Modeling Proper Speech

 

            Today's Snack: Since we're learning about good MODELS, let's use some MOLDS - as in Jell-O molds - and pour your favorite flavor of sugar-free Jell-O into a large mold or several small ones with your favorite fruit. Once it's set, it's a MODEL of a refreshing, healthy snack!

 

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Supplies:

 

Nametag with adult's name

Playground slide

Stuffed animals

 

It's important that children pronounce words correctly. Before they set foot in school, they need to be "schooled" in proper grammar. That's why parents, child-care providers and preschool teachers should keep a keen ear toward the pronunciation mistakes that small children are making, but without harshly correcting them. Instead, adults should MODEL proper speech.

 

Remember, children don't need critics - they need coaches!

 

When they can order the sounds correctly in their minds, and pronounce the words right and in proper order, they're much better off when it comes time to record those sounds on paper in written form.

 

            But you don't want to crush a child's spirit by constantly correcting his or her grammar or pronunciation. That's annoying, and not necessary.

 

            It's much better to listen to your child's everyday speech, and work a correction of bad grammar or mispronunciation gently and inconspicuously into your side of the conversation.

 

            That's the best way to teach: to not appear to be teaching.

 

            Here's a fun game of role reversal in which the adult will say something that is bad grammar, and the child will say it correctly. Be as funny and dramatic as you'd like during your part of this play-acting, and it will become more enjoyable and memorable for the kids.

 

            You can come up with countless exercises yourself, but here are three examples to get you started:

 

 

1. Proper past tense of a verb

 

Adult puts on the nametag with first name clearly printed, then dramatically takes it off, and says to the child or group of children:

 

I should have tooken off the nametag.

 

The adults leads the children into brainstorming what SHOULD have been said.

 

Correct response:

 

Child: Oh, you should have taken it off?

 

Adult: Yeah.

 

 

 

2. Another example of proper past tense.

 

Group goes out to the playground, and one child comes down the slide. The adult stands at the bottom and catches the child. Then:

 

Adult: He came down the slide and I catched him.

 

Children should brainstorm a proper response like this:

 

Child: You caught him? That's great!

 

Adult: Yeah, I didn't want him to fall off.

 

 

 

3. Plurals.

 

Here everyone stands up, and the children encircle the adult.

 

Adult: AAAAIIIIEEEE!!!! I'm surrounded by childs!!!

 

Children should brainstorm the correct plural form of "child," such as:

 

Child: You mean you're surrounded by children!

 

Adult: Yes! Raise your hand if you are a child (pause while children each raise hands), and now raise your hand if you think you are a group of childs (pause). No? Oh, yeah! You're a group of children!!!

 

 

 

4. Mispronunciation.

 

Adult (handling stuffed animals): I really like aminals.

 

(Let the children brainstorm the right way to say it until one does)

 

Child: Really? You like animals?

 

Adult: Yes, I think they're pwetty.

 

(Again, children will be amused, and one should come up with something like this)

 

Child: You mean pretty?

 

Adult: Yeah, I think they're weawwy pwetty.

 

(Eventually, the right pronunciation should be suggested)

 

Child: You mean really pretty!

 

Other examples:

 

Correct verb form:

He should of went.

Yes, he probably should have gone.

 

Correct verb past tense:

Then I hided in the bathroom.

You hid there?

 

Correct verb past tense:

The dog bited him.

The dog bit him? Why?

 

Word choice:

This works really good.

Oh, it works really well? How have you used it?

 

Avoiding a double negative:

I drew a picture of him without no ears.

Without any ears? Why? So he couldn't listen to you?