ENGLISH IN THE NATIONAL CURRICULUM

English in the National Curriculum

English in the National Curriculum

Introduction

What is language? Language is the method of human communication, either spoken or written. It consists of the use of words in a structured or conventional way. It is described as any form of medium of expression. It could be vocal, sign, non-verbal or body language. 'Language is learned through social interaction within the society in which each grows and learns. Language is also the main way in which we think and communicate. Communication is a successful exchange of thoughts, messages or information. Communication can also be defined as creating and sharing meaning.

Primary Curriculum Language Development

Infants begin to grasp the language long before they can talk. At birth, they can distinguish speech from other kinds of sounds and recognize the voices of significant adults. In the second half of the first year, they are able to understand words and phrases. Since it is not known exactly when infants understand words, caregivers and parents should be careful about what they talk around them. Toddlers, who are not yet able to speak, may still understand a sensitive or confidential topic discussed by adults in their presence. Caregivers and parents should create an effective language-rich environment for babies, since language grows so rapidly during the first 2 years of life.

Learning and Ideological Perspectives

The Behaviourist Perspective

The behaviourist view of reading and the teaching of reading hold that before you can read you must be "ready" to read. According to this view children have to be a certain age before they can begin to read, and they must be able to do certain things before they are ready to read. Despite this idea of children having to be a certain age before they are ready to read, there is no agreement as to which age children should begin formal instruction in reading. Teachers favouring this view believe that certain activities make children 'ready' to learn to read. So, before children read books, they are given pre-reading activities such as learning the sounds of letters, or learning the alphabet, or completing puzzles - all to help children acquire the skills that behaviourists think are necessary before formal teaching of reading and writing can begin. Many junior primary syllabuses for reading still advocate the use of pre-reading and pre-writing activities. Very often children who are identified as 'not ready' are children who have had no pre-schooling or do not come from a home where there is an established book culture.

The Psycho-Linguistic Perspectives

Psycholinguists have shown that children who grow up in literate societies pick up a great deal of literate behaviour from people and the print around them. Often this learning is incidental, and some of it is taught by their families and others before they come to school. Literacy has its roots in the social interaction of children with others and their environment from the time they are born. Children have also acquired a great deal of language and knowledge before they come to ...