May 21, 2005 9:17 PM
Got grammar?
“Mommy, Grandma taked me to the park and I runned all around! Then we goed to the pet store and seed some mouses! Can we get some mouses, Mommy? Can we?â€
When your preschooler’s bursting to share his excitement, stumbling all over the English language, be careful what words you choose to steady his progress. Think first of encouraging his sharing. There’s plenty of time ahead for him to get it all right, but – take it from this megamom – there’ll never be enough moments like this.
Besides, isn’t he really on the right track? After all, while to our grownup ears preschool grammar goofs may grate like nails on a chalkboard., they usually really reflect recognition of and respect for the rules of our language. At first he'll follow them rigidly, without regard for the many exceptions in English. But rather than focusing on his mistakes, rest assured that he'll soak up all the intricacies of our language as naturally as he absorbed the basic structure – just by listening to those around him.
So relax. If you speak correctly, your child will eventually too. Language acquisition is like a series of miracles.
Here is how it works: Once he begins to form sentences, a child begins to acquire vocabulary at an astonishing pace – one that will never be duplicated again in his life. But in addition to learning new words and perfecting his pronunciation, he is also busy absorbing syntax.
Syntax is the way a language is organized to convey information. Every language has a different syntax, a different set of rules enabling meaningful communication. God has given us the capacity to absorb the syntax of our native tongue, whatever that may be. Linguists know it works, though they don’t know how.
The capacity for absorbing syntax is very evident when we hear our children make mistakes like runned around and seed some mouses. The child’s speech at this stage shows he is clearly on the right track – he knows the rules and is following them. He has learned
– that verbs have tenses (adding -ed means something has already happened)
– that nouns have plurals (adding -s shows more than one)
No small accomplishment! And without a single grammar lesson.
Now your job is not to correct him directly, but to teach him the subtleties of our language by simply making conversation which models the correct usage:
“You went to the park and ran around? And you saw some mice? How fun! Did you give Grandma a hug and say thank you?â€
Keep in mind that as children build communication skills, they want to do well. When mistakes are pointed out in a negative way, they may feel less sure of themselves. Give your child the best start – and build his confidence – by keeping your feedback encouraging and positive.
When it comes to grammar, the best correction is one so natural he’ll never notice.
“I gived Grandma a hug already.â€
“Oh, you already gave her one? Well, how about one for Mom?â€
Posted in Toddlers | Permalink
Comments
Oh, you are so right! I've been struggling lately with some mistakes that my older two kids (6 & 7) seem to make over and over again, but now I realize that they really are just following the rules of the language too rigidly! I think I'll take heart that they've learned *something* and relax a little! Thanks. :)
Posted by: Michelle Potter | May 21, 2005 10:46 PM
Hearing and interacting with my 2 year old daughter as she learns to speak--with alarming clarity and accuracy, I might add--is my very favorite part of this age. It's like watching a miracle in semi-slow motion.
Posted by: Mel | May 21, 2005 11:59 PM
