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January 18, 2008
No and Why
Yesterday I stopped into a bookstore and met Gavin and his Gram. Sharon, Gavin’s grandmother, was the bookstore owner. She was holding Gavin when I walked in and they were having a typical young child’s conversation.
“Gavin, did you have fun at the beach today,” asked Gram.
“Yes,” said Gavin.
“What did you do,” asked Gram.
“Wet,” said Gavin. “Water, fishing.”
“Are you ready to go home now?” asked Gram.
“No, down,” said Gavin as he clamored out of her lap to explore the items on lower shelves of the bookcases.
His size was my first clue about his age, my second was the “no.” “Is he about two?” I asked.
“Just,” said Gram. “His favorite words are no and why.”
My education brain clicked into gear. It usually shows up when I’m around children, especially littler ones.
Gram asked Gavin if he knew where books were in the shop. “Can you find a storybook?” she asked.
“Yes,” he said.
“Can you bring me a cookbook?” she then asked. She’d figured out he wasn’t going to do anything but say yes or no unless she asked him to do something. He ran down an aisle looking for the cookbook section. She smiled at me and watched him search. I watched too. He touched and looked and explored until he found a book he liked. It wasn't a cookbook, but it would hold his attention. Well, it would hold it for a few seconds. He was two afterall.
Not all of us have bookstores from which to have relatives to hold children on their laps, pick storybooks to read, and give directions to two-year-olds to find things, but Gram had the right idea.
Natural and normal conversations make such a huge difference for children in language development. Oral language development makes a huge difference in a child’s ability to read. Giving directions and letting a child follow those directions is great language development as well as development of a child’s self-concept and skills.
You can do the same in your kitchen while you’re fixing dinner or in your garage fixing the car. Just ask questions. Talk and explain what you’re doing pointing out the words you are using-cup, spoon, screwdriver. Ask them to hand you the spoon or the screwdriver. None of it has to be fancy or costly. It just means talking.
You’ll get a “no” or “why” now and then. Ignore the “no” and answer the “why,” but just keep talking.
Posted by Dr Joni at January 18, 2008 08:53 AM