DIFFERENTIATE FACTORS THAT AFFECT THE LITERACY OF A CHILD.

Language development and literacy

To help understand the close link between learning to talk and
learning to read, their importance in children’s intellectual
development, the learning mechanisms involved and the external
factors that influence them, and signs that could indicate a
learning disability.
Language developments are not in dispute. Most children begin
speaking during their second year and by age two are likely to
know at least 50 words and to be combining them in short
phrases.4Once vocabulary size reaches about 200 words, the rate
of word learning increases dramatically and grammatical function
words such as articles and prepositions begin to appear with
some consistency.5 During the preschool years, sentence patterns
become increasingly complex and vocabulary diversifies to
include relational terms that express notions of size, location,
quantity and time.6 By the age of four to six or so, most
children have acquired the basic grammar of the sentence.7 From
that point onward, children learn to use language more
efficiently and more effectively. They also learn how to create,
and maintain, larger language units such as conversation or
narrative.8 Although there are individual differences in rate of
development, the sequence in which various forms appear is
highly predictable both within and across stages.9
Determining factors
There is also considerable agreement that the course of language
development reflects the interplay of factors in at least five
domains: social, perceptual, cognitive processing, conceptual
and linguistic. Theorists differ in the emphasis and degree of
determination posited for a given domain, but most would agree
that each is relevant. There is a large body of research
supporting the view that language learning is influenced by many
aspects of human experience and capability. I will mention two
findings in each area that capture the flavour of the available
evidence.

Social
1. Toddlers infer a speaker’s communicative intent and use that
information to guide their language learning. For example, as
early as 24 months, they are able to infer solely from an
 adult’s excited tone of voice and from the physical setting
that a new word must refer to an object that has been placed
on the table while the adult was away.10
2. The verbal environment influences language learning. From
ages one to three, children from highly verbal “professional”
families heard nearly three times as many words per week as
children from low verbal “welfare” families. Longitudinal
data show that aspects of this early parental language
predict language scores at age nine.11
Perceptual
1. Infant perception sets the stage. Auditory perceptual skills
at six or 12 months of age can predict vocabulary size and
syntactic complexity at 23 months of age.12
2. Perceptibility matters. In English, the forms that are
challenging for impaired learners are forms with reduced
perceptual salience, e.g. those that are unstressed or lie
united within a consonant cluster.13
Cognitive processes
1. Frequency affects rate of learning. Children who hear an
unusually high proportion of examples of a language form
learn that form faster than children who receive ordinary
input.14
2. “Trade-offs” among the different domains of language can
occur when the total targeted sentence requires more mental
resources than the child has available. For example, children
make more errors on small grammatical forms such as verb
endings and prepositions in sentences with complex syntax
than in sentences with simple syntax.15
Conceptual
1. Relational terms are linked to mental age. Words that express
notions of time, causality, location, size and order are
correlated with mental age much more than words that simply
refer to objects and events.16 Moreover, children learning
different languages learn to talk about spatial locations
such as in ornext to in much the same order, regardless of
the grammatical devices of their particular language.17
2. Language skills are affected by world knowledge. Children who
have difficulty recalling a word also know less about the
objects to which the word refers.18
Linguistic
1. Verb endings are cues to verb meaning. If a verb ends in –
ing, three-year-olds will decide that it refers to
an activity, such as swim, rather than to acompleted change
of state, such as push off.19
2. Current vocabulary influences new learning. Toddlers usually
decide that a new word refers to the object for which they do
not already have a label.

THE IMPORTANCE OF LITERACY

The Importance of Literacy to Economic Development
Our economy is enhanced when learners have higher literacy
levels. Effective literacy skills open the doors to more
educational and employment opportunities so that people are able
to pull themselves out of poverty and chronic underemployment.
In our increasingly complex and rapidly changing technological
world, it is essential that individuals continuously expand
their knowledge and learn new skills in order to keep up with
the pace of change.
The Importance of Literacy to individual and community well-
being:
From an individual perspective, one needs adequate literacy
skills to participate and function happily within – and
contribute to – one’s communities. For new-comers to Canada,
adequate English language skills are essential to forming
friendships, without which they are susceptible to isolation,
loneliness and anxiety.

The Importance of Literacy: 3 Easy Steps for Reading

Successfully
Predictions. When a child or young adult sees a title of a book,
they should make predictions in regards to what the story might
be about. Besides the title, they can skim through and make
predications based off pictures, charts, and diagrams in the
text. Doing this will help them get a feel on what the text
could be about and help them better understand what they are
about to read.
Making connections. Ellin Oliver Keene and Susan Zimmerman,
authors of Mosaic of Thought: The Power of Comprehension
Strategy Instruction concluded that students grasp concepts
better when they make different kinds of connections.
Asking questions. In order to fully understand text, readers
should ask questions whether it is to themselves, a friend, or a
teacher. Questions that the reader can ask can vary from “What
did I just read? “What will happen next?” or if the reader does
not fully understand what they read, they can ask their teacher
or maybe search for an answer online to gain a clearer
understanding. Asking questions engages readers more and causes
them to reflect on what they just read. Readers will also be
able to understand and recall the information when need be.

To teach learners some of the tips to overcome low self - esteem

in literacy.

7 Ways to Foster Self-Esteem and Resilience in All Learners

Accept Students for Who They Are

Every child is unique–but sometimes, even teachers who embrace
that idea may still treat their students as if they were a
homogeneous group. When students are in a learning environment
where everyone’s treated the same in the name of “fairness,”• it
can have a powerfully negative impact on self-esteem. Students
whose needs aren’t being met may begin to feel they aren’t
welcome, or that they’re disappointing the teacher by not living
up to expectations.
Help Students Develop a Sense of Responsibility
Making a positive difference in the school community is a great
way to build students’ self-esteem and resilience. When students
are encouraged to contribute to the community, it gives them a
sense of ownership and pride. Look for special strengths,
interests, and gifts in your students and help translate those
gifts into responsibilities they can assume.
For example: one animal-loving young girl who struggled with
memorization skills and social isolation was recruited as a “pet
monitor”• by her teacher. After excelling at taking care of the
classroom’s gerbils and goldfish, she was then asked to write a
short instruction manual (which was placed in the school
library) and train other children on proper pet care. Taking on
this responsibility helped her develop more confidence and
perseverance, and she became more accepted in the classroom.
Increase Students’ Sense of Ownership
tempting to solve students’ problems by telling them what to do–
but it’s even better to give them opportunities to solve
problems by themselves. When students believe they have some
degree of control over their lives, that can be a big boost to
their self-esteem and resilience.
Reinforce your students’ sense of ownership and control by
providing them with decision-making opportunities, from choosing
homework problems to brainstorming solutions to a class problem.
For example, if your classroom has an ongoing problem with
students making fun of each other, try this approach instead of
constant verbal reminders:
1) Ask students if they think the teasing in their classroom is
a problem (if the students say no, use their response to discuss
why and how making fun of others interferes with a positive
learning environment)
2) Ask the students to consider possible solutions to the
problem
3) Attempt the solution that seems most likely to be effective
Encouraging students to solve problems on their own doesn’t mean
you shouldn’t offer guidance (or intervene in a true crisis).
But often, solutions devised by students themselves are more
successful than those handed down by adults. Actively involving
students helps them feel in control and reinforces their sense
of ownership and empowerment–important ingredients in resilience
and self-esteem.
Help Students Establish Self-Discipline
Students who have trouble developing self-discipline also have
more trouble developing self-esteem and resilience. These are
the students who “act before they think”• and often express
opposition to limits, rules, and structure. To increase
understanding of the need for rules–and motivation to follow
them–involve your students in the process of establishing the
classroom rules. Early in the year, you might ask your learners:
1) What rules they think are necessary for both students and
teachers to follow for the class to run smoothly
2) What the best ways are to remember these rules so that adults
aren’t constantly reminding them
3) What the consequences should be if someone (including the
teacher) forgets a rule.
When students help create the rules, they’re more likely to
remember and adhere to them. (That’s not to say that ALL
classroom rules are negotiable. You’ll have to set some basic
ground rules for safety, for example.)
When students do break the established rules, try activities
that help them reflect on their behavior and its effect on
others. For example, an assistant principal of a middle school
asked students to write or dictate a brief essay while they were
in detention. They were given a choice of more than 30 topics,
including what they would do if they ran the school, what they
could do in the future to avoid detention, and what dreams they
had about their future. Many students were able to reflect on
their lives and behaviors and think about alternative ways of
behaving in the future.
Promote Self-Advocacy Skills
Strong self-advocacy skills lead to greater self-confidence, but
many students with learning or behavioral challenges may
struggle to develop these skills. How can you boost your
students’ ability to communicate with teachers and advocate for
their needs? You might try these steps:
 Have a teacher or school mental health professional talk
individually with a student about his or her learning needs
to increase awareness of that student’s strengths and
weaknesses.
 Identify ways in which students should approach their
teacher or other school staff to communicate their needs.
You could try writing a sample script of what a student
might say, making a written list of steps that walk the
student through the process, and/or having a student
practice what to say.
 Provide follow-up sessions where the student can report
back on the results of his or her initial attempts at
communication.
Here’s an example of what this might look like in action:
Mr. Chavez, Jeremy’s teacher, described him as a “moving target
who can’t control his movements.” Although Jeremy had been
diagnosed with ADHD and was receiving medical treatment and
counseling, he still had trouble following directions and
completing tasks. One day, after blurting out a response in
class, Jeremy explained, “I just can’t keep the words in my
mouth.”
Provide Positive Feedback and Encouragement
When you communicate genuine, realistic appreciation and
encouragement to your students, it’s a powerful way to nurture
self-esteem and resilience. Too often, though, the focus falls
on students’ negative behaviors, and their positive gifts,
qualities, and strengths aren’t sufficiently nurtured or
recognized.
Emotional support and encouragement are simple and highly
effective ways to promote students’ self-esteem and resilience.
Make a consistent effort to focus more on your students’
positives than their negatives–and back that up with words and
actions of support. They don’t have to be grand gestures: just
writing a little note on a student’s paper praising her effort
can increase her motivation and sense of self-worth. These small
encouragements are especially crucial for at-risk students or
learners with disabilities, who may feel discouraged when their
progress is slow.
Teach Students to Cope with Mistakes and Failure
Fear of failure is a powerful thing. Most people worry at least
a little about making mistakes and looking foolish in front of
others. Don’t let fear of mistakes and failure affect your
students’ success–intervene early by framing them as learning
experiences.