Reading as a Language -- Thought Process, Part 3

Question 1: Describe the following stages of language acquisition in terms of when an average child reaches each stage and the type of language involved:1. Crying. 2. Babbling. 3. One Word/Holophrases. 4. Two-word Phrases. 5. Multi-word Phrases.

Answer 1: 1. Crying – this stage lasts from birth to approximately four-months of age; sounds have no particular meaning. 2. Babbling – this stage occurs between approximately four-months and 20 months; babies replicate sounds which they hear and, eventually, use those sounds to communicate specific wants and needs. 3. One Word/Holophrases – this stage occurs between approximately 14 months and 2 years; a child uses a single recognizable word to communicate an entire thought; vocabulary growth is rapid. 4. Two-word Phrases – around age 2, a child will demonstrate a basic understanding of semantics by using two-word phrases to indicate concepts such as location and possession. 5. Multi-word Phrases – between ages 2 and 3, a child will string three or more words together; at first, words may be in no particular order; eventually, the child will learn enough syntax to compose a grammatically correct sentence. By age 5 or 6, the child should be understood at all times.

There are lots of good resources about Thought Process that you can find available.

Question 2: Explain a method in which students may use writing to respond to reading.

Answer 2: Journals are a creative way in which children may respond to literature. Journals are booklets, notebooks or folders that students may use to record their personal thoughts about something which they have read. This practice may help develop fluency as well as confidence in their writing. Journals also provide reinforcement and support for writing skills. They give the students an opportunity to join both reading and writing together in order to construct their own personal meaning. These journals may include diaries, response journals, dialogue journals, double-entry journals and learning logs. These journals may contain lists of words students would like to learn, goals of a number of pages to be read, predictions made before reading, notes or comments made during reading and thoughts or feelings listed after reading.

Question 3: Define these terms:1. Narrative text. 2. Expository text.

Answer 3: Reading comprehension involves extracting and building meaning from text. Three elements which affect comprehension are the reader, the text and the context. The reader uses his or her capabilities, knowledge and experience to read. The text is that which is read. The context is the set of activities to which comprehension belongs. There are two major types of text -- narrative and expository. The structural pattern (how information is organized, and the relationship of ideas which are formed in order to communicate meaning) is different between the two. 1. Narrative text usually follows a single general structural pattern. This pattern is often known as story grammar. 2. Expository text is delivered in various patterns that include sequence, description, cause-effect, compare-contrast and problem solution. Expository or informational texts can provide factual information with varying degrees of vocabulary and purpose.

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