Casa 3-6 Language Theory

Language is: “the principal method of human communication, consisting of words used in a structured and conventional way and conveyed by speech, writing, or gesture.” (Oxford Languages) It is through our language that we are able to form and build relationships with those around us. However, while language builds relationships, it can also divide us. Many different languages are spoken around the world and many of us only speak one language, maybe two. This leaves us not being able to communicate with a greater part of the world and when we aren’t able to communicate thoroughly it can cause issues. It is only the humans that posses language and our language has evolved over centuries.

When comparing communication of humans to that of animals it at first can seem similar. Obviously, for example dogs can all understand each other but it is in terms of a signalling system not a particular language where they share their thoughts and ideas. Animals communicate through their instincts and are genetically programmed as they will only ever communicate through that one language. Humans, however, have an extremely intricate language system that is composed of many different areas. Through our language we are able to communicate our thoughts, feelings and ideas as well as understand and hear those from others. As humans we are also born with the ability to learn any language and we will adapt to that of our environment. It is language which is one of the things that clearly distinguishes humans from animals.

We have many kinds of languages, both in terms of the language that is spoken within a country but also within language, we have the subcategories of: body language, sign language, spoken language and written language. In order for us to communicate fully, we need both a spoken and a written language. Also, every area has its own language and is quite specific, such as when we are discussing mathematics there is some very unique language associated with that as well as for science and even when discussing Montessori. Language is essential and one of the key building blocks of a culture and society as without it no one would be able to communicate or work. It is a skill to be able to express ourselves in a way for others to understand in a way that is meaningful for them. Think about your field of work and how we have very specific vocabulary that the everyday person wouldn’t truly understand. So in order to explain ourselves and our work we must adapt that vocabulary and explain it in a way for others to understand and make sense of. Language is also constantly evolving, every year more words are added to the dictionary as well as our body and sign language. Think about how teenagers greeted each other fifty years ago, compared to today. And this will continue to evolve as our society grows and evolves. There are also words that have existed for years, which end up with a new meaning such as “cool” is used to describe something that is cold, however now it is often times used to explain something we find interesting. As our society grows and new things are invented and discovered we must find words to describe these. A lot of or idioms are global, while some aren’t. In order to be able to communicate with everyone in the world, we result to translations. We must be careful when working with translations, as they often aren’t very accurate. The meanings can change as certain words may have different definitions and often time the context is what changes. This isn’t usually something that is picked up in translation. Every society has its own rituals and words and lessons that signify these events.

Language has two main functions: a means of communication and maintaining social relations as well as providing us with a system of symbols that aid our thinking process. It is through language which allows communication, which therefor allows for us to peacefully resolve conflicts both personally as well as on a global level. It is our written language that helps us to connect to both our past and our future. For example we can read and interpret the language of our ancestors and learn from their experiences as well as how they lived, etc.. It is also through our language that those in the future will be able to learn about us. Our words can be powerful as they can both hurt people but also help heal people. They can unite and connect people but they can also distinguish and separate people. Think about the effects of fake news and how we must think critically and not simply believe everything we hear. We should read deeper and not just a headline which is usually very opinionated and from one standpoint. Words can really impact our thinking and perception and it can be difficult to think critically, especially when we believe the source is trustworthy.

English has quite the long history and every political event has impacted the English language we have today. We have the Roman empire which extended to the British Isles, the Celtics which brought in the Latin to our English. Once the Romans left we had the Anglo Sachsen as well as the Vikings (kneeve – knife). Then we have the Middle English Normans which changed the vocabulary enormously as they distinguished between the living animal on the field versus what we would eat. Shakespeare also had a huge development of the English language we have today as well over 600 new words were created by him. Then we get to the Modern English, followed by the Western alphabet which evolved from different types of writing such as hieroglyphics and cave paintings. Many of the early scripts had now vowels, it was the Greeks who brought in the vowels and from here created the first phonetic script.

Humans acquire language through the absorbent mind as well as the sensitive periods and human tendencies. The absorbent mind helps the child construct any language that is part of their environment and gives them the capacity to learn any language. Language that is given to the child during the absorbent mind phase from zero to six years is retained. The absorbent mind also helps the child to create and construct language. Next we have the sensitive period for language which is the longest sensitive period that the child has from zero to six years. During this period, the child is compelled and pushed towards human voices and language. This period helps support the child’s construction of language and we must support the child as best as possible. We also have several human tendencies that last our entire life which support language development such as: communication, gregariousness, independence, repetition, order and imitation. One can refer to the human tendencies essay to see exactly the impacts of these on language. The child must learn language during a certain time (sensitive period) and if the child has little to no exposure of language, the child will never speak. We can see an example of this with the Feral Children. The child also meets several key milestones of language throughout their lives and we must acknowledge that simply because the child isn’t speaking with us doesn’t mean that they aren’t receiving and processing information. Around two months, the infant turns their head towards a voice. The infant is watching the mouth of the speaker and will begin to imitate the mouth movements. It is also the power of the voice that is able to sooth an infant. Around six months the infant starts babbling, which helps strengthen their lips, mouth, and tongue in preparation for speaking. Around one year, the child says their first intentional word and from here on the child rapidly begins speaking more. Keep in mind here that the child is able to understand more than what they are able to communicate. Around 1 ½ years the child is able to speak more and more nouns and between 1 to 2 years of age the child possesses a telegraphic speech where they are trying to put words together. The two year old child now has a wealthy vocabulary of words and enters the phase of language explosion around 2 ½ years. By the age of 2 ½ to 3 years the child has acquired the majority of their language.

Language consists of four layers: Sounds, words, syntax, and semantics. Sounds relate to the sound units – phonemes. There are relatively few sounds that our language is composed of. These sounds are the building blocks of any language. The second layer morphemes which is words, these are the smallest units of meaningful sounds. Then the third layer is syntax, which is the word order. Here we learn that the meaning of a word can change completely depending on which order the sentence is put in. For example: Dog bites man versus man bites dog. Finally, the fourth layer semantics which is the meaning. Our experiences our important in understanding the meaning and context of words and sentences.

Because of the absorbent mind we acknowledge in the Children’s House that it is easier for the child to learn to write around four years versus six years as they do in traditional schooling. This is because of the sensitive periods and human tendencies that the child is genuinely interested in learning how to write, versus being forced to learn. When we write, we start with a thought that we have. So, writing comes from and idea, that we form into words. Before writing these words we must analyse the sounds in these words. From there we can attach the symbols that represents those sounds and so writing occurs. There are three different aspects of writing: mechanical, intellectual and psychological. Mechanical reading is the preparation of the hand which occurs indirectly through practical life and sensorial activities and later on feeling sandpaper letters and metal insets. Intellectual writing is fostered indirectly through oral language activities such as the movable alphabet. Here the child can write before their hand is ready to do so, but intellectually they are able to. Later the child can write on a chalkboard followed by writing on paper. Here the child can write their thoughts or even copy the work of others. Psychological writing is the child’s confidence to express their own thoughts. The child is prepared for this through the News Period for example.

As an adult we have great responsibilities when it comes to the child acquiring language. We must be role models and speak to the children with a rich vocabulary and speak to them as if they were an adult. We shouldn’t use language lesser simply because we believe they might not understand. The adult must also provide the child with opportunities to express themselves and allow them to talk without rushing them and genuinely be interested in what they have to say and value it as well. It is important to observe the children for delays, as language is a sensitive period and any intervention is crucial and the sooner we do this the better. We can help the child acquire new language by naming things in our environment or the things we give them. Such as when giving a presentation, we always name what we have in front of us. The Casa environment also helps prepare the child for language. The practical life area helps prepare the child for: hand-eye coordination, grip, independence, coordination, and concentration. The sensorial activities help prepare the child for: pencil grip, use of writing fingers, lightness of touch, and direction of movement. Therefor, it is not simply the language area that helps the child with the development of their language and it is important that we recognize this but also educate the parents on this as well when they try to push the child towards more math and language work. Our practical life area is the foundation of language.