Today, developing new approaches to the practice of teaching, we should take into account a growing level of the population of children whose first language is not English. Therefore, Developmentally Appropriate Practice in Early Childhood Programs indicates the importance of early Preschool education services for the better perception and learning process among children.
There are three types of learning programs used for the different classes such as first-language classroom, bilingual classrooms, and English-language classrooms. In my paper, I explore the developmental importance of second-language acquisition in the Preschool period. I selected this section as the most important period of children’s development that is supposed to be between ages three and five. During early childhood, children can get more experiences that surely will affect their later lives including the performance in school. Mostly, optimal development is the result of a wide range of specific factors such as the use of the most effective learning venues. In this period, teachers suppose to emphasize the value of literacy development as an approach to getting children a chance to interact with each other. In my paper, I indicate that every young individual goes through five phases of literacy development such as:
- Responsiveness and exploration
- Trial on reading and also writing
- The conception of early reading and also writing
- Intermediary reading and writing
- Conventional reading and writing
Those steps demonstrate the incapability of the children from the families of different communities to struggle over many cases within the communicational and social process.
According to Dr. Tabor’s article, the second-language-learning process doesn’t happen in the first, second, and third month in the preschool class, children have to attend it at least for five months (1998, p.20). Only after this period, the learning process can be effective.
My paper is based on experience as a teacher of 13 children who seem to come from different communities. However, I realized that, first of all, they are personalities who have a strong will to cope with a task individually. I notice the significance of the computer area that can be considered as a personal space that brings the children closer to each other on a social basis. Children from different backgrounds may face social isolation and linguistic barriers in the classroom. My role as a teacher was to prevent this problem.
Considering my practicum of experience, in my paper I try to find the answer to such questions as:
- Does the size and structure of the learning facility and equipment affect children?
- Is there any indication of the different approaches of the children within the learning process?
Considering the multiply experiences, I found that an environment plays a key role in the learning process. The classroom should completely help children to be open to communication that includes the use of their skills and knowledge. The computer area as a form of personal space is a way of improving social and intellectual interaction in these children. All the classroom activities help to structure the relations between children and teachers. Most development programs include the time when the teacher works with children and materials. Besides, teachers have to cooperate with the parents of second-language learners. The understanding of the cultural background and differences can lead to being better results achievement. Developmentally Appropriate Practice in Early Childhood Programs emphasizes the importance of early Preschool education services as the most important period of getting knowledge.
Reference List
Tabors, P. O. (1998). What Early Childhood Educators Need to Know: Developing Effective Programs for Linguistically and Culturally Diverse Children and Families. Young Children, Nov., p. 20-26.