a time…“



Support your child as a reader.Support your child as a reader.Praise your child‘s efforts andPraise your child‘s efforts andrespond to the meaning, rather respond to the meaning, rather than the spelling and grammar.than the spelling and grammar.Display your child‘s writing and Display your child‘s writing and show that you enjoy and value it. show that you enjoy and value it. Have fun writing each other Have fun writing each other messages.messages.Start a family diary to record special Start a family diary to record special days and significant events. Include days and significant events. Include photos and mementos.photos and mementos.



Encourage your child to write on the computer.Encourage your child to write on the computer.Look for opportunities for purposeful writing Look for opportunities for purposeful writing activities: a play invitation to a friend, a thank activities: a play invitation to a friend, a thank

you letter to a grandparent, a postcard on you letter to a grandparent, a postcard on holiday.holiday.

Play word games such as “Scrabble“, “Find the Play word games such as “Scrabble“, “Find the Word“ puzzles, etc.Word“ puzzles, etc.

Provide your child with a simple, attractive Provide your child with a simple, attractive dictionary.dictionary.

Give presents to encourage reading and writing.Give presents to encourage reading and writing.


Phase 4:Phase 4:Conventional WritingConventional Writing

The writer:The writer: knows most of the basic elements of knows most of the basic elements of

the writing processthe writing process uses different forms of writing to suit uses different forms of writing to suit

different purposes, e.g. an different purposes, e.g. an explanation in social studies or an explanation in social studies or an experiment in scienceexperiment in science

plans before starting to writeplans before starting to write starts to use headings and sub-starts to use headings and sub-

headings to organise his / her writingheadings to organise his / her writing proof reads and edits workproof reads and edits work selects vocabulary appropriate to selects vocabulary appropriate to

subject areasubject area enjoys having fun with language, e.g. enjoys having fun with language, e.g.

punspuns



Support your child as a reader.Support your child as a reader.

Praise your child‘s writing efforts.Praise your child‘s writing efforts.

Ensure he / she has access to a good dictionary.Ensure he / she has access to a good dictionary.

Help your child write letter requesting information or Help your child write letter requesting information or materials for a school project. materials for a school project.

Encourage your child to read a newspaper and discuss Encourage your child to read a newspaper and discuss interesting articles, and even to write to the newspaper interesting articles, and even to write to the newspaper

about topics he / she feels strongly about.about topics he / she feels strongly about.


Phase 5 and 6:Phase 5 and 6:Proficient and Advanced Proficient and Advanced

WritingWriting

Lower school children are not Lower school children are not expected to be working in these expected to be working in these

phases.phases.


SpellingSpelling

Phase 1: Preliminary SpellingPhase 1: Preliminary Spelling

Phase 2: Semi-phonetic SpellingPhase 2: Semi-phonetic Spelling

Phase 3: Phonetic Phase 3: Phonetic Spelling

Phase 4: Transitional SpellingPhase 4: Transitional Spelling

Phase 5: Independent SpellingPhase 5: Independent Spelling


SpellingSpelling

Spelling is developmental.Spelling is developmental.

It is very important that children are It is very important that children are encouraged to have a go at spelling words encouraged to have a go at spelling words they don‘t know when writing. they don‘t know when writing.

They need to develop strategies to become They need to develop strategies to become good spellers. good spellers.

Praise your child for having a go, rather than Praise your child for having a go, rather than drawing attention to errors.drawing attention to errors.


Phase 1:Phase 1:Preliminary SpellingPreliminary Spelling

The child‘s writing is not readable The child‘s writing is not readable by others.by others.

He / she has not yet made the link He / she has not yet made the link between sounds and words.between sounds and words.


Phase 2:Phase 2:Semi-phonetic SpellingSemi-phonetic Spelling

The child:The child: starts to make the link between the sounds of starts to make the link between the sounds of

spoken words and the letters of written wordsspoken words and the letters of written words relies on sounds which are most obvious to him relies on sounds which are most obvious to him

/ her, which are usually the first and the last, / her, which are usually the first and the last, e.g. e.g. bgbg for for bigbig or or elftelft for for elephantelephant..

may write “words“ with one, two or three letters may write “words“ with one, two or three letters for sounds, filled in with random letters, for sounds, filled in with random letters, e.g. e.g. greimgreim for for grassgrass


Phase 3:Phase 3:Phonetic SpellingPhonetic Spelling

The child:The child: can often provide an almost perfect can often provide an almost perfect

match between letters and soundsmatch between letters and sounds uses spelling which is not conventional, uses spelling which is not conventional,

but based on sound, but based on sound, e.g. e.g. sedsed for for said said or or bicosbicos for for becausebecause

represents each syllable with some represents each syllable with some letters, e.g. letters, e.g. catapilacatapila for for caterpillarcaterpillar


Phase 4:Phase 4:Transitional SpellingTransitional Spelling

The child:The child: realises that sounding out does not always work, so starts realises that sounding out does not always work, so starts

taking more notice of how words look, and the common taking more notice of how words look, and the common spelling patternsspelling patterns

has an increasing number of words he / she can spell has an increasing number of words he / she can spell correctlycorrectly

might use all the right letters, but puts them in the wrong might use all the right letters, but puts them in the wrong order, e.g. order, e.g. thierthier for for their their

is beginning to use double letters correctly, e.g. is beginning to use double letters correctly, e.g. stoppedstopped is willing to have a go at specialised words, e.g. is willing to have a go at specialised words, e.g. experamentexperament forfor experiment experiment


Phase 5:Phase 5:Independent SpellingIndependent Spelling

The child:The child: has become aware of the many has become aware of the many

patterns and rules in spellingpatterns and rules in spelling spells a wide range of words correctlyspells a wide range of words correctly is able to recognise when a word does is able to recognise when a word does

not look correctnot look correct successfully proof reads own writingsuccessfully proof reads own writing uses spelling references, e.g. dictionary uses spelling references, e.g. dictionary

or thesaurusor thesaurus


Thank you Thank you for your attentionfor your attention

supporting your child as a language learner · slide 2 isa • sarah garland-zach • 27.11.2008...

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