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While walking behind a five-year-old girl and her dad in my neighborhood recently I overheard her say, “I fell down at school today,” and her dad replied, “I’m sorry.” She looked up at him quizzically and said, “But you didn’t make me fall.” He laughed and began to explain to her what he meant. We know what he meant, but it reminded me of just how finely tuned children are to language at this age. In order to help young children understand the world – and the language – they are coming to know we need to consider the words we use.
As a first-year nursery schoolteacher, I once told a young student that his mom was running late because she was tied up in traffic. Perplexed, he began slowly repeating my words. “She’s running?” “She’s tied up?” Kids pay attention, very close attention, to the language we use. So, word play aside, do your young language learners a favor by choosing your words carefully when you are actually trying to communicate with them.
And just as clarity of communication is a goal of language, creative expression is another. Expose your budding writers and story tellers to the specificity and power of language. Introduce them to robust words and mighty language. Tell them that the wolf is beyond bad – he is ferocious! Don’t tell them your apple is good, tell them it tastes sweet, and that it feels crisp and juicy when you bite it!
Think about what you say. Don’t talk over kids heads by using expressions they might not get – and don’t talk down to them by using words that are “beige.” Talk to them and with them as you celebrate the splendor of language for all its clarity, creativity, humor, playfulness, character, and warmth.
For the moment,
Bye. Tschüss. Adiós Baibai. Da svidania. Ciao. Yasou. Zài jiàn. Leitraot. Au revoir. Ma’ assalama. Oya nah, bye my gee. Namaste. Au revoir. Cheerio. And Pip pip!
