Understanding Signs, Communication, and Language Functions
Understanding Signs, Communication, and Language
Signs are realities that we perceive through the senses (sight, hearing, smell). The signifier is a fact perceived by the senses that is associated in the mind with another reality. The signified is what the sign evokes.
Types of Signs
Signs are created by humans to communicate. Symptoms or signs refer to natural phenomena with no intention of communicating anything, but they still tell us something.
Linguistic Signs
Linguistic signs are a type of signal
Read MoreUnderstanding Language Acquisition in Children
Learning Through Structured Output
In our culture, adults typically talk to children in a special way. We tend to speak more slowly and clearly. However, when adults use questions, embedded sentences, imperatives, and negatives with tag questions, we revert to the language used in a common basis, motherese. This simplified way of talking to children is not as detrimental as it seems because there are always windows in which grammatical, phonetic, and phonological structures return to what they are
Read MoreLesson Components & Reading/Listening Strategies
Components of an Effective Lesson
Woodward highlights several key components that contribute to a successful lesson:
- Classes and People: Consider the dynamics and interactions within the classroom.
- Language Patterns: Focus on recurring grammatical structures and expressions.
- Language Skills: Address reading, writing, listening, and speaking.
- Combinations: Integrate different skills and activities.
- Literature: Incorporate literary texts to enhance learning.
- Culture: Explore cultural contexts relevant to
Early Childhood Foreign Language Learning
MODULE 1: HOW YOUNG CHILDREN LEARN FOREIGN LANGUAGES
What is Early Childhood?
According to UNESCO, Early Childhood is the period that goes from birth to eight years old. The end of this period varies according to different theorists and educational systems, such as the Spanish Education System, which shortens it to six years old. However, all agree that this is the time with the greatest brain development in human beings and that early education lays the foundations for subsequent learning.
Brain development
Read MoreUnveiling Language Learning Myths: Children vs. Adults
Myth 1: Children Learn Second Languages Quickly and Easily
It’s often believed that children learn second languages more easily due to the “critical period hypothesis,” which suggests that children’s brains have greater cognitive plasticity than adults because their cortex is more adaptable. However, this hypothesis has been questioned, as psychological and social factors, such as personal motivation, play a significant role in learning.
In fact, studies have shown that adults often learn better and
Read MoreHandwriting, Reading, Speaking, and Listening Skills
Features of Handwriting Development
When a child first puts a pen or pencil on paper, she begins the journey with a highly conscious participation in the writing process. Slowly, with time and experience, the shaping of letters into words and sentences becomes automatic. Initially, children move through the space on paper making letters one after the other. This motion is called praxis. Scientific studies have sought to describe the features of handwriting movement, rather than advocate one method
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