The Importance Of Spoken Language

NB : This article was written as part of my AMI Montessori Assistant Course for 3-6 year old.

In The Secret of Childhood, Maria Montessori wrote that Language is primarily something that is spoken its written counterpart is only a literal transfer of the sounds into visible signs [1]. Indeed, language is a way of communicating by using a collection of sounds to which a group of people has assigned meaning. Children are born with the potentialities for language, yet they will not be able to speak unless they are spoken to and they assist to conversations between the ages of 0 and 6. Thus, it is very important to make sure they get this exposure so that they will be able to communicate. In a first part, we will develop the outcomes of spoken language for the child. In a second part, we will see how to develop spoken language with the child. In a last part, we will mention the situations in which the child is in contact with spoken language.

Humans have a natural desire to make contact with people around them, and spoken language is one of the means to reach this goal. However, the young child is not able to use it yet, which is often a source of frustration for him. Once the child acquires spoken language, and in an efficient way, he becomes a better communicator, which makes him less frustrated and better at social interactions. This also favors his relationships. What is more, both the spoken language that is used about him and the language that he is able to use that is which he has been exposed to will bring him self-confidence and opportunities for self-expression. By asserting himself as an independent being able to express what he wants and what he thinks, the child becomes aware of himself, his strengths and his weaknesses, so that he is able to improve. To put it briefly, various social, developmental, psychological and cognitive issues are at stake.

Given its importance, how can the adult foster spoken language in a young child? First of all, adults have to be careful in the use they make of spoken language, but also of their body language. They have to be logic, only referring to tangible aspects with a young child, precise, and clear to remain accessible. They must also be respectful and responsive, as well as intelligible (articulation). They must use a rich and customized vocabulary, related to what the child is interested in as well as what corresponds to his current situation, so that he is given means to describe his experiences and express what is on his mind. Finally, although the adults must be thoughtful, using spoken language only when necessary, and careful about their phrasing, they must let the child explore and experiment with language freely, without interrupting him. Most importantly, the adults must reveal themselves as interesting persons to encourage expression and have the child s attention. All in all, adults must be models of speech and language facilitators.

Finally, in the Montessori environment, but also at home, there are several kinds of situations where a child can experience with spoken language. Stories, books, songs, poems and the like are a great source of language, but so are the interactions of a child with another. In particular, these are facilitated by the lessons in grace and courtesy that give him the necessary language tools to deal with social situations. The child will also enrich his communication skills by conversations with adults. These must be private and one-on-one, as well as customized to the child s situation and needs. The conversations must be receptive and expressive, which means that both participants are actively taking part, although the adult has to let the child lead the discussion.

To conclude, spoken language is primordial in the life of any human being, but even more in the life of a young child since it is part of his development. For this reason, the adults have to make their possible to facilitate this acquisition and the development of these communication skills to make the child an accomplished communicator.

[1] P. 131.