Vocabulary for early communicators - teaching demonstration

Educators demonstrate ways of creating rich language experiences with young children, to build their vocabulary.

In this video, educators demonstrate ways of creating rich language experiences with young children, to build their vocabulary.

This video demonstrates ways of exposing children to a range of new words during every interaction.

Watch the video on Vimeo : Vocabulary for Early Communicators

Reflective practice

Observe

  • The examples of shared/joint attention, and its importance for language learning.
  • The use of reading experiences as opportunities to learn new words and concepts.
  • The educator’s use of repetition when children show interest in words and sounds (for example tick tock).
  • The linking of words and concepts to children’s immediate experience, as well as home life.
  • How the educator builds upon the children’s attempts at non-verbal communication, sounds and words.
  • How the educator uses self-talk and parallel-talk strategies to create shared meaning of their experience.
  • How the educator embeds new concepts and ideas within child-led experiences.

Reflection questions

  • What learning did you observe? How do you know?
  • In what situations can educators use language modelling to share new words and concepts with children?
  • What sorts of words and concepts does the educator model and use when interacting in this video?
  • As an educator, how do you balance making your language understandable to children, with using complex and new vocabulary?
  • How can the educators in this video extend upon the introductions to new vocabulary, so that children have an opportunity to discuss new words and what they mean?
  • Consider the importance of including children’s family, and other educators’ perspectives to inform practice and curriculum decisions.
  • How does the educator promote children’s perspectives and agency in these experiences?

Learning experience plan

This learning experience plan relates to:

  • early communicators (birth - 18 months)
  • interacting with others
  • learning foci: concept development and vocabulary
  • teaching practices: language in everyday situations, play (interacting with others).

Outcome 5: communication

Children interact verbally and non-verbally with others for a range of purposes:

  • interact with others to explore ideas and concepts, clarify and challenge thinking, negotiate and share new understandings.
  • demonstrate an increasing understanding of measurement and number using vocabulary to describe size, length, volume, capacity and names of numbers.

Related videos and learning experience plans

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