Acquisition of Language…the good & bad
We recently attended a parents’ meeting at our son’s preschool to hear the director discuss Dr. Maria Montessori’s philosophies, teachings and discoveries. Specifically, we were exploring the different stages of human development, and as more recent studies have proven, Dr. Montessori was truly ahead of her time.
Of most interest to me right now is the first stage of development, The Absorbent Mind, which encompasses birth through six-years-old. I won’t drown you in details, but as I’ve continued to learn about child development and strive to be a better parent, I’m fascinated with the process of learning and language acquisition.
Montessori identifies a sensitive period beginning around the age of three in which a child is speaking in sentences and paragraphs with proper syntax and grammar. He can fully express himself to get his needs met, and it is important for continued development that the adults in his or her life surround the child with rich examples of language. It’s much easier and more holistic for a child to “absorb” proper grammar and a well-formed vocabulary if adults are modeling it than it is for a child to later sit down with a book in a traditional classroom and try to unlearn what they “absorbed” during these early years.
It all makes great sense to me, and I’ve been making a conscious effort for more than a year to avoid using slang or jargon, and to provide our son with a richer-language environment. The words I use to describe things are often more advanced than what I used to think a four-year-old could understand, and I’m trying to find alternative descriptors to “cool.”
English is not my husband’s first language, or even his third. He has a vast vocabulary and highly-tuned ear for sentence structure. However, I’ve noticed again and again that our son tends to imitate my language and tone much more than my husbands. Perhaps that’s why even though my husband can and does swear in multiple languages, our son doesn’t seem to mimic his potty mouth.
My husband could spend sunrise to sunset alternating Portuguese and English curse words, but Aaron seems to filter the phrases and leave behind those words that are foul. I on the other hand apparently have to be much more aware of what comes out of my mouth. One little “shit” from me is happily repeated in a delightful sing along, over and over and over again.
He makes a little song out of it????? Brilliant child!
garys last blog post..for Trish!
I’m actually OK about the little ones picking up swear words. Not becasue I want them to use them but I want them to understand what sort of words are not always acceptable in polite society.
I belive it’s better they hear some of the words in a controlled environment rather than randomly in the school yard.
I must clarify that I don’t go out of my way to teach them this stuff but if I happen to use bad launguage or they hear it elsewhere while I’m with them, I don’t panic and I do take the opportunity to teach.
Sometimes it’s actually quite funny – but then I laugh at things other people don’t find funny. Eek!
I wish I could curse in another language. That’s cool. (I can’t think of a better way of expressing cool in just one word off the top of my head. I’ll have to think about it.
)
Dave Fowlers last blog post..Flaps. Check. Undercarriage. Check.
I do think that sometimes we forget that even young children who have few words of their own CAN understand and so that is why I always have taught my children … NO BABY TALK! Speak to your younger siblings in a normal voice and with real words and they will learn to speak them! And yes they learn those potty mouth words too!!!
Amys last blog post..Drinking Water Dilemma
HA HA! This reminds me of the time I had my niece in my car with me when she had just started learning to talk. I got mad at somebody on the road, or maybe it was just having to stop at a red light, but I said, “Sh!t!”. My niece who hadn’t said anything up to that point during the ride, muttered, matter of factly, as if trying it out, “Sh!t.” I didn’t say anything. I fought gasping with shock so as not to encourage her, hoping she would just forget what she heard. I probably changed the subject to, “Oh, look at the pretty bird.” I never heard her say it again, until her teenage years, anyway.
Margarets last blog post..My Veins Bleed UHF
This makes a lot of sense. I’ll send it to my husband, who imitates our toddler’s baby talk to be cute.
Nora Bees last blog post..Project Royal Wedding heats up
hmmm…the little ones do seem to pick up things we are not even aware we said, and then repeat them at unexpected moments…i recall a story from a friend who had redfaced dinner guests one evening when the guests’ little one, while meandering about the house in a toy car suddenly slammed on the brakes, hit the horn and shouted ‘pick a lane a**hole!’…personally i thought it was a particularly funny moment and had i been witness would have been hard-pressed to not pass wine thru my nose, but then it wasn’t my child LOL…
thistles last blog post..The Pink Ribbon Club
Ugh! I hate that! They repeat me more than Bear and I have to be that much more careful. Its drives me nuts that I have to edit myself. Not that I speak like a sailor or anything but I bounce between English and Spanish (when I am tired or angry).
They sure do have a sense of those “bad” words, don’t they!! And are too eager to repeat!! Funny…
HeatherPrides last blog post..Gone Visitin’
my girls picked up on a few a while back but I’ve managed to contain myself and they forgot thank goodness. of course, it will come back, I know (from them, not me)