1 Module 1 – Computer Communication and Networks

2 Module 1 – Computer Communication and Networks

Module 1: Introduction to Communication and Networks

INTRODUCTION

This module will present an overview of how the early communication began. Communication
is a collaborative process that develops from birth. There is no one way that children learn to
communicate, but research has shown that it is significantly influenced both by the social and
cultural environment surrounding a child and by individual factors such as their interests,
dispositions, health and wellbeing. Communication is about more than just spoken or written words,
and it encompasses many forms of shared understanding and expression. Communication is crucial
to children’s holistic development, and research evidence supports the pivotal role that teachers
play in facilitating the development of children’s communication skills in educational settings.

The module is divided into two lessons, namely:

Lesson 1: Brief History and Early Communication

Lesson 2: Telecommunication
3 Module 1 – Computer Communication and Networks

Lesson 1: Early Communication and its usage

SPECIFIC LEARNING OUTCOMES

In this lesson, you are expected to:

 Define communication and discuss its importance for our lives.
 Reflect on your own ideas and experiences associated with communication.
 Discuss the early communication and its usage


PRE-ASSESSMENT
Instruction: Read, analyze and answer each of the questions below by choosing the letter of the
MOST APPROPRIATE answer.

1. Which of these is generally believed to be the oldest true writing system?

a. Chinese characters
b. Egyptian hieroglyphics
c. Sumerian cuneiform
d. Inca quipu

2. Which of these ancient cultures used a writing system based on simple sounds in a language, not
entire words or syllables?

a. The Maya
b. The Phoenicians
c. The Sumerians
d. The Egyptians

3. What should you do if you have an important idea?

a) keep it to yourself
b) share it with a friend
c) write it down
d) share it with a local newspaper
4, How does technology affect the way people communicate?

a) it allows people to communicate with others quickly and at a low cost

b) it makes people less motivated to communicate with others
c) it does not affect the ways people communicate
d) it makes it difficult to maintain privacy when communicating with others
4 Module 1 – Computer Communication and Networks

5. Guglielmo Marconi was only 21 years old when he increased the distance that radio
signals could be sent without wires.

a. True
b. False
6. "Watson, come over here - I need you." were the first words spoken over a telephone.
Who said these words when he invented the first phone?

a. Guglielmo Marconi
b. Alexander Graham Bell
c. Christopher Sholes
d. Samuel Morse

7. Christopher Sholes invented the ___________ in 1868 and changed the way people
communicate.

a. telephone
b. telegraph
c. typewriter
d. computer

8. The simplest way to communicate is to

a. send an e-mail
b. text someone
c. open your mouth
d. snap chat

9. Which of these is not a way of communicating?

a. internet
b. driving your car
c. watching the news
d. writing a letter

10. The code used in telegraphs that has dashes and dots is called...

a. Morse Code
b. Samuel Code
c. Sholes Code
d. Bell Code
5 Module 1 – Computer Communication and Networks

LESSON MAP

Advantages
and
Disadvantages

Early
Comunicatio Communica
Morse Code
n Device tion and its
usage

Writings
and
Language

This map shows the overview of the early communication devices

and its usage.
6 Module 1 – Computer Communication and Networks

CORE CONTENTS

ENGAGE

Activity 1: (Explain the following)

INSTRUCTIONS: Before going over this learning module, answer the following:

1. How important is listening in communication?

__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
2. Is there a way we can measure or assess effective communication?
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________

EXPLORE
7 Module 1 – Computer Communication and Networks

The Early History of Communication

The Kish tablet, discovered in the ancient Sumerian city of Kish, has
inscriptions considered by some experts to be the oldest form of known
writing. Dated to 3500 B.C., the stone features proto-cuneiform signs,
basically rudimentary symbols that convey meaning through its pictorial
resemblance to a physical object. Similar to this early form of writing are the
ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs, which date back to around 3200 B.C.

Written Language

Elsewhere, written language appears to have come about around 1200 B.C.
in China and around 600 B.C. in the Americas. Some similarities between the
early Mesopotamian language and the one that developed in ancient Egypt
suggests that a writing system originated in the Middle East. However, any
kind of connection between Chinese characters and these early language
systems is less likely since the cultures don’t seem to have had any contact.

Among the first non-glyph writing systems not to use pictorial signs is
the phonetic system. With phonetic systems, symbols refer to spoken sounds.
If this sounds familiar, it’s because the modern alphabets that many people in
the world use today represent a phonetic form of communication. Remnants
of such systems first appeared either around 19th century B.C. thanks to an
early Canaanite population or 15th century B.C. in connection with a Semitic
community that lived in central Egypt.
Phoenician System

Over time, various forms of the Phoenician system of written communication

began to spread and were picked up along the Mediterranean city-states. By
the 8th century B.C., the Phoenician system reached Greece, where it was
altered and adapted to the Greek oral language. The biggest alterations were
the addition of vowel sounds and having the letters read from left to right.

Around that time, long-distance communication had its humble beginnings as

the Greeks—for the first time in recorded history—had a messenger pigeon
deliver results of the first Olympiad in the year 776 B.C. Another important
communication milestone from the Greeks was the establishment of the first
library in 530 B.C.

Long-Distance Communication

And as humans neared the end of the B.C. period, systems of long-distance
communication started to become more commonplace. A historical entry in
the book “Globalization and Everyday Life” noted that around 200 to 100 B.C:

"Human messengers on foot or horseback (were) common in Egypt and

China with messenger relay stations built. Sometimes fire messages (were)
used from relay station to station instead of humans."
Communication Comes to the Masses

Gutenberg is acknowledged to be the father of moveable type. Getty Images

8 Module 1 – Computer Communication and Networks

In the year 14, the Romans established the first postal service in the western world. While it’s
considered to be the first well-documented mail delivery system, others in India and China had
already long been in place. The first legitimate postal service likely originated in ancient Persia
around 550 B.C. However, historians feel that in some ways it wasn’t a true postal service because
it was used primarily for intelligence gathering and later to relay decisions from the king.

Well-Developed Writing System

Meanwhile, in the Far East, China was making its own progress in opening channels for
communication among the masses. With a well-developed writing system and messenger services,
the Chinese would be the first to invent paper and papermaking when in 105 an official named Cai
Lung submitted a proposal to the emperor in which he, according to a biographical account,
suggested using “the bark of trees, remnants of hemp, rags of cloth, and fishing nets” instead of the
heavier bamboo or costlier silk material.

First Moveable Type

The Chinese followed that up sometime between 1041 and 1048 with the invention of the first
moveable type for printing paper books. Han Chinese inventor Bi Sheng was credited with
developing the porcelain device, which was described in statesman Shen Kuo’s book “Dream Pool
Essays.” He wrote:

“…he took sticky clay and cut in it characters as thin as the edge of a coin. Each character formed,
as it were, a single type. He baked them in the fire to make them hard. He had previously prepared
an iron plate and he had covered his plate with a mixture of pine resin, wax, and paper ashes.
When he wished to print, he took an iron frame and set it on the iron plate. In this, he placed the
types, set close together. When the frame was full, the whole made one solid block of type. He then
placed it near the fire to warm it. When the paste [at the back] was slightly melted, he took a smooth
board and pressed it over the surface, so that the block of type became as even as a whetstone.”
While the technology underwent other advancements, such as metal movable type, it wasn’t until a
German smithy named Johannes Gutenberg built Europe’s first metal movable type system that
mass printing would experience a revolution. Gutenberg’s printing press, developed between 1436
and 1450, introduced several key innovations that included oil-based ink, mechanical movable type,
and adjustable molds. Altogether, this allowed for a practical system for printing books in a way that
was efficient and economical.
World's First Newspaper
Around 1605, a German publisher named Johann Carolus printed and distributed the world’s first
newspaper. The paper was called "Relation aller Fürnemmen und gedenckwürdigen Historien,”
which translated to “Account of all distinguished and commemorable news.” However, some may
argue that the honor should be bestowed upon the Dutch “Courante uyt Italien, Duytslandt, &c.”
since it was the first to be printed in a broadsheet-sized format.
Photography, Code, and Sound

The world's first photograph, taken by Nicephone Niepce in 1826 from his window in France. It was
made on a sensitized pewter plate. This is the un-retouched photograph.

Bettmann / Getty Images

By the 19th century, the world was ready to move beyond the printed word. People wanted
photographs, except they didn’t know it yet. That was until French inventor Joseph Nicephore
Niepce captured the world’s first photographic image in 1822. The early process he pioneered,
called heliography, used a combination of various substances and their reactions to sunlight to copy
the image from an engraving.
9 Module 1 – Computer Communication and Networks

Color Photographs
Other notable later contributions to the advancement of photography include a technique for
producing color photographs called the three-color method, initially put forth by Scottish physicist
James Clerk Maxwell in 1855 and the Kodak roll film camera, invented by American George
Eastman in 1888.

The foundation for the invention of electric telegraphy was laid by inventors Joseph Henry and
Edward Davey. In 1835, both had independently and successfully demonstrated electromagnetic
relay, where a weak electrical signal can be amplified and transmitted across long distances.

First Commercial Electric Telegraph System

A few years later, shortly after the invention of the Cooke and Wheatstone telegraph, the first
commercial electric telegraph system, an American inventor named Samuel Morse developed a
version that sent signals several miles from Washington, D.C., to Baltimore. And soon after, with the
help of his assistant Alfred Vail, he devised the Morse code, a system of signal-induced indentations
that correlated to numbers, special characters, and letters of the alphabet.
The Telephone
Naturally, the next hurdle was to figure out a way to transmit sound to far off distances. The idea for
a “speaking telegraph” was kicked around as early as 1843 when Italian inventor Innocenzo
Manzetti began broaching the concept. And while he and others explored the notion of transmitting
sound across distances, it was Alexander Graham Bell who ultimately was granted a patent in 1876
for "Improvements in Telegraphy," which laid out the underlying technology for electromagnetic
telephones.
Answering Machine Introduced

But what if someone tried to call and you weren't available? Sure enough, right at the turn of the
20th century, a Danish inventor named Valdemar Poulsen set the tone for the answering machine
with the invention of the telegraphone, the first device capable of recording and playing back the
magnetic fields produced by sound. The magnetic recordings also became the foundation for mass
data storage formats such as audio disc and tape.

What is communication?

A process for sharing meaning

Communication is a collaborative process through which two or more individuals connect and share
meaning around thoughts, ideas and feelings.[i] Learning to communicate with others is one of the
most important but complex social tools that children will develop, and is a key foundation to
learning, development and wellbeing for all human beings. Children’s communication development
starts at birth – indeed, there is evidence that it may begin in utero. It is shaped by significant people
in their lives and inextricably linked with the cultures they experience.

A process for giving information

Communication also involves sharing information. Children might express themselves in a range of
ways such as talking, gestures, sign language, picture symbols, drawing or writing. In some
cultures, using facial expressions or ‘eye talk’ like an eyebrow lift might also convey unspoken
messages. Infants and toddlers communicate using a variety of forms of expression including
gesture, vocalisations, noises and touch before they can use words and sentences.
10 Module 1 – Computer Communication and Networks

A process for receiving information

Communication also includes the ways in which children comprehend or make sense of meaning in
a given situation. Children learn to do this by engaging with others through looking, listening and
gaining an understanding of language. They also develop a social awareness of how people interact
in context using both spoken and unspoken forms of communication.

What are the key aspects of communication?

While communication and its development need to be viewed within situated, cultural contexts,
there are key aspects of communication that all communities have in common, including speech,
language, literacy and communicative competence. These terms are sometimes used
interchangeably but actually refer to different but interrelated facets of communication. These facets
have their own processes that children learn about as they experience social interactions with
others. Understanding these different aspects of communication can support teachers in
recognising the potential contribution that every child brings to their interactions in educational
settings.

Speech

Speech is a verbal means of communication that involves the articulation of sounds like ‘b’, ‘k’,
‘ch’ and ‘f’. Articulating individual speech sounds and combining sounds into words is a process that
requires precise neuromuscular coordination involving placement of the lips, tongue, teeth and
palate as well as breath control. Voice quality, intonation (the musical rise and fall of our voices),
fluency and rate of speech also enhance how effectively a speaker can make their message
understood.

Each language has specific sounds (phonemes) or sound patterns that are characteristic of
particular languages. Understanding the rules of how sounds and sound combinations go together
(phonological awareness) pertains to the branch of language development involving the sound
system of languages called phonology. Children’s ability to use sounds in words is a gradual
process that starts at birth, if not before, and is influenced by the sounds that infants hear people
speaking in their immediate environment. Infants also start experimenting with making sounds from
the day they are born, and then subsequently learn to articulate and refine sound and sound
combinations into syllables and words throughout their interactions with others in the early years.

Language

Language is a socially shared code or system of symbols (such as signs and words) for thinking
and communication with others.[ii] Every culture in the world has languages that continue to evolve
within their social, historical and cultural contexts. Spoken language is one form of communication,
although languages also exist in other non-spoken forms (such as sign language or written
language). Language has different modes such as receptive language, whichrefers to a child’s
comprehension of words, phrases and sentences (spoken, written or signed), and expressive
language, which refers to a child’s ability to use words, phrases and sentences (spoken, written or
signed) to get messages across to others. The words that a child understands or can use are
referred to as their vocabulary.

Language development can be thought of terms of the three major components of language –form,
content and use:[iii]
11 Module 1 – Computer Communication and Networks

 Form refers to the structural aspects of language, including phonology (sound units
and sequences), syntax (word order and relationships) and morphology(the internal
organisation of words)
 Content refers to the semantic system of rules governing the meaning or content of
words, phrases and sentences
 Use refers to the pragmatic aspects of language as a social tool, with conventions
around how language is used in real-life contexts
Children develop language in different ways and at different rates. For example, it is common for
children who are bilingual to take a little longer to speak fluently, or to frequently switch language
codes while processing the different languages they hear and speak across their home and
educational environments.[iv]

Literacy

Literacy is another important component of communication development. Traditionally, the term

literacy referred to written language involving skills in reading and writing and using print symbols
like letters and numbers. Today, researchers talk about emergent literacy, whichrefers to the
notion that young children develop skills in reading and writing at home or in early childhood
settings, well before the formal process of teaching children to decode or encode print begins at
school. Conversations, vocabulary, comprehension, print knowledge and phonological awareness
are all important aspects of literacy development that underpin the ability to communicate using
written language.

In today’s digital age, some research literature extends and challenges the notion of literacy as
focused only on reading, writing and print, and draws attention to other kinds of texts that use a
range of technologies and involve images, gesture and sound.[v] In this sense, literacy or literacies
might be reconceptualised to move beyond the individual, cognitive process of encoding and
decoding print, and encompass the ways in which children learn to communicate meaning through a
wide range of multimodal signs, symbols and media in order to engage with communicative partners
in different social contexts.

Communicative competence

Communicative competence recognises children’s linguistic knowledge and skills and emphasises
their ability to use those resources effectively in sharing and understanding meaning with others in
social situations. [vi] The notion of communicative competence aligns with
the pragmatic component of language, in which a child’s communicative efforts are viewed in
terms of their intention, purpose or function within social contexts.[vii] When children engage in
social interactions, they develop an understanding of what, where, and with whom to communicate
for certain purposes, as well as how to adapt their communication style to suit different audiences or
contexts. Communicative competence acknowledges a child’s linguistic form and content and the
ways in which they are able to use those resources, as well as others such as gesture, facial
expression, reading, writing or drawing, to communicate effectively.

Why does communication matter?

Research shows that children’s competencies in language and communication underpin their
holistic development and wellbeing. Communication skills are vital not only for children’s cognitive
and conceptual development but for their social, emotional and cultural awareness and
understanding.
12 Module 1 – Computer Communication and Networks

Cognitive development

A child’s learning depends on communication skills such as being able to understand what another
person is saying, as well as thinking, responding, and interacting with others in a range of verbal
and non-verbal ways. All areas of the curriculum in early childhood education and school contexts
involve some form of language or communication, and research has consistently demonstrated the
role of oral language in underpinning children’s cognitive and literacy development, with strong
correlations between early oral language and later learning areas such as reading comprehension.
[viii]

Socioemotional development

Responsive interactions with adults and peers are pivotal to supporting young children develop
social and emotional skills in a variety of ways. Language and conversation help children to reflect
on, regulate and express their emotions, to understand how or why other people might have
different perspectives, and to learn how to develop friendships with other children.[ix]

Sociocultural understanding

Learning how to use different language and communication modes helps children to learn
about their own culture and the cultures of other. Interactions at home and in education settings
allow children to learn the system of symbols related to their particular languages and cultures, but
also to develop competencies in how to use those skills effectively and respectfully in a variety of
social and cultural situations.

What influences the development of children’s communication skills?

There is no one correct or universal pathway through which children develop their communication
skills. For centuries, theorists have debated how human beings learn the symbols of their cultures,
particularly in the field of children’s language development. Dichotomies such as the well-
known nature versus nurture debate are still evident in the research literature today. Most current
literature appears to support the view that the development of language and communication
depends on a combination of both individual and environmental factors, and that social relationships
are key to supporting children to learn the language codes of their cultural communities.

Individual factors

Individual factors include a child’s interests, natural disposition and learning preferences, all of
which shape the communicative opportunities and purposes that drive a need or desire for the child
to communicate. Some children are simply more talkative or expressive than others! A child’s
overall health and wellbeing can also underpin their energy levels and motivation to communicate.
One individual factor that can have a direct impact on speech and language development
is hearing, which can affect a child’s ability to listen and perceive sounds and words, in turn
affecting the way in which the child might learn to say sounds and words. Hearing and listening also
underpin children’s ability to share and sustain their attentional focus during language and learning
activities in early childhood and school contexts.

Social Factors

Social factors also provide an important foundation for the development of communication. A
communication-rich environment that allows for a range of forms of expression such as verbal
13 Module 1 – Computer Communication and Networks

language, drawing, writing, body movements, music and pictures can enhance children’s creativity,
comprehension and meaning-making. Responsive communicative partners, both adults and other
children, who are available and engaged with the child during play and learning situations provide
opportunities and support to extend the child’s learning and development in everyday situations.

Education is the process of acquiring know ledge. In the

traditional model, people learn from other people such as parents,
teachers, and employers. Many forms of printed material such as
books and manuals are used as learning tools. Today, educators also
are turning to computers to assist with education (Figure 1-31).

Many schools and companies equip labs and classrooms with

computers. Some schools require students to have a mobile computer
or mobile device to access the school’s network or Internet wirelessly.

Students use software to assist with learning or to complete assignments. To promote

education by computer, many vendors offer substantial student discounts on software.

Sometimes, the delivery of education occurs at one place while the learning occurs at other
locations. For example, students can take a class on the Web. More than 70 percent of colleges
offer distance learning classes. A few even offer entire degrees online.

Finance
Many people and companies use
computers to help manage their finances. Some
use finance software to balance checkbooks, pay
bills, track personal income and expenses,
manage investments, and evaluate financial
plans. This software usually includes a variety of
online services. For example, computer users can
track investments and do online banking. With
online banking, users access account balances,
pay bills, and copy monthly transactions from the
bank’s computer right into their computers (Figure
1-32).

Investors often use online investing to buy and sell stocks and bonds — without using a
broker. With online investing, the transaction fee for each trade usually is much less than when
trading through a broker.
14 Module 1 – Computer Communication and Networks

Government

A government provides society with direction by

making and administering policies. To provide citizens
with up-to-date information, most government offices
have Web sites. People access government Web sites to
file taxes, apply for permits and licenses, pay parking
tickets, buy stamps, report crimes, apply for financial aid,
and renew vehicle registrations and driver’s licenses.

Employees of government agencies use

computers as part of their daily routine. Military and other
agency officials use the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s network of information about
domestic security threats to help protect our nation. Law enforcement officers have online access to
the FBI’s National Crime Information Center (NCIC) through in-vehicle computers, fingerprint
readers, and mobile devices (Figure 1-33). The NCIC contains more than 52 million missing
persons and criminal records, including names, fingerprints, parole/probation records, mug shots,
and other information.

Health Care

Nearly every area of health care uses computers. Whether you are visiting a family doctor for
a regular checkup, having lab work or an outpatient test, or being rushed in for emergency surgery,
the medical staff around you will be using computers for various purposes:

 Doctors use the Web and medical software to assist with researching and diagnosing health
conditions.
 Doctors use e-mail to correspond with patients.
 Pharmacists use computers to file insurance claims.
 Robots deliver medication to nurse stations in hospitals.
 Hospitals and doctors use computers and mobile
devices to maintain and access patient records.
 Computers and computerized devices assist
doctors, nurses, and technicians with medical tests
(Figure 1-34).
15 Module 1 – Computer Communication and Networks

 Computers monitor patients’ vital signs in hospital rooms and at home.

 Surgeons implant computerized devices, such as pacemakers, that allow patients to live longer.
 Surgeons use computer-controlled devices to provide them with greater precision during operations,
such as for laser eye surgery and robot-assisted heart surgery.

Two forms of long-distance health care are telemedicine and telesurgery. Through telemedicine,
health-care professionals in separate locations conduct live conferences on the computer. For example, a
doctor at one location can have a conference with a doctor at another location to discuss a bone X-ray. Live
images of each doctor, along with the X-ray, are displayed on each doctor’s computer.

With telesurgery, a surgeon performs an operation on a patient who is not located in the same
physical room as the surgeon. Telesurgery enables surgeons to direct robots to perform an operation via
computers connected to a high-speed network.

Science

All branches of science, from biology to astronomy to meteorology, use computers to assist them with
collecting, analyzing, and modeling data. Scientists also use the Internet to communicate with colleagues
around the world. Breakthroughs in surgery, medicine, and treatments often result from scientists’ use of
computers.

Tiny computers now imitate functions of the central nervous system, retina of the eye, and cochlea of
the ear. A cochlear implant allows a deaf person to listen. Electrodes implanted in the brain stop tremors
associated with Parkinson’s disease. Cameras small enough to swallow — sometimes called a camera pill —
take pictures inside your body to detect polyps, cancer, and other abnormalities (Figure 1-35).

Publishing
16 Module 1 – Computer Communication and Networks

Publishing is the process of making works

available to the public. These works include books,
magazines, newspapers, music, film, and video.
Special software assists graphic designers in
developing pages that include text, graphics, and
photos; artists in composing and enhancing songs;
film makers in creating and editing film; and journalists
and mobile users in capturing and modifying video
clips.

Many publishers make their works available

online (Figure 1-36). Some Web sites allow you to
copy the work, such as a book or music, to your desktop computer, mobile computer, smart phone, or other
mobile device.

Travel

Many vehicles manufactured today include some type of on

board navigation system. Some mobile users prefer to carry
specialized handheld navigation devices (Figure 1-37).

In preparing for a trip, you may need to reserve a car, hotel,

or flight. Many Web sites offer these services to the public. For
example, you can order airline tickets on the Web. If you plan to
drive somewhere and are unsure of the road to take to your
destination, you can print directions and a map from the Web.

Manufacturing

Computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) refers to the

use of computers to assist with manufacturing processes such
as fabrication and assembly. Often, robots carry out processes
in a CAM environment. CAM is used by a variety of industries,
including oil drilling, power generation, food production, and
automobile manufacturing. Automobile plants, for example,
have an entire line of industrial robots that assemble a car
(Figure 1-38).
17 Module 1 – Computer Communication and Networks

EXPLAIN

Activity 2:

INSTRUCTIONS: Answer the following questions below.

1. How would you describe good/effective communication?

__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________

2. What are the greatest challenges to good communication?

__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
EXTEND

Activity 1:

1. What are the earliest form of communication?

__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
18 Module 1 – Computer Communication and Networks

2. How does the early communication affect our community?

____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________

EVALUATE

Activity 2

Based on the topic above, write a brief answer to each of the following questions:

1. How does a child express early communicative language?

2. What is a child earliest form of communication?

POST-ASSESSMENT
Instruction: Read, analyze and answer each of the questions below by choosing the letter of the
MOST APPROPRIATE answer.

1. Which of these is generally believed to be the oldest true writing system?

a. Chinese characters
b. Egyptian hieroglyphics
c. Sumerian cuneiform
d. Inca quipu
19 Module 1 – Computer Communication and Networks

2. Which of these ancient cultures used a writing system based on simple sounds in a language, not
entire words or syllables?

a. The Maya
b. The Phoenicians
c. The Sumerians
d. The Egyptians

3. What should you do if you have an important idea?

a) keep it to yourself
b) share it with a friend
c) write it down
d) share it with a local newspaper
4, How does technology affect the way people communicate?

a) it allows people to communicate with others quickly and at a low cost

b) it makes people less motivated to communicate with others
c) it does not affect the ways people communicate
d) it makes it difficult to maintain privacy when communicating with others

5. Guglielmo Marconi was only 21 years old when he increased the distance that radio
signals could be sent without wires.

a. True
b. False
6. "Watson, come over here - I need you." were the first words spoken over a telephone.
Who said these words when he invented the first phone?

a. Guglielmo Marconi
b. Alexander Graham Bell
c. Christopher Sholes
d. Samuel Morse

7. Christopher Sholes invented the ___________ in 1868 and changed the way people
communicate.

a. telephone
b. telegraph
c. typewriter
d. computer

8. The simplest way to communicate is to

e. send an e-mail
f. text someone
g. open your mouth
h. snap chat

9. Which of these is not a way of communicating?

20 Module 1 – Computer Communication and Networks

e. internet
a. driving your car
b. watching the news
c. writing a letter

10. The code used in telegraphs that has dashes and dots is called...

a. Morse Code
b. Samuel Code
c. Sholes Code
d. Bell Code

 TOPIC SUMMARY:

 Language and communication develop with extraordinary speed during the early-childhood
years. Most children babble around 6 months, say their first words at about 1 year, use
combined words around the end of their second year, and by the time they are 4- and 5-year-
olds, they have elaborate vocabularies and know basic grammar rules.
 As you may have already learned in the Cognitive and Physical courses, milestones provide
a guide for when to expect certain skills or behaviors to emerge. Think of milestones as
guidelines to help you understand and identify typical patterns of growth and development or
to help you know when and what to look for as young children mature. As a family child care
provider, you can use this information, what you learn from families, and your own knowledge
to enrich the interactions, experiences, and environments you create for children in your
family child care program.

 Listening is a two-part process. The first part is actually hearing what is being communicated
and the second part is relating that information to your own personal experiences or
knowledge.
 Listening and speaking are closely linked and tend to develop simultaneously. The act of
speaking allows children and youth to express their feelings and emotions and share
information. As children and youth develop throughout the school-age years, they develop
more sophisticated speaking skills and vocabularies.
 Reading is an essential part of the way we communicate. It exposes children and youth to
various forms of dialogue and written language. School-age children and youth will begin as
emergent readers who are learning how to identify sounds and view them as words on the
page. As they grow, their reading skills will develop. Reading levels are usually categorized
as grade levels; for example, a third-grade reading book. However, children and youth may
vary in reading levels, even with their peers. Encouraging a love of reading and allowing
children and youth to read what interests them are the best ways to keep them engaged with
reading.
 Writing is important to communication development because it allows children and youth to
express themselves and share information. Traditionally, writing is putting pencil to paper, but
we also need to include typing and sharing information digitally. Children will begin to
21 Module 1 – Computer Communication and Networks

understand that letters make up words, which make up sentences, and so on. Younger
school-age children are learning how to spell words correctly and may spell words based on
how they sound, rather than use correct spelling. This will continue to improve and develop
over time.

REFERENCES

Web:
Berk, L. E. (2013). Child Development (9th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education Inc.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2013). Learn the Signs, Act Early: Developmental
Milestones. Retrieved
from http://www.cdc.gov/NCBDDD/actearly/pdf/checklists/All_Checklists.pdf
Hart, B., & Risley, T. R. (1995). Meaningful Differences in the Everyday Experience of Young
American Children. Baltimore, MD: Brookes Publishing.
National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. (2012). Early Childhood Generalist Standards:
For teachers of students ages 3-8 (3rd ed.).
Trawick-Smith, J. W. (2014). Early Childhood Development: A Multicultural Perspective (6th ed.).
Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education Inc.
Yopp, H. K., & Yopp, R. H. (2009). Phonological Awareness is Child’s Play! YC Young Children; Jan
2009; 64, 1.