"What the best and wisest parent wants for his own child, that must the community want for its children." John Dewey

Issues and Concerns

Previous speakers, at this summit, have discussed and documented the fact that many of our young children are simply not doing as well in school as their parents, teachers, and the public expects. This is not a new problem. It has been discussed and argued for years by scholars, politicians, educators, and everyone else concerned for the well being of children. And, there have been a variety of attempts to address this dilemma. National efforts such as Head Start and Even Start for very young children and their families, and Title I programs designed for academic remediation in the schools, along with various state and local initiatives have been implemented with some promising but mixed results. As leaders and policy makers, no doubt you are concerned about the well being of all our nation's children. Yet, I would venture to say that all of us here today share a special concern for those children who are not succeeding as well as we believe they can.

Today, I will focus on language and literacy, a key aspect of young children's cognitive development. Particular emphasis will be placed on concerns related to those children who have, unfortunately, too often been "left behind." My goal is two-fold: first, to provide a succinct discussion of how the earliest years contribute to children's later success as readers and writers; and second to provide some suggestions as to what parents, grandparents, and other caregivers of young children can do to facilitate the language and literacy development of the children they care for. In addition, I will make some suggestions for what parents should look for in the child care settings in which they place their children. By design, this is a practical, down-to-earth presentation. My purpose is to share with you, as leaders and policy makers, the kinds of things that every individual who cares for young children should know and apply in their child rearing and early education practices.

Language and Literacy Development in the Home

A brand new infant lies on the changing table as his Mother changes his diaper. She talks through the whole process, no matter that the child seems not to respond. Comments about the weather, the dirty diaper, and the walk they are about to take are all part of the monologue.

A six-month-old child coos to her grandmother as she is being readied for bed. Grandma talks to the baby about her pretty blanket, the nice bath she has taken, and what a beautiful child she is. Now and then grandma pauses in her commentary and the child coos back. They seem to take turns and the conversation continues

A nine-month-old youngster sits on her father's lap. The father has a small board book in his hand. He turns each page as he points out the pictures to the child, "Juice! Bib! Rattle!" He pauses after naming each picture as if he expects the child to repeat the word after him. The child coos occasionally and both father and daughter are immensely pleased with the process.

An 18-month-old child grabs a book from his toy box. It is a familiar book that has been read to him many times. Though he is holding the book upside down, he "reads" the pictures as he places his whole hand on one page at a time and names the object he sees. Most often, his utterances can only be understood by other family members. "Bottle! Baby! Bib!" The child finishes half the book and waits for the approval he knows will be forthcoming. Satisfied with what he has accomplished, he moves on to other amusements with the same brief but intense attention given the book.

A three-year-old becomes excited at a page in a magazine that her father is reading. "Big Mac," she yells, pointing to the arches. Sure enough, it is an advertisement for a well known fast food restaurant that she loves to visit. Her father chuckles and affirms what she has recognized.

A five-year-old helps his grandfather plant tomatoes in the backyard. He helps dig the holes for the tomato seedlings and for the sticks the tomatoes will climb. He watches and listens as Pop Pop reads the directions for the fertilizer aloud. Words such as, fertilizer, trowel, spade, soil, and drainage are used throughout the process. Now the planting is done. In the days ahead, the two will water, watch, and wait together.

I think you will agree that these were very ordinary, unremarkable, yet powerful scenes. Language and literacy learning begins from the moment of birth and thrives through activities such as those described. These scenes are merely a sampling of the typical opportunities offered children in many families regardless of their color, income, geographical location, or first language. They reflect the most basic language experiences young children require in their daily lives. It is not surprising that parents, grandparents, and educators relate to these descriptions and concur that they are positive and important. They evoke vivid mental images of personal experiences with children in their own families.

Fortunately, there is no need to rely solely on our personal knowledge or impressions of what is important. Research, involving systematic studies of young children in many cultures, has provided us with scientific information about how language begins and the factors that influence its development. Let me share five qualities that usually surround the oral language development of young children. These insights provide a sound basis for planning and commiting resources to early education programs and for offering advice and support to parents about how they can best nurture their children's language and literacy.

In settings where young children's language development thrives:

1. The atmosphere surrounding oral language development is warm and rewarding. Parents and older siblings are pleased with every utterance the child makes and they respond accordingly. Young children are encouraged to experiment with language. Long before they begin to master their language system they are listened to as if their attempts to communicate made sense and responded to as such, without regard to correctness. Their "mistakes" provide fondly remembered stories for years to come. For example, when ten-month-old Hannah called for "Cuh Cuh!" everyone knew that it was her sister Rebecca she was calling. In the safe supportive environment of home, young language users are rewarded for their attempts and approximations rather than scolded for their mistakes.
2. Language development occurs in a social, child-centered context. Adults and older siblings accept the child on his or her terms. They talk with rather than at the child. They seem to sense the child's need to be an active participant, demanding feedback and shared control. During a discussion involving adults and older children, it is not uncommon for toddlers to suddenly burst into a loud babble indicating that they want to be a part of the conversation. Language is informally demonstrated by adults who interact with the child and provide help when needed. Adults adjust their language and their actions in response to the child's needs. They address the child's meaning, rather than a preconceived notion of how that meaning ought to be put into words.
3. The context for language and conceptual development is meaningful. The natural curiosity of young children drives them to interact with people, places, and things in their environment. They want to know about everything -- to touch, taste, and experience it all. As children go about their explorations, adults frequently use language to help them make connections and distinctions. Thus children are surrounded by multiple examples of language being used in meaningful ways for a variety of purposes.
4. Children are presented with the entire language system at once. Adults do not attempt to break down language so that children learn one sound or one sentence pattern at a time. Neither a skills array nor an elaborate management system, external to the child, is used to help guide parents and children through the process. Neither standard nor "correct" forms are required during these early years for children to grow in their confidence and competence with language. Nevertheless, parents are aware of their role in providing their children with models of language that are more conventional for effective communication.
5. As children learn the linguistic rules of how their language works, they also learn the communicative rules of how to use their language. Children not only learn the linguistic aspects of language (phonology - the sounds of the language, syntax -- the structure of the language, and semantics -- the word meanings of the language), they demonstrate an understanding of pragmatics -- how to use language in a wide variety of situations. They learn to take turns during a conversation, to talk on the telephone, to talk to friends, to request information, and how to do a number of other activities using language. Certainly, every parent knows that "No" is a word that children learn early and use often. The ability to verbally communicate one's needs and desires is fundamental to being human.

The basic need to communicate coupled with a rich and stimulating language environment seem to be the main factors that propel children's early language learning. Parents, grandparents, and early education caregivers need to know that child language development begins in infancy and is an ongoing process in which young children expand and refine their knowledge and use of language largely with the help of facilitating adults.

What Parents and Grandparents Can Do

Parents, grandparents, and anyone serving in a parental capacity, need to keep in mind that their roles during the early years have gained new meaning and importance as our knowledge about language and literacy development increases. Parents are, indeed, a child's first and most important teachers. Grandparents often have a special relationship with their grandchildren. They are often more relaxed and indulgent. I am reminded of the television commercial in which the grandparents take their grandchildren to Disney World. The first scene shows the parents admonishing the grandparents not to spoil the children. The grandparents readily agree. But, in the next scene you see them showering the children with candy and toys as they all have a gay old time. At one point, the grandparents question the children, "We're not spoiling you are we?" Not surprisingly, the children respond with a loud and hearty, "No!"

Of course, there is another side to the role of grandparents today that is no less loving but certainly less voluntary. Many of today's grandparents are, for one reason or another, raising their grandchildren with little or no assistance from the children's parents. Depending on the circumstances, some grandparents may take on this responsibility for a limited amount of time. Others may assume shared or full responsibility for raising their grandchildren from infancy through young adulthood. It is also important to keep in mind that a growing number of children spend a large portion of their waking hours in home daycare or with child caregivers in early education settings. Thus, there is a growing recognition that a variety of adults are highly influential in launching the early cognitive development of today's children. These caregivers function as an extended family of responsive adults who help children develop competence in thinking, listening, and speaking. These competencies, of course, provide the foundation for reading, writing, and computing.

As policy makers and leaders in the field of childhood education, I urge you to support and encourage greater knowledge and application of the kinds of research-based, yet very practical, suggestions listed below.

Some Tips for Parents and Grandparents and Others Who Care for Young Children

1. Talk with your child. There is no substitute for time spent talking with your child about experiences and ideas of interest. Keep in mind that talking with your child is quite different from talking at your child.
2. Listen to your child. Be patient. Allow time for thoughts to be completed. What children want to say is important to them and you will learn from what they have to say.
3. Sing and chant nursery rhymes and childhood songs you remember. "Patty cake" and "This little piggy" still hold up well. Obviously, rhymes you remember from your childhood are important to you. So pass that love along to your baby.
4. Turn ordinary, everyday trips into interesting excursions. A trip to the playground may be a time to notice the differences in the many houses along the way. Which ones are tall and which are small? Notice the new buds on the trees or how the leaves are beginning to turn color or fall to the ground. This kind of noticing leads to questions and discussion that involves interesting language and concepts.
5. Play language games with your child. Make up silly rhymes and chants. Language play helps children become sensitive to the sounds in the language, something that is key to success in reading.
6. Expand your child's language. Use describing words whenever possible. The huge dog. The frightened baby duck. The exhausted old man.
7. Share books on a regular basis. When sharing books:
   • Give your child opportunities to choose the book to be read.
   • Find a comfortable, well-lit place to read.
   • Cuddle or sit close. Sharing books should be fun and cozy.
   • Make sure that you both can see the book.
   • Read with expression.
   • Have your child turn the pages.
   • Now and then, move your fingers from word to word as you read.
   • Talk about what is being read. You may need to explain something that is new to your child by relating it to something he or she knows about already.
   • Encourage your child to ask questions and make comments about what is being read.
   • Make reading time enjoyable -- a time when you both enjoy being together. Don't take your child away from another pleasurable activity if the child objects.
   • Adjust the amount of time you spend reading to the child's attention span. Keep in mind that this may vary from day to day.
   • Young children are pliable and rapid language learners. If your home is monolingual, it is fine to read in the language your child is learning to speak at home. In many homes, children are read to in more than one language. Children who come to school having had rich experiences with oral language, storybooks, and print concepts at home will be better students regardless of the language of instruction. Today's libraries and bookstores carry a variety of books in various languages for young children.
8. Set a good example as a reader. It is important for your child to see you reading books, magazines, newspapers, and even the mail. Let them know that reading is important to you.
9. Let your child observe the many uses you make of reading and writing: writing the grocery list, clipping coupons from a supermarket flyer, looking up someone's telephone number in the telephone book, reading the menu at a restaurant.
10. Provide books as gifts. Make them accessible so that your child can "read" independently from books you have shared. Young children enjoy imitating the adults who read to them, as they "read" to a Teddy Bear or to themselves.
11. Most four-year-old children can learn to read their names with ease. Post your child's name in a prominent place, such as the refrigerator or above his or her towel in the bathroom. This promotes pride as well as many key concepts about print.
12. Set limitations for watching television. Begin the habit of selective viewing early.
13. Promptly attend to any hearing, vision, or speech concerns that you may have regarding your child.
14. Seek out and take advantage of school and community services that address children with special needs.
15. Take care in selecting the child care setting in which you place your child. As a concerned parent, you have a responsibility to inquire about things that may concern you. Keep in mind that mutual respect and support help insure high quality connections between home and child care provider. Some things to look for are listed below.

Language and Literacy Checklist for Early Education and Child Care Settings

1. _____ Do adults interact with children in a positive, engaging manner?
2. ______ Is the ratio of children to adults suitable for the age group, so that children can get sufficient appropriate attention?
3. _____ Do adults attempt to converse with children one-to-one and in small groups throughout the day?
4. _____ Are children read aloud to on a daily basis?
5. _____ Is the number of books available to children sufficient? A minimum of five books per child should be readily accessible to them and these should be rotated.
6. _____ Is a variety of types of books offered for children: story books; nursery rhymes; poetry; concept books, such as number, color, and ABC books; informational books, such as those about nature, trucks, our neighbors, etc.
7. _____ Do adults model the uses of literacy, so that children begin to understand how it functions in their lives?
8. _____ Are regularly scheduled meetings held with parents in which language and literacy development are discussed?
9. _____ Are informal conversations and conferences held with parents in order to learn about their children from their point of view?
10. _____ Are child care givers and educators involved in an ongoing program of professional development that includes support for their understandings about how to foster young children's language and literacy.

Conclusion

Concern for the cognitive development of children is on our national agenda. The attention is well deserved, since cognitive development is the basis for all human learning and is closely tied to the development of language and literacy. Along with all of the domains of child development (social, emotional, physical, and so on), cognitive development needs to be prominent on the agenda of every educational institution, including early child care centers, family child care settings, and every home where young children grow and learn. Fortunately, the knowledge of what must be done to support young children's cognitive development and their language and literacy has never been more robust. Unfortunately, not all children are afforded opportunities that take advantage of that knowledge.

The need is great. We know what needs to be done. Our efforts must extend to all our children and to their families. They are our greatest national treasure.

Resources/References

Dewey, J. (1990). The school and society and the child and the curriculum. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press.

Galda, L., Cullinan, B., Strickland, D. (1997). Language Literacy, and the Child. Orlando, FL: Harcourt Brace.

Reading Today. (June/July 2001). Latest NAEP sees little change in past eight years. Newark, DE: International Reading Association.

Strickland, D.S. (In press). Bridging the Gap for African American Children. (In forthcoming volume. B. Bowman, Ed.). Washington, D.C. National Black Child Development Council.

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