Module : Written Assignment/Literacy and Language

Research tells us that birth to 5 years old is a crucial time for language and literacy development in young children. Knowing this, it becomes our responsibility to set the stage for effective and meaningful language use and opportunities.

Creating these meaningful learning opportunities require knowledge of the various language stages for typically developing children, as well as understanding how to create activities and a learning environment that fosters continual growth.

Consider the age range of 3-5 years. Some characteristics of typical language development in 3-5 year olds are:

• May have difficulty taking turns in conversation; changes topics quickly (3 years old)

• Can retell a four- or five-step directive or the sequence in a story (4 years old)

• Likes to act out others' roles, shows off in front of new people or becomes unpredictably very shy (5 years old)

To complete this assignment, do the following:

1. Choose two of these language characteristics or another for 3-5 year olds.

2. In a minimum of 2 pages, describe how you would use your chosen characteristics in setting up a room or specific area in an early childhood program.

3. Develop an activity that takes the characteristic into consideration and helps facilitate language development.