Reflect on the articles in this week's

Required Resources, "The Nature of Teacher Talk during small group activities" and "stepping Back to Listen to Jeff: Conversation with a 2-year-old "In each, authors offer guidelines for facilitating affirming communication with children.

Re-read the articles and identify three important principles you gleaned to guide you and the children with whom you work with in the future.

Now, think about the medica segment demonstration which features Lisa Kolbeck/Holbeck engaging two very quiet young children conservation as they play.

How well does Ms. Kolbeck/Holbeck exemplify these principles in her communication and interaction with the children in the media segment?

It may be helpful to replay the media segment with these principles in mind and take note of specific comments that she makes or behaviour that she engages in while she converses with the children.

What additional kinds of interactions, communications, and sensitivities does she exhibit that help to draw children out and show respect for them as individuals? Next, consider the article "Communicating with Babies" which discusses ways in which appropriately communicate with infants.

As you know, children of different ages communicate in different ways. Caring adults communicate in ways that relate to the age and interests of the child. Do the three guiding principles you identified earlier in this assignment hold up when working with infants as well? How so? If not, Why not? Please answer these questions.

*A brief summary of the three guiding principles that you believe are most essential to facilitating affirming communication with young children. Be sure to support your comments with specific references to the Required Resources. *An evaluation of the ways in which these principles are exemplified by the teacher, Lisa Kolbeck in the media segment.

* An explanation of how these principles apply to communicating with infants.

* Insights with regard to your own professional and/or personal experiences as they relate to communicating effectively with young children and ways you believe you have benefited from this learning experience. Cite these sources. Laureate Education, Inc. (2011).

Strategies for working with diverse children: Communicating with young children. Baltimore, MD: Author. Listen and watch as Lisa Kolbeck, director of Little School Family Child Care, discusses and models sensitivity, respect, acceptance, reflective listening, and providing the space to each child to communicate. Kovach, B., & Da Ros-Voseles, D. (2011). Communicating with babies. YC: Young Children, 66(2), 48-50. Rainer Dangei, J., & Durden, T.R. (2010). The nature of teacher talk during small group activities. YC: Young Children, 65(1), 74-81. Stephenson, A. (2009). Conversations with a 2-year-old. YC: Young children, 64(2), 90-95.