CLASS Instructional Support: Language Modeling TMC MSHS Early Childhood Education

Language Modeling Captures the quality of teachers’ use of language. Measures the amount of teachers’ language-stimulation. Evaluates the language-facilitation techniques.

Language Modeling Indicators Frequent conversation Open-ended questions Repetition and extension Self-and parallel talk Advanced language

Language Modeling Frequent Conversation Back-and forth exchanges means 3-5 times taking turns. Contingent Responding between teacher and student. Student initiates conversation of topic at hand and teacher follows up with relevance. Peers engage in conversations with one another and take frequent turns to extend their conversation.

Language Modeling Open Ended Questions Questions that require more than word responses encourage children to use more language than questions with one or two word responses. Review BLOOMS Taxonomy. Some Examples of open ended questions include: Tell me about this? What could you do with this? Why do you think that? How could we do this differently? How did this make you feel? Students respond by thinking critically, expressing their ideas and feelings and use their imaginations.

Language Modeling Repetition and Extension Repeat students responses. For example; S-I went to the store with my mom. T-You went to the store with your mom? Elaborate students responses. T-What store did you go to? S-That store with the red oval and white numbers. T-That store is named HEB and those letters make up the name of the store.

Language Modeling Self and Parallel Talk Maps own actions with language through self talk or “thinking out loud”. Teacher talks about what she is doing while she is doing it. For example; I am going to begin the Daily News by writing the title (as she is writing the words Daily News). Maps student action with language through parallel talk. For example; “You are putting a dress on that baby doll and making her look very pretty and dressed up.”

Language Modeling Advanced Language Variety of words in the form of nouns, verbs, adverbs, adjectives, prepositions are used by teacher to expand vocabulary. An example could be; S- Today I am the weather helper. The weather outside is cold and windy. T-Yes it is cold and windy outside- thank you for forecasting the weather. Weather forecasters fore cast the weather on the daily news just like you did here at school. Connect or link words to other familiar words and ideas so that students build understanding and are able to access the knowledge they are gaining. For example; “An apron is a smock you wear when you paint in the art center.”