Why do we teach the elementary child about grammar? The aim is to enrich the child’s language, develop the art of communication and stimulate their interest. This meets the child’s needs during this sensitive period for socialisation. It helps the child become conscious of aspects of the language they already know, especially the order, structure …
The Story of Number – The Fifth Great Story
Setting the Scene Briefly, recall the story of Communication, emphasising how the alphabet came to be written down so that people could talk to each other even when they weren’t actually there. The Story ‘Today we have another story, the Story of Number. It’s a story from a long, long time ago. We don’t know …
Introducing Reading
Reading is an ability which develops during the Sensitive Period for Language, from prenatal hearing to the ‘Explosion into Reading’, around the age of five. Reading is an extension of the development of Vocabulary, the child discovers how a known word looks in graphic form after she has become a fluent speaker and has benefited …
Further Reading Activities
Reading Analysis Simple sentences Stage 1, Levels I to VI When the child can perform actions with sequential commands (Extensions to the Verb) the child is able to comprehend sentences which are not in the imperative mood (not just direct commands) Material Description: There are red circles and blank,black arrows and …
Introduction to Language
Language can be defined as, ‘a system of communication consisting of sounds, words and grammar, or the system of communication used by the people of a particular country or profession’ (Cambridge Online Dictionaries, Cambridge University Press, on 10th Nov 2011 at http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/language?q=language) Language is a set of abstract symbols which the group, through convention, uses …
Introduction to Language
Discoveries made by children about their language Casa They discover a great deal of vocabulary through the ‘enrichment of vocabulary’ That they can make their thoughts, feelings and ideas visible to others with the Sand Paper Letters and Moveable Alphabets They can find out what other people are thinking with the use of the …
Etymology
Etymology is the study of the origins of a particular word, it comes from Etymos (Greek) for true. Material Description: It might be found in the booklets of Nomenclature cards, dictionaries and Etymological dictionaries. Method: We give it when it is helpful to the understanding, it is an integral part of the presentation, to …
Introduction to Parts of Speech
We consider nine parts of speech; noun family article adjective noun verb family Adverb verb joining words prepositions conjunctions The interjection or exclamation The pronoun In Casa the symbols are given to show the patterns in language, the words change but the patterns of the function remain the same. The symbols are …
The Study of the Article
First Presentation – The Study of the Article Material Description: Article Grammar Box II Noun and Article grammar box, filler box IIA, with long cards ‘a tree’ and one copy of the three articles, ‘a’, ‘an’ and ‘the’ symbol box. Method: Oral Introduction An exercise for two children, bring the symbol box. Begin with …
The Study of the Adjective
Presenting the Study of the Adjective Material Description: Adjective Grammar Box, filler Box IIIA, Box of Grammar Symbols, Noun family chart Access to the farm Adjective filler box contents: IIIA: colours, IIIB: Dimension and number The first two presentations can be done with any of the short chains form the bead cabinet and corresponding tickets. …