CHAPTER 10 LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT IN THE PRIMARY YEARS
Chapter Overview
This chapter focuses on primary children's language development in each of the five aspects of language knowledge: phonological, semantic, syntactic, morphemic and pragmatic. In each of these areas, research-based concepts and examples of children's oral and written language are included to describe primary children's language development.
Learning Outcomes
After reading this chapter, students should be able to
· Describe how phonological knowledge and metalinguistic awareness are related to children's reading development
· Describe how primary school children's direct and vicarious experiences can enhance vocabulary development
· Discuss how children's syntactic development is influenced by experiences with different text types and learning experiences
· Discuss how the use of academic English in primary classrooms is related to children's development of morphemic knowledge
· Describe how children's school and home experiences may enhance pragmatic knowledge during the primary years
Chapter Review
1. What is the range of expressive vocabulary (word count) for primary children?
2. In what ways does a child’s comprehension of figurative language indicate more complex semantic knowledge?
3. Describe the increasing complexity of primary children’s syntactic knowledge.
4. List the three inflectional morphemes acquired by most primary children.
5. Define derivational morpheme. What derivational morphemes are primary children acquiring?
6. Summarize the pragmatic language competencies of primary-age children.
7. What are the components of effective listening needed by primary students?
8. Why are listening skills important to success at school?
9. Why is it important for primary children to understand and be able to use academic English?
Chapter Activity
1. Watch the video: 3rd Grade Literature Circles.
2. After watching the 3rd Grade Literature Circles video, describe the ways in which they are using language during the literature circle.