Language development in four-year-old peer dialogue

¶ … Dialogue between Child Peers (Age 4)

This child-study report involves two-4-year-old girls. Ivana and Angelica are both Hispanic and attend a local Child Development Center in a nearby urban community. There are 12 other children in the class (either Hispanic, African-American, or biracial). Two instructors, referred to as Mrs. H and Ms. Debra, facilitate the class. Mrs. H is Hispanic and at times converses with the children in Spanish. Ms. Debra is Caucasian. English is the dominant language of instruction in the class.

Two 15 minute observations were conducted during a one hour morning session. The first 15 minutes were free activities. This was followed by a short teacher-directed music and dance activity, also 15 minutes in length. During the free activities period, both Ivana and Angelica enjoyed coloring at a small table. When the dance lesson began both girls continued to play together as "partners."

Date of Observation: October 1, 2012 Time Begun: 9:00 A.M. Time Ended: 9:45a.m.

Observation 1: [9:00 A.M. - 9:15 A.M.]

Both girls decide to move to the art area and color. Ivana quickly tires of this activity and begins to outline her hand on a clean piece of white paper with an orange crayon.

Angelica: What are you doing?

Ivana: I can do my hand like this.

Angelica: When you do that one, then you can do it again in blue…and then red…and then green…all colors.

Ivana: I want to do right hand and left hands. This is orange.

Angelica: How many you get? If you do all colors, it come out real pretty.

Ivana: I'ma do orange. You do this one (handing her a pink crayon).

Angelica: Ok. I'ma do pink. (pause) And another one and then some more.

Ivana: You know what? You can try…you can do feet too. Do toes.

Angelica: Why? Do your hand! (both girls giggle)

Ivana: My hand is littler than your hand.

Angelica: That's cuz…because you are smaller to me. I'm tall.

Angelica: I'ma give mine to my momma.

Ivana: Then do this (demonstrates rolling her hips in a circle)

Neither girl is following the dance instruction. As they are shushed and brought back to the lesson, they grow quiet and fully participate with the class.

Findings

Based on the observational results above both girls seem to demonstrate appropriate cognitive and language characteristics (Epstein, 2007). Both show high levels of self-esteem and feel comfortable making choices without assistance from their instructors. In fact, they seem to enjoy creating their own conversations and activities. Their social development is excellent and they appear to acknowledge each other as friends. Angelica in particular enjoys offering suggestions and initiating conversations. Both use relatively short-phrase responses (sentences of 3-4 words), are capable of conveying an idea, understand some basic concepts such as "tall" or "little," and understand the mechanics of expanding a conversation when warranted.

Reference

Epstein, A.S. (2007). The intentional teacher: Choosing the best strategies for young children's learning. Washington, DC: National Association for the Education of Young Children.