LISTEN TO WHAT YOUR CHILD SAYS TO HIMSELF

Do you want to know what your child is thinking?

Sit and observe your child while he is playing or engaging with any materials and you will notice that he will often mutter and talk to himself. These monologues are called private speech and peak during the pre-school years. A child uses private speech to guide his own thoughts and processes. Child development theorist Vygotsky believed that children use this dialogue for self-regulation and for directing their thought processes and behavior during cognitively demanding activities. Eventually, private speech is internalized to form inner verbal thought.

Listening to your child can be very helpful in understanding the way he thinks and feels. This can be a wonderful way of getting to know your child better.

During circle times at preschools, children will often make a connection with what teachers are talking about and blurt it out. It’s hard for them to keep their thoughts inside their heads like adults can. If you are teaching a large group of kids, you can help with this by asking the kids to share with their neighbor what they might be thinking about a book you have just read or something you have just taught.

REFERENCE

Berk, L., & Winsler, A. (1995). Scaffolding children’s learning: Vygotsky and

early childhood education. Washington, DC: National Association of

Education of Young Children.

Categories: HOW YOUR CHILD LEARNS Tags: 3 YEAR OLD, 4 year old, 5 year old, child thinking, knowing your child, listen to your child, listening, Pre-K, Puffin School, vygotsky private speech

LISTEN TO WHAT YOUR CHILD SAYS TO HIMSELF

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