Unit 1 Functions of Language and Literacy Learning

Overview
This session is geared towards helping you to think about the way we use language in a
general sense, and more particularly how children acquire an understanding of the
functions of language; and how they use language.

Unit Objectives
Upon completion of this unit you will be able to:
1. Explain how we use language
2. Describe how children acquire an understanding of the functions of language
3. Explain how children use language

Readings

Norton, D & Norton, S. (1999). Language Arts Activities for Children. Upper Saddle
River, NJ: Prentice Hall. 11–66.

Hurley, S. Rollins and Tinajero, J. V. (2001). Literacy Assessment of Second Language

Learners. Boston: Pearson Education. 3–4; 31–32.

Simmonds-McDonald, Hazel, Fields, Linda, Roberts, Peter. (1997). Writing in English: A

Course Book for Caribbean Students. Kingston, Jamaica: Ian Randle.

Soderman. A. K., Gregory, K. M. and O’Neill, L. T. (1999). Scaffolding Emergent

Literacy: A Child-centered Approach for Preschool through Grade 5. Boston: Allyn &
Bacon. 11–12; 21–28; 30–33.
Session 1.1 Oral and Written Language and Literacy Development

Introduction
In this session we will explore the functions of oral and written language and the
connection between language and literacy learning. This means we will consider how
language establishes a foundation for thinking and allows for expression of those
thoughts. We will also look at the importance of a language rich environment in
developing literacy.

Learning Objectives
Upon completion of this session you will be able to:
1. Discuss the functions of language forwarded by Halliday
2. Explore activities that enhance and develop children’s understanding of the
functions of language
3. Suggest activities that will help children develop competence in using language
4. Identify factors that support language and literacy learning
5. Express an understanding of the connection between language and literacy
6. Create a language rich classroom environment

Oral and Written Language

Language is the vehicle through which we learn about the world, develop human
relationships, interact with others, and express our individuality. It is important that
children learn the functions of both oral and written language. An understanding of how
language functions helps children to use language more efficiently. It also helps them to
be more reflective of how they use language. It does not take children a long time to
understand that language has purpose. In fact, by the time they start school most of them
are using language to meet a wide range of needs. Like adults, they use language to
communicate their needs and to share their ideas and feelings. Read the following
exchange that took place between 4 year-old Michelle and her mother as they were
walking through a shopping mall:
 Michelle: “Mummy, can I please have ice-cream cone, please, please, please
Mummy!”
Mother: “Michelle, please don’t whine. Remember Mummy doesn’t like it
when her little girl whines, please don’t, baby.”
Michelle: (Thought for a while) Mummy, can I please grovel this time till I
grow too big to grovel any more?

Let us look at Michelle’s use of language. In the first place she used language to
communicate to her mother that she wanted an ice-cream cone. When her mother
responded by reminding her not to whine she seemed unable to make her request without
whining and so she entered into negotiation which would allow her to get the ice-cream
the best way she knew. We can imagine from the exchange between Michelle and her
mother that she has been provided with a linguistically rich home environment, which
according to (Pressley, 1992) is critical to language development. The exchange between
Michelle and her mother also supported the notion that the main role of language is to
construct meaning. In fact meaning is at the centre of oral and written language. Halliday
(1975) suggest the following functions of language outlined in table 1.1.
Figure 1 Halliday’s Language Functions
Language Functions Examples Classroom
experiences
Instrumental Satisfies needs and “Gimme some of Selecting and
wants that!” “I want gathering materials
Conveys preferences some!” Role playing
and choices Persuading
Regulatory Controls others “Stop it!” “Don’t Giving instructions
make a mess!” Making rules in
“Do as I tell you!” games
Making classroom
rules
Interactional Creates interaction “Anybody wants
with others to play ball?” “I Participating in:
Prepares for, expands will be the shop- structured play
or sustains group keeper.” “Do you group discussions
activity or play want to change conversations
places?” Writing:
party invitations
e-mail to friends

Personal Expresses personal “I like action Making journal

thoughts and movies.” “I like to entries
opinions/convey read animal Writing letters to
individuality stories.” the editor
Sharing feelings
with others
Heuristic Seeks information “Tell me where Carrying out
Makes hypothesis you got this book.” question and
“Why did you do answer routines
that?” “Are you Interviewing
 his best friend?” Carrying out
research
Imaginative Creates imaginary “Let’s pretend that Working with
worlds explore and we are flying an rhymes, poems,
entertain airplane.” riddles, word
plays, nonsense
verses, stories and
dramatizations
Informative Communicates “Today is a lovely Sharing
information day.” “This is a information about
circle.” the real world.
Conveying
messages.
Completing forms.
Making reports.

Activity 1.1
1. Explain how knowledge of the functions of language can enhance your effort to
help children gain competence in language and literacy.
2. Based on table 1.1, identify and describe activities that you would use to help
children (in a grade of your choice) develop.
• A deeper awareness of the functions of language
• Competence in using language.
Language and Literacy Learning

Teja’s Story
As Blanche stepped outside her side door one afternoon, her neighbour’s two-and-
a-half year old grand-daughter, Teja called out “Good evening Miss Blanche.”
Blanche pretended not to see her and proceeded to ask, “Where is the little girl
who called me?” Teja promptly replied, “See it here!” Blanche and Teja’s
grandfather found her response very hilarious, and for a couple of days asked her
questions that would generate a similar response.

Most of us can identify with the humorous episodes which often arise out of children’s
attempt to communicate their thoughts. As children learn language they make many
“errors”, that is, if we compare their language with that of mature language users. Such
errors are, however, an essential aspect of the process of learning how language operates.
What is critical is the continued feedback from the language users in children’s
environment.

Feedback and support from the language environment will help the children’s language to
gradually move towards that of competent language users. It is reasonable to assume that
Teja has heard the phrase used often enough, and in response to a similar query. What she
didn’t know at the time was that when we make reference to people we do not use “it”.
For a while she continued to refer to herself as it. As her understanding of the language
developed she went from; “See it here.” to “See she here.” and then to “See me here.”
She started to produce “Here I am” after she entered pre-school. Over the period that it
took her to “get it right” she got feedback and support from her environment.

The development of oral language is the basis for literacy (Cramer, 2004; McGee and
Richgels, 2004; Wood, 1999). It actually makes learning to read and write possible. After
all, as children develop language within a supportive environment they learn labels for
objects and concepts. These labels form the vocabulary that they will encounter during
reading, and which they will use in their writing.

Research involving close observation of the language and literacy development of

children makes the following claims:
1. Language and literacy learning is a continuous process.
2. Language and literacy learning is an active process that involves problem
solving.
3. Language and literacy learning is an interactive process that is facilitated
through meaningful interactions within an environment that
accommodates risk taking.
4. Language and literacy learning requires effective language models
5. Language learning is not passive or entirely imitative.
6. Children create hypotheses about language which they use in their
interactions with those in their environment.
7. Children engage in constructing and reconstructing language as they learn
about its functions and how to use it.
8. Language and literacy learning requires an environment that is rich in
opportunities read write and speak.
9. Language and literacy learning develops through the active engagement of
learners.
10. Language learning is holistic (each aspect enhances the overall
development of language).
11. Literacy develops when children are able to make connections between
what is heard and seen with what is read.
12. Spoken language encounters provide information for written language
encounters and written language provides information for spoken
language.
 Activity 1.2
1. Explain what a language rich environment is.
2. Discuss the importance of a language rich environment to literacy
development.
3. Outline how you would create a language rich classroom
environment; or how you would enhance your current classroom
environment.

Classroom Implications
Now that we have looked at what research says about language and literacy development
let us turn our attention to the classroom implications. From what research says we can
conclude that literacy is socially and culturally constructed. Children develop language
and literacy in ways that are aligned to the language and cultural practices of the context
within which they are learning language. Makin (1998) makes a very interesting claim
that in the early stages children learn by exploring in a holistic and social way what they
perceive to be valued and functional in their day to day lives.

As we reflect on Makin’s statement it should lead us to consider the classroom

environment in which language and literacy is likely to thrive and how best to create that
kind of environment. It is also critical that we bear in mind that the homes and
communities from which children come vary in how they facilitate language and literacy
learning. An understanding of how family and culture affect language and literacy
development should help us to accept that there will be variation in the pace at which
children gain literacy skills.

In considering classroom implications we should look at the set of ideas, philosophies if

you will, that underpins our classroom practices. To help us refine or establish some of
the ideas that guide our practice we should consider the following questions.
Am I aware that:
 • Support for children’s first language is critical to their literacy development?
• I should create an environment that provides for a smooth transition and
continuity of learning experiences for children?
• Language and literacy are developmental?
• It is important to respect children’s home language and culture and use it as the
foundation to broaden their language and literacy experiences?
• It is critical that I monitor children’s growth in language and literacy, and
encourage caregivers to share in this responsibility?

Activity 1.3
Having considered the questions, post your reflection as to what you consider to
be the ideas that guide your practice. It is alright for us to ask questions as we
seek to develop, or establish the framework from which we teach. Sometimes the
questions we ask are directed towards ourselves; sometimes they are directed at
others. You may find that your response is tentative at this stage. Again, that is
alright.

If children are to develop skills in language and literacy we must provide them with
opportunities to observe and actively participate in a wide variety of language
experiences (Cramer, 2004; Bryan, 2004; Craig, 1998) which include both oral and
written language. As children participate in language and literacy activities we must
consider their language backgrounds. This consideration should take into account that
some children may not be able to express their ideas in the standard form of the language.
They should be allowed to express their ideas the way they can while we continue to
teach the standard language.
Based on the understanding that competence is not tied to any one language, dialect or
culture (Makin, 1998) it is important that children see and hear both their home language
and the standard language in operation. If we think back to the way we learned our first
language we will admit that no one really had a prescribed curriculum of what we were to
learn. We pretty much were in a language situation and we chose what to learn and the
order in which to learn it. It was a part of how we reacted to and participated in our
environment. Think of the rich language learning situation with which you were
presented. Importantly there was no pressure placed on you to learn a particular concept
at any particular time. The truth is we must have some order to what we teach in school,
but we must create authentic learning situations (Cooper and Kiger, 2001; Johnston
2001).

Activity 1.4

Think of your classroom and how you might create an environment that is more
supportive of language and literacy development. Share aspects of your thoughts
by posting your response on the website.

The environment must be supportive of the children’s continuing language and literacy
learning. Children show their developing understanding of language and literacy in
different ways. One teacher told me of this experience in her second grade class.
Little Abba walked up to her and said Miss you didn’t write the word “and” on
the board. The teacher said she was a little surprised since the only thing she had
written on the board was the date, January 15, 2003. She told Abba that there was
no need to write the word “and” since all that was there was the date. She reported
that Abba looked at her impatiently and asked her to “read the date again, Miss”
 which she did. Abba said to her “Miss you say two thousand and three and I don’t
see the “and”.

Abba learned to recognize the word “and” which she heard in two thousand and three
but did not see on the chalk board. In a supportive classroom environment children use
and practice their developing language and literacy understanding and abilities in
functional, realistic, meaningful ways.

End of unit Reflection

Write a reflective journal entry that sums up your understanding of unit one.