Supporting oral language and literacy are foundational aspects of the role of kaiako in early childhood education [ECE]. The Ministry of Education [MoE] (2017, 2020) define oral language and literacy as the ability to communicate and understand others, this includes New Zealand Sign Language [NZSL], first and home languages, and non-verbal communication. Supporting oral language and literacy requires knowledgeable kaiako and strong relationships with tamariki and whānau to implement a curriculum that meets collective and individual needs. Oral language and literacy are inextricably tied together with social emotional competence. The ability to communicate and make meaning through interaction with people, places and things is the basis of all relationships and foundational to social interactions. Therefore, the early childhood curriculum plays a key part in supporting and preparing tamariki in developing the oral language and literacy skills needed to be successful. The goals of Te Whāriki (MoE, 2017) describe what learning should be facilitated within the ECE environment to achieve the learning outcomes for tamariki. Aiding this is Talking Together Te Kōrerorero (MoE, 2020) which offers strategies to support language and literacy. Leaning into these two documents and the authors own knowledge and experiences, the goals from the communication strand of Te Whāriki (MoE, 2017) are unpacked with practical examples to further guide kaiako in their facilitation of oral language and literacy learning. They develop nonverbal communication skills for a range of purposes ● Recognising non-verbal cues – When kaiako engage with tamariki, particularly those learning oral language or English language learners, it is important to look out and respond to non-verbal cues of communication. Kaiako can seek to follow tamariki gaze and talk about what they notice, model and describe language to build on vocabulary. ● Sign – Equipping tamariki with sign languages such as NZSL or baby sign are useful ways of contextualising meaning and promoting understanding for both tamariki and kaiako. Kaiako should learn key signs to support tamariki with familiar events and rituals in the space in turn supporting the development of social and emotional regulation. ● Picture Cards – Being able to predict what happens next in ECE is important for tamariki sense of belonging. Creating picture cards that tamariki can use to point or hand to other tamariki or kaiako can equip them with a way of communicating their ideas (Woodgate & Bracefield, 2020). ● Emotional literacy – As part of social and emotional regulation, kaiako can support tamariki with nonverbal language to express their emotions. Utilising mirrors or through modelling such as a smile can be happy and arms crossed can be angry, as well as the power of tone of voice and body language to see how this may be perceived by tamariki. They develop verbal communication skills for a range of purposes ● Broadcasting or narrating – Kaiako can support oral language development by putting words to actions, broadcasting or narrating is the practice of saying out loud what is happening around tamariki or what the tamariki is doing. i.e. ‘I can see that you have chosen the whero pen, the red pen to draw your picture’. ● Serve and return – Kaiako can promote conversation by bouncing ideas and language back and forth between themselves and tamariki, this supports tamariki in understanding how to take turns within a conversation. MoE (2020) explain that the turn taking that tamariki learn through practicing serve and return is more important than the length of sentences or words used, a serve and Oral Language and Literacy – what is it and what do we do? By Fiona Woodgate and Chelsea Bracefield | New Zealand Tertiary College July 2024 { 36 }
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