2s/3s families,
Can you believe we have reached the end of the semester? We have come a long way since August. The children have developed an understanding of the inner workings of the classroom. Kat and I wanted to thank you for taking time out of your schedules to meet with us for conferences (Stephanies conferences will be coming up soon). It is always nice to have some uninterrupted time to catch up and talk about your child.
Language Development
Whenever we have a minute to reflect on the classroom, Kat and I find ourselves talking about the growth in language we have observed in the children. When we typically think of language development, we typically think of babbling and saying words. In reality- language development encompasses so much more. From all things that are considered “receptive language” to the more obvious “expressive language.” One and 2-word commands become 3–4-word simple phrases to more complex sentences- the 2-3yr old range is full of growth in language. Disclaimer- we are also aware that some of our children come from multilingual homes. As a bilingual person myself, this topic is near and dear to my heart so I have also included some information on it which explains multilingualism better than I ever can.
https://www.zerotothree.org/resource/multilingualism-multiple-benefits/
When we think of HOW to promote language development in children at this age, we think of books. Children may be ready for longer books with more complex plots. They will benefit from books with varied vocabulary words and stories that will facilitate more conversations. We have noticed that the children have been sitting for longer periods of time. We have been able to ask them simple questions during our reading experiences and we will continue to adapt our conversations as they demonstrate more comprehension around stories.
However, books are not the only avenue in which to promote language development. Children gain most of their language through those everyday conversations. You can talk about the weather and the morning on the drive to school. During mealtimes, you can talk about their likes and dislikes. During bath times you can talk about the smell of the soap and what pajamas they like best. In the classroom we use these “everyday experiences” to push in language. During bathroom times, we talk about the colors and textures of clothes. During mealtimes we not only talk about the food on our plates but also what the plan for the day is and anything else the children may bring up. I have included a couple articles with some ideas on ways you can promote language development at home.
5 Language Development Activities for Toddlers & Children | NAPA Center
Activities to Encourage Speech and Language Development (asha.org)
End of semester goodbyes…
As we begin to wrap up the semester, we wanted to take a moment to say THANKS to our intern Stephanie. Stephanie has been an integral part of our classroom team this semester. She has worked hard building relationships with the children. Stephanie also planned several activities and group times with the children throughout the semester. We will miss her classroom small group activities as the children were always engaged in the activities she planned for them. Her last day is December 15th, and we wish her all the best in her future endeavors.
In addition to Stephanie, we will be losing some of our seasoned student workers. This is the nature of working on a college campus- the college students move on (which makes room for new ones). We wish all of the student workers who aren’t returning the all the best!
Reminders:
- Make sure your child has enough diapers, wipes, and clothing at the center
- Interim begins December 18th. Make sure you check and double check your interim schedule!
- As part of our home/school partnership- Don’t forget to e-mail us pictures of your children taking care of themselves, others, and their things as we discussed at conferences. We are looking forward to making a display in our classroom.
Finish the semester strong 2s/3s families…
Nadine, Kat and the 2s/3s team!
