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Education

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The importance of learning a second language in early education

January 8, 2024
89
  • Who are DLLs: Dual Language Learners (DLLs) are children ages birth to 5 years who are learning two (or more) languages ​​at the same time, or are learning a second language while They continue to develop their first language (or mother tongue).
  • Who are ELLs: An English language learner (ELL) is anyone who does not speak English fluently or is still learning English.

Nowadays, we can have the learning of a second language through different early education institutions, schools, Head Start programs, and daycare programs. Many parents consider the acquisition of a language other than their native language as essential for their children’s future personal and professional opportunities.

It is important for families to know the opportunities and Policies for children of Dual Language. There is a demographic trend of large increases in the number of dual language children (DLLs). However, Hispanic and Hispanic DLL children lag behind their White peers in preschool access and achievement. “Research shows that high-quality preschool can reduce these gaps even before you enter kindergarten.”

Some of the benefits that children have when learning a second language are more memory, creativity, understanding and tolerance:

  • Faster and more natural learning
  • Learning as fun
  • Greater fluency: learning not translating

Cognitive Benefits:

  • Memory stimulation
  • Greater multitasking capacity
  • Stimulation of creativity

How DLLs and ELLs benefit each other:

Dual language immersion programs facilitate biliteracy – the ability to speak, listen, read, and write fluently in two languages. A mix of students allows them to learn from each other and help each other. This intergenerational interaction fosters a sense of responsibility and empathy in older children, while younger children gain valuable role models and support from their peers. Children of different age groups can benefit from each other in various ways. Younger children often admire and imitate their older peers, which can inspire them to develop new skills and behaviors. Older children can reinforce their own knowledge and skills by explaining concepts.

Students build strong social connections and cultural awareness.

Differences in learning styles, developmental stages, and individual needs among children have important implications for teachers who work with them.

Teachers must adapt their instructional methods to accommodate these variations and ensure effective learning experiences for all students.

Courtesy of Precious Moment Child Care

References: Weisenfeld, G. G., Kasmin, R., DiCrecchio, N., & Horowitz, M. (2018). The State of Preschool 2017: State Preschool Yearbook.

(preschool policy facts, 2017)

in RESOURCES

Why is Good Nutrition Important for Our Children?

January 8, 2024
85

Food is decisive for proper functioning of the body, good growth, optimal learning capacity and the prevention of diseases.

The effects of malnutrition in early childhood can be devastating and long-lasting. A healthy and balanced diet is essential for children’s health.

A varied and healthy diet always goes hand in hand with physical activity. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that children do 1 hour a day of some type of activity. Schools and childcare centers such as group and home daycare centers have activities in their curriculum where children have different physical activities.

It is important that parents share some activity during the time that their children are away from school or from their childcare providers, whether it is riding a bicycle, playing in the park, skating, swimming, dancing or soccer.

It is important to include foods that provide energy and everything necessary that a healthy child needs: foods with energy, carbohydrates, fats and protein. We must avoid juices, soft drinks, chocolates and candies or fried foods and greasy foods.

Serve foods by sizes and portions for different ages. Nutrition for children is based on the same ideas as nutrition for adults. We all need the same types of elements, such as vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates, protein and fat. All of them together are called nutrients.

Children need different amounts of specific nutrients depending on their ages:

For 2 year old children:

  • Green group: vegetables and fruits combine 2 food groups ¼ cup
  • Yellow group: combine 4 groups of food of ½ ounce
  • Blue group: Dairy ½ cup
  • Orange group: 1 ounce

For children 3-4 years old:

  • Green group: vegetables and fruits combine 2 food groups ½ cup
  • Yellow group: combine 4 food group of ½ ounce
  • Blue group: Dairy ½ – ¾ cup
  • Orange group: 1 ½ cup

For children 5-8 years old:

  • Green group: vegetables and fruits combine 2 food groups ¾ cup
  • Yellow group: combine 4 food groups of 1 ounce
  • Blue Group: Dairy 1 cup
  • Orange group: 2 ounces

Courtesy of Precious Moment Child Care

Reference: https://www.mayoclinic.org/

in RESOURCES

Oral language: where it all begins

September 28, 2023
124

Children are language learners by virtue of being born and living in society. They build linguistic knowledge to the extent that they use language to interact with other people, the objects in their environment, and understand what surrounds them. (Halliday, 1975).03

The first manifestations of speech, such as stammering, are part of oral language. That initial babble is the response of the infant to the adult when they try to have a communication encounter. It all starts when they have their parents by their side or someone who communicates with them. It is extremely important that through oral language, the adult: speaks to them, sings, and explains the world around them; that is, it translates the physical world into words. At this stage, your voice can be “understood and heard”, even if they don’t have the adult language code. As the child grows, they acquire more vocabulary and their thoughts, ideas and forms of expression become more complex. Finally, oral language reveals children’s knowledge about language functions, their intersection skills and what they know about the world around them. (Owoki & Goodman, 2002).

The best way to enrich the sound world of childhood is by talking to them, singing, and reading to them. These three forms of stimuli complement each other, each serving a special role in language development. It is a simple way to tell if your child is listening, when parents talk to their baby, preparing them to verbally explore the world around them. The sound of words is very important, as it will be the stimulus to develop the ability to speak.

From the first moment, we adults talk to our newborns because we are sure that they understand us, that this is how we communicate. According to Vigotsky (1978), oral language plays a central role in mental processes and in the internalization of the cultural process. It reveals childrens functions, their interaction skills and what they know about the world around them. (Owoki & Goodman, 2002).

The role of the educator goes beyond educating the child, it is to promote appropriate practices for language development. We begin by fulfilling the responsibility of listening to the voice of children, and children must feel our voice. Through their conversations and actions, children expand and refine their linguistic and conceptual knowledge. To the extent that an educator listens to them talk and speaks to them, they can understand their thoughts and intentions.

Children learn as a result of social interaction and transform the language and actions of their social experience into tools for thought. The social experience of interaction with the educator and with children’s literature allowed them to incorporate a way of expressing their feelings orally. It is exposed, then, that experiences with oral language through children’s literature is the motivation that impulses learning.

Tips for good language in children.

Therefore, you should review these tips on how to stimulate language in young children.

We present a series of recommendations to stimulate the baby’s oral language: take advantage of everyday situations to stimulate language: at meals, in the bathroom, at games, going to daycare and school, in the park… the time to stimulate language never ends.

Ramos, A. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://alcanza.uprrp.edu/

Courtesy of Precious Moment Child Care

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