Do you need a few language concepts for preschoolers? Is your Mama a Llama? A few easy-to-learn rhymes can help your little one learn the alphabet and learn simple words quickly. Your baby can even sing along and make some friends. With” Llama” by Berry Moore, Pre-School Lesson 5: The ABC’s of Language, you’ll be teaching your baby these words and much more in this fun and entertaining book.
Berry Moore is an excellent choice as an author for your children’s educational CDs. She has a master’s degree in early childhood development and has been working with children of different ages for over twenty years. Her many years of experience as a teacher trainer helped her create this series with an all-star team of talented authors including rhymesmiths Holly Perkins and Michele Augur. The first word that you teach your Pre-School Lesson 5 students with is “Llama”.
“Llama” rhymes are available in print and audio formats. You will record your child reading the rhymes and then play it back to them. Encourage your child to read the word by repeating it to yourself. After a few days, let your child listen to the recording and repeat after it to themselves. This will help them pick up the sound of the word and learn to mimic the sound of the word when spoken.
Other rhymes are available on the Internet. “Google” is another good place to search for words and sentences that your child may have trouble understanding. When you record your child reading a passage from a book, talk about the sentence and the individual words that make it up. If your child repeats the word incorrectly, have them repeat it to you until they get it right.
Tell your child that you expect them to make mistakes when they attempt to use a new word or phrase. Ask them to reread the passage several times until they are comfortable with it. Then give directions where they can go to find more information. Continue giving instructions until they have mastered the passage and are ready to pass the word on their own. Encourage your child to use their imagination and come up with their own words and phrases.
You may find that you need to do a bit of supplemental instruction to help your child master some of the basic language concepts. For example, many people who have English as their second language begin to mispronounce words, for example, if they are trying to say something like “Oh my”. Your child can benefit from hearing you pronounce these words correctly. Children who are not hearing properly often have difficulty learning language concepts, especially conversational skills.
With enough exposure to language, most children will begin to learn all of the basic language concepts. This is typically done with phonics. Phonics can be an effective teaching tool because it focuses on the sound of each word rather than its appearance. Another method is to teach your child words that describe what they mean. Again, this will focus on how the word is spelled and will help your child to memorize it.
When you are speaking to your child, use the present tense instead of the past tense. It is also important to always say the name of the item instead of the name of the person. Say the object and the verb separately and then say the name of the person or thing at the end of the sentence. Lastly, always end your sentences with a question. Children who have been taught these language skills well in school tend to have good written skills, though they do need lots of practice.