1

Language
Components
BY: MAHA ZWAYEN

Phonology

Phonology derives from ( phone= sound, logy= study).

Phonology is the study of sound-symbol or letter relations and sound

patterns represented in a languages.

Phonology also studies how sounds combine and how they change
in combination, as well as which sounds can contrast to produce
differences in meaning.

References:

http://
pandora.cii.wwu.edu/vajda/ling201/test2materials/Phonology1.htm

Poggi.J (2015) Five Aspects of language Knowledge from EED 211.

Glendale Community College

An Example of Phonology

Adult and child are in the dramatic centre.

One year old and seven months child (C) and adult (A).

A- What are you holding ?

C- Baabi.

A- What a beautiful baby that you

are holding, he has eyes, nose and

mouth.

C- eyesss, mooth.

Evaluation

Adult encouraged child to talk by asking him questions and make a

conversation with him.

Adult repeated the word Baby after the child said it, but in correct
format, so the child would learn to say it correctly.

Child was able to say many words or repeat them after the adult
even if they are not in correct format.

Adult expanded the childs knowledge by giving him more

description of the object Baby toy.

Suggestions

Caregivers need to sing songs and read books to children to teach

them how to say different sounds and words.

Caregivers should encourage children to talk by starting

conversations with them and give them the words that they need to
use when interacting with others.

Resources:

http://www.speakingofspeech.com/Articulation_Materials.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H5MPTXPKNIw

Morphology

Morphology derives from ( morph= form, logy= study).

Morphology is the study of words form or structure. Moreover, it

studies how words are composed of one or more meaningful linguistic
units.

A good example would be that morphology might study how prefixes

and suffixes added to a word change its meaning.

References:

http://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/morphology

Poggi.J (2015) Five Aspects of Language Knowledge from EED211.

Glendale Community College

An Example of Morphology

Adult and child are in the reading centre.

Two years old and ten months child (C) and Adult (A).

Adult pointed to a picture in a book and Asked the child:

A- What is this?

C- A mouse.

A- What is he doing?

C- Sleeping.

A-What is he wearing?

C- Shirt.

Evaluation

Adult encouraged child to talk by reading her a book and asking her
questions about it.

Adult helped child to focus on details that are related to a picture in

the book and express her thoughts by using words.

Child was able to demonstrate the skills of listening and speaking.

Adult missed the opportunity to expand the conversation with child

which could be happened by asking questions like why do you
think? which children would answer the adult with more than one
word.

Suggestions

Caregivers can take children to the library and explore different

books with them to support their language development through
talking about these books events and pictures.

Caregivers also can take the chance of doing different activities with
children and encourage them to talk through these activities like
through playing with blocks and ask them about the blocks pieces
and structures.

References:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ek7j3huAApc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MaJ4OvDCqkI

Semantics
Semantics

is the study of the meaning of linguistic expressions.

Semantics

study includes focusing on the word meanings and vocabulary

definitions in different contexts.

The

most important theme in understanding the meaning of Semantics is to

understand the idea of how meaningful units combine to form larger meaningful
units, and understanding sentences is a way of working out these combinations.

References:
https://web.eecs.umich.edu/~

rthomaso/documents/general/what-is-semantics.html
Poggi.J

(2015) Five Aspects of Language Knowledge from EED 211.Glendale

Community College

10

An Example of Semantics

Adult is reading the book of The Gingerbread Man to children

during circle time.

The adult asked a question about the book A and a child who is
four years old and ten months answered (C).

A- What does the Bakery mean?

C- The Bakery is where they bake bread and stuff and order them

A- Good job, that is what Bakery means; it is a place where they

bake cakes, pies, cookies and bread and sell them to others.

11

Evaluation

Adult expanded the children knowledge by giving them, the

definition of words.

Adult repeated the meaning of vocabularies with examples to

emphasize the childrens understanding of words meanings.

Child was able to express her understanding of the vocabularys

meaning by using words and examples.

Adult plans to have dictionary in the classroom to help children

understand the idea of looking for a words meaning or asking an
adult about it.

12

Suggestions

Caregivers can use the pictures of books to interpret them to the

children in different ways like using words or relate them to objects.

Caregivers can play guessing games with children to help them

learning about words definitions like imitating animals sound and
ask them What animal makes this sound?

References:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XHE78WSBpP8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GJEmn4BjN4A

13

Syntax

Syntax is the study of rules that govern the ways in which words
combine to form meaningful phrases and sentences.

Syntax focuses on the arrangement of words and phrases to create wellformed sentences in a language.

In other words, Syntax is primarily concerned with the ways in which

words are put together in sentences.

References:

http://grammar.about.com/od/rs/g/syntax.htm

Poggi.J (2015) Five Aspects of Language Knowledge from EED 211.

Glendale Community College

14

An Example of Syntax

Adult is helping children during snack time.

Four years old and eight months child (C) and adult (A).

C- How many peaches can I have?

A- For now, you can have only two peaches and later if you still
want more of them, you can have another two.

C- So this will make them four, two now and then another two.

A- Yes, exactly. Can you show me number four with your fingers?

15

Evaluation

Adult related number four with objects such as peaches and fingers,
so the child would learn how to use objects with counting.

Adult used long sentences with child that have many verbs and
nouns, so the child would learn how to form long sentences too.

Child showed awareness of numbers and counting.

Adult plans on using numbers to teach children how to form

complete sentences, as the adult sees that children show interest in
numbers.

16

Suggestion

Caregivers can use parallel talk with young children to model how
to use complete sentences through conversations.

Caregivers can use songs to show children the arrangement of words

within phrases and sentences.

References:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rcI4Ub_LNBM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jSpkmqaMkWs

17

Pragmatics

Pragmatics is the knowledge of how to use language appropriately in social

situations.

Pragmatics reflect the social rules that control the use of language.

Pragmatics include the skills of using language for different purposes like
greeting, changing language according to the situation like talking to a baby
and following rules for conversations or telling stories such as taking turns in
conversations.

References:

http://www.asha.org/public/speech/development/Pragmatics/

Poggi.J (2015) Five Aspects of Language Knowledge from EED 211. Glendale
Community College

18

An Example of Pragmatics

Adult is helping child during snack time.

Four years old child and ten months (C) and adult (A).

C- Can I be excused ?

A- Yes, you can. Have your plate and cup in the trash please.

C- Can you please help me to have my plate in the trash ?

A- Sure, I can. And you need to wash your hands

before going back to the centres please.

19

Evaluation

Adult applied using words like please during the conversation

with child to encourage the child to use these words when asking for
something.

Adult directed child through transitions by using sequence of

requests which help children to learn how to follow daily routines.

Adult welcomed to help child during cleaning-up to show the child

the value of being helper and how to behave in certain situations.

Child used the word please back after the adult which reflects his
understanding of the importance of using nice words when asking
for something.

20

Suggestions

Caregivers can apply the using of helpers chart or helping hands to

show the children the importance of how to behave as helpers in
different situations.

Caregivers can also apply the activity of bucket fillers in the

classroom to enhance the using of nice words such as please and
thank you by children.

References:

http://www.alphabet-soup.net/articles/article13.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jEGIyjpUaAI

21

Voice

Voice is sound made by a human being using the vocal cords for talking,
singing, laughing, crying, screaming and so on.

The tone of voice may be modulated to suggest emotions like anger,

surprise, or happiness.

Each persons voice is unique because of the actual shape and size of his
vocal cords and the size and shape of the rest of that person's body.

Fluency is the ability to make sounds and words easily and accurately.

References:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_voice

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fluency

22

An Example of Voice

Adult is engaging in playing with child in the blocks centre.

Four years old child and seven months (C) and adult (A).

C- NOOOOOOO.

A- Why are you screaming?

C- because he took my block away ! (The child

refers to another child by using the pronoun he).

A-Then you do not need to scream, just tell him

give it back please !

C- Give it back please!

23

Evaluation

Adult modelled using quiet voice to encourage child to use his quiet
voice too.

Adult gave child an alternation for screaming by using his words in

quiet way.

Child was able to demonstrate using his words in quiet way after the
adult modelling that.

Adult plans to show children examples of what kinds of voices that

we use in the classroom by using pictures and prints forms.

24

Suggestions

Caregivers can use chart of rules inside classroom that reflects what
kinds of voices that we use inside the class.

Caregivers also can use whispering as a strategy to encourage

children to lower their voices if they were screaming or being loud.

References:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6wdX8olLra4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M_Rs0lkDxYI

25

Emerging Literacy
Emergent

Literacy is a gradual process that takes place over time from birth
until a child can read and write.

This

process includes how children are interacting with books and written
forms even though they do not know how to read or write.

Listening

to books and engaging in literacy activities would really help

children to promote the needed skills for both reading and writing acquisition.

References:
http://

www.lincoln.dubuque.k12.ia.us/School-Wide/Literacy/EmergentLiteracy.htm
Brock, A &

Rankin, C. (2008). Communication, Language and Literacy from

Birth to Five. Sage publications.

26

An Example of Emerging Literacy

Adult is engaging with child in language activity.

Four years old and six months child (C) and Adult (A).

A- pointed to the letter (W) and asked child What is this letter?

C- It is (W) and if you turn it over, it will be (M) the first letter in
my name.

A- Very good. Can you give me a word that starts with the sound
(W)?

C- Yes, Wing.

27

Evaluation

Adult was implementing literacy activity with children to promote

their language development.

Adult expanded the childs knowledge of letters and sounds by using

words that start with them.

Child showed knowledge of letters differences by giving examples.

Adult plans to focus on one of the Alphabetical letters and their

sounds weekly to bring children to the same language awareness
that this child has.

28

Suggestions

Caregivers can implement literacy activities with children to help

them to develop their skills of reading and writing.

Reading to children each day is also one of the most beneficial ways
in which a caregiver can promote childrens literacy.

References:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3OBxUVR9Js

http://teacher.scholastic.com/professional/teachwriting/

29