English for preschool education book 2

During the preschool year, peers begin to play an increasingly important role in children’s social and cognitive development.. However, the degree to which play involves other children i

HO CHI MINH CITY UNIVERSITY OF PEDAGOGY

FOREIGN LANGUAGE SECTION

COMPILED BY

NGUYEN THUY OANH –MA

NGUYEN THI BICH THUY –MA

HoChiMinh City 2003

ENGLISH

FOR PRESCHOOL EDUCATION

BOOK 2

Preface

The aim of this book is to help both the students who are studying in Department of Preschool Education and those who are interested in children

We would like to thank the Department of Preschool Education and all those whose sources have been used in this book

We are grateful too, to teachers, colleagues and students for their guidance in the preparation of this book

During the compiling of this book, there are certainly short comings we are ourselves responsible for We hope we will get more valuable comments and suggestions from the concerned in order to improve the quality of the book

Hochiminh City, 2003 Nguyen Thi Bich Thuy Nguyen Thuy Oanh

UNIT 1

AN OUTLINE OF PSYCHOLOGY

OF PRESCHOOL AGE

Pre-reading task

1 Do you like children a lot? Do you understand them quite well?

2 Are you interested in books about child psychology? Why?

3 You are going to read the text about psychology of preschool age Here are some concepts you need to know:

a Small muscle development: Development of dexterity such as cutting with scissors,

using crayons to colour sth

b Large muscle development: Development of motor skills such as running or throwing

c Prosocial behaviours: Actions that show respect and caring for others

Read the text

Children can be termed preschoolers when they are between 3 and 6 years of age This

is a time of rapid change in all areas of development Children master most motor skills

by the end of this period and can use physical skills to achieve wide range of goals By the age of 6, children use almost completely mature speech, not only to express their wants and their needs, but also to share their ideas and experiences Socially, children appropriate behaviours and rules and become increasingly adept at interacting with

other children

Physical development describes the changes in the physical appearance of children as well as in their motor skills During the preschool years the sequence in which all children develop motor skills is generally the same, though some children gain skills faster than others

The major physical accomplishment for preschoolers is increased control over the large and small muscles Small muscle development, sometimes called fine motor activity, related to movements such as buttoning a shirt or zipping a coat Large muscle development is gross motor activities

By the end of preschool period, most children can easily perform self-help tasks such as buckling, buttoning, snapping, and zipping They can go up and down steps with alternating feet They can perform fine motor activities such as cutting with scissors and using crayons to color a predefined area They also begin learning to write letters and words

A young child’s social life evolves in relatively predictable ways The social network grows from intimate relationship with parents or other guardians to include other family members, non-related adults, and peers Social interactions extend from home to neighborhood and from nursery school or other child-care arrangements to formal school Erik Erikson’s theory of personal and social development suggests that during early childhood, children must resolve the personality crisis of initiative versus guilt During the preschool year, peers begin to play an increasingly important role in children’s social and cognitive development Children’s relations with their peers differ

in several ways from their interactions with adults Peers play allows children to interact with other individuals whose level of development is similar to their own When peers have disputes among themselves, they must make concessions and must cooperate in resolving them if the play is to continue; unlike in adult-child disputes, in a peer dispute no one can claim to have ultimate authority Peer conflicts also let children see that others have thoughts, feelings, and viewpoints that are different from their own Conflicts also heighten children’s sensitivity to the effects of their behavior on others In this way, peer relationships help young children to overcome the egocentrism

Research involving children who are socially rejected by their peers suggests that these children are likely to lack positive prosocial skills Prosocial behaviours are voluntary actions toward others such as caring, sharing, comforting, and cooperation Several factors seem to be associated with the development of prosocial behaviours These include the following:

ƒ Parental disciplinary techniques that stress the consequences of the child’s behavior for others and that are applied within a warm, responsive parent-child relationship

ƒ Contact with adults who indicate they expect concern for others, who let children know that aggressive solutions to problems are unacceptable, and who provide acceptable alternatives

ƒ Contact with adults who attribute positive characteristics to children when they

do well

Comprehension check

1 Circle the main idea of the reading

a Peer relationships and prosocial behaviour

b Physical development in early childhood

c Children’s development during the preschool years

d Socioemotional development

2 Which one is true in the text?

A major accomplishment for preschoolers is

a hypothetical thought

b deductive thinking

c puberty

d increased control over the large and small muscles

3 Answer the following questions

1 What is term preschoolers defined?

2 At what age can children use most completely mature speech to express what they want and need?

3 What is physical development?

4 What can children do by the end of the preschool period?

5 What does Erik Erikson suggest?

6 Do children make friends easily when playing together? Why?

7 What do peer relationships help preschoolers to do?

8 Are prosocial behaviors compulsory? Why or Why not?

9 What factors are associated with the development of prosocial behaviours?

Vocabulary

1 Fill in the blanks with the words that appeared in the text

a _ is an important element in children’s development by the end of preschool period

b Parents not only pay attention to child _ development, but also his emotional development

c In general, attending kindergarten in the United States is However,

in some states it is compulsory

d Teachers usually deal with children of particular age For example, a _ teacher needs to know what preschool children are like Elementary teachers are concerned with middle childhood

2 Put the words from the box into the gaps:

peers effect emotional negative

important preschool social

Although academics may becoming increasingly more (1) _, research shows that social skills are what most (2) _ school adjustment (3) teachers should not feel pressured into teaching academics beyond what

is developmentally “best practice” but should continue to focus on social and (4) development Children who have been rejected by their (5) _ in kindergarten tend to have poor school performance, more absences, and (6) attitudes towards school that last throughout their school years “Three particular (7) _skills that are known to influence children’s peer acceptance: play behavior, ability to enter play groups, and communication skills”

Grammar review

Talking about ability: can, could, be able to

1 Form

can could + bare infinitive

be able to

By the end of preschool period, most children can easily perform

self-help tasks

2 Use

z Can is used to talk about the ability to do something

- At the age of four the child can identify by pointing to or

matching all major visible parts of the body

- Where’s the City’s Kindergarten? I can’t find it

In questions using can, we do not use do, but we reserve the order of can and the

subject

z Could is the past tense of can to say that someone had a general ability in the

past

When I was young, I could play tennis

Before this year, I couldn’t swim

Note: We do not use could to talk about individual situations For individual situations

we have to use was / were able to:

He could speak French When he got lost in Paris he was able to

ask for direction

He couldn’t sleep because he had insomnia

z Can and could do not have other forms such as infinitives or participles If we need to use these forms, we must use be able to instead of can and could:

I might be able to tell you about one of the benefits of preschool

They have been able to tell us about the standard of normal

development for children

3 When I was five years old I (read) short story

4 He _ (read) this English book He hasn’t studied English before

5 She (drive) until she went for lessons last year

6 My daughter is very clever, so she _ (read and write) when she was four

7 My child _ (dance) beautifully

8 My father is slightly deaf He _ (hear) very well

B Jane and Joan are friends but each one always wants to be better than the other at every thing Complete their conversation using can, could, or be able to Follow the example

1 Jane: I could read when I was only four years old

Joan: Well, I read when I was three!

2 Jane: I speak three languages

Joan: That’s nothing! I _ speak five languages

3 Jane: Last week, with my savings, I buy myself a pony

Joan: Really? Well, last week I _ buy a racing horse

4 Jane: The garden of my house is so big that I _ walk to the

end of it

Joan: That sounds rather small The garden of my house is so big that I

_ drive to the end of it in a car

5 Jane: I _ play the piano and the violin

Joan: Is that all? I play the piano, the violin, the flute and

the trumpet

6 Jane: When I was at school I _ read the whole book in a day

Joan: How slow When I was at high school I write a whole

book in a day

7 Jane: Last year, I got some many presents on my birthday that I

fit them all in one room

Joan: What a shame Last year I got so many presents on my

birthday that I _ fit them all in my house – I had to rent

the house next door too!

8 Jane: I’m very fit I _ run a mile in less than four minutes

Joan: Well, I run a mile in less than four minutes –

2 Can walk a balance beam Skip smoothly: stand on one

4 Walk with wide stance and body sway Can climb, push, pull, run, hang by both hands Have little endurance Reach for objects with two hands

2 What age range can each of these words be used for?

kid 1_ 12 woman …… boy ……

infant …… young person …… man ……

child …… middle-aged person … young adult ……

adolescent …… baby …… elderly person ……

girl .…… teenager ……

Work in pairs to compare your ideas with your partners

Example: A: I think a kid is between the ages of 1 and 12

B: I think a kid can be between 1 and 17

Listening

Listen to people talking about how they feel Tick the best response

1 Oh, that’s good 5 Why not?

Oh, that’s a pity What’s the matter?

2 Oh, that’s great 6 Oh, good

Oh, that’s too bad What a pity!

3 Why did he do that? 7 What did you do?

How did he do that? Why don’t you take

4 How do you feel? something for it?

Have you taken anything for it?

Writing

Put the words and phrases in the right order to make sentences

1./ teacher / maintain / the interest / must / of children / and / the growth / 2./ there is / strong connection / the sense of smell / between / and / the sense of taste /

3./ the children / tend / more slowly / to sing / in a lower voice /

4 / the child / is shown / how to observe / from all sides / objects /

1 Translate into Vietnamese

What kind of early childhood education programs exist?

Economic and social factors have led to an increasing demand for early childhood education programs, including day-care centers, nursery schools, compensatory preschool programs, and kindergarten Research findings have tended to support trends toward early intervention, school-readiness training, continuation of compensatory programs in the early elementary grades, targeting of students who are at risk, and

avoidance of the potential drawbacks of kindergarten retention

2 Translate into English

Ở Anh khi trẻ em lên hai hoặc ba thường học ở trường mầm non, nơi chúng học các trò chơi và các bài hát đơn giản Trường học thực sự của chúng chính là trường tiểu học

UNIT 2 LEARNING ABOUT CLASSROOM STYLES

Pre-reading task

Answer the following questions

1 Have you ever visited any kindergartens?

2 What can you observe from that?

Read the text

In collaborating with kindergarten teachers, preschool teachers and parents need to visit the school and pay close attention to details that may affect their students in kindergarten Maxwell confirmed that when teachers and parents agree on a philosophy of education, children usually adjust more easily Children feel more secure

in their new environment if they feel that their parents support the teacher and the school

The first step may be either a meeting with the kindergarten teacher or a class field trip

to the elementary school “Observe kindergarten classroom to identify teaching styles, classroom management techniques, and routines Also try to identify skills that are needed to be successful in participating in the kindergarten classroom.”

In her research, Karr-Jelinek used a checklist of what parents and teachers should look for in a kindergarten classroom, to see if their children – both normally developing and with special needs – are ready for the classroom they visit:

ƒ How many steps are given at a time in directions?

ƒ What types of words are children expected to understand?

ƒ How does each individual child compare to the other children?

ƒ How long are children expected to sit still in a group?

ƒ How often do children speak out of turn or move around when they should be sitting?

ƒ How much independence is expected?

ƒ What type of work is being done? (small groups, seatwork, etc.)

ƒ Where might my special needs students need extra help?

ƒ What kind of special information can I pass along to the teacher about each child?

ƒ Although expectations vary by teacher and school district, by the time children reach kindergarten they should be able to listen to a story in a group, follow two

or three or three oral directions, take turns and share, follow rules, respect the property of others, and work within time and space constraints They need to learn the difference between work and place, knowing when and where each is appropriate “Most five-years-olds can express themselves fluently with a variety of words and can understand an even larger variety of words used in conversations and stories”

Many kindergartens make use of learning centers, small group instruction, and whole group language activities However, others use “structured, whole group paper-and-pencil activities oriented to academic subjects, such as reading and mathematics The curriculum in these kindergartens often constitutes a downward extension of the primary grade curriculum and may call for the use of workbooks, which are part of a primary level textbook series Many early childhood professionals have spoken out on the inappropriateness of such a curriculum

Comprehension check

Answer the following questions:

1 What do preschool teachers and parents need to do in collaborating with the kindergarten teachers?

2 When do children usually adjust more easily?

3 How do children feel if their parents support the teacher and the school?

4 What is the first step in collaborating with kindergarten teachers?

5 What should they be taught by the time the children reach kindergarten?

6 What can five-year-old students do?

7 Why have many early childhood professionals spoke out on the inappropriateness of a curriculum?

Vocabulary

1 Match a word in the column A with its definition in the column B and make

sentences with these words

d the way in which anything is made or done

e a fixed and regular way of doing things

f the subjects taught at a particular school, college

2 Complete the sentences with the above words

a Every year kindergartens take for students to the zoo, park…to observe animals, plants

b Play at the center of the _ integrates science as language, mathematics and social studies

c There is much more freedom for women in Britain It’s sometimes difficult for Japanese women to _

d Preschool teachers may _ regularly with parents in educating children

e Now my guest’s left It’ll be back to the old _

f Preschool teachers with their knowledge of different learning and the temperaments of their students, can help children with the transition

Grammar review

Talking about probability and possibility: may, might

1 Form:

may might (not) + V

Note: might = perhaps will

2 Use

May, might are used to talk about the chance, or possibility, of future situation:

When I grow up I may be a sociologist or I might be primary teacher

I may go to the conference on rating scales for children in day-care tonight (It is

possible that I will go)

What are you doing next year? I might join a course in English (Perhaps I will

join)

May is less certain than will

Vietnam might win the match (It’s possible, but I don’t know.)

Vietnam will win the match ( I am sure they will.)

Practice

A This time you have to talk about possible happenings Use the words in brackets

Example: Do you think it will rain this afternoon? (may)

Æ It may rain this afternoon

1 Do you think Tom will be late? (may)

B Underline the correct verb form in the following sentences

1 Don’t wait for me I’ll be/ I might be late It depends on the traffic

2 ‘What are you doing tonight?’

‘I don’t know I’m going/ I might go out or I’m staying/ I might stay at home

3 We have guests coming for Sunday lunch I’m going to cook/ I might cook roast beef

and Yorkshire pudding I’ve bought all ingredients

4 ‘I’m going to buy George a pink shirt.’

‘ I wouldn’t, if I were you.’

‘Why not?’

‘He isn’t going to like/ He might not like the colour pink.’

5 Take an umbrella with you when you go out It’ll / might rain later

6 Catherine wants to be a politician Who knows? One day she’ll be/ she might be

Prime Minister!

What do you think?

Talk about the kindergarten you have visited Use the prompts below to help you

- It location

- Kinds of building structures

- Peers and their teachers

- What should be done to make it a better place for children to study

Communication plays a vital (1) _ in young children’s lives From a friendly smiles (2) a handshake to a skipping movement to a majestic painting or a peppy tune, expression – in all (3) _ forms – surrounds and influences children every day Communication contains a lot (4) _ activities Reading, language arts, music, art, movement, physical education, social studies, and science (5) all presented in the activities Children delight in the creative forms of expression found in herein, including painting to musical moods, pantomiming career aspirations Open communication is natural (6) _ young children Children’s expression, in a variety (7) _ forms, abound

Translation

A Translate the poem into Vietnamese

Kindergarten Here We Come

Kindergarten, Here We Come!

Send your little ones on their way with these songs!

(sung to the tune of “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star”)

Kindergarten, here we come!

We know we’ll have lots of fun

Lots of things to make and do

Reading, writing, counting, too

Kindergarten, here we come!

We know we’ll have lots of fun

UNIT 3

PSYCHOLOGICAL BACKGROUND

OF CLASSIFICATION ACTIVITIES

Pre-reading questions

1 Match a noun on the left with a definition on the right

1 object a special quality or characteristic

2 property b expert in psychology

3 item c group of object used together

4 set d single article or unit in a list

5 psychologist e solid thing that can be seen and touch

2 Fill in the blanks with the words in exercise 1 to complete the sentences

a She’s just been to the supermarket She’s checking some in the shopping list

b Vygotsky is the well-known child _ all over the world

c There are several _ on the floor of the room: toy car, bowl…

d There is a _ of four dinning chairs in the kitchen

e The child learn to identify objects, to recognize their various

Read the text

The psychologists Piaget and Vygotsky trace the child’s tendency to classify back to his early years The baby learns from experience which objects can or can not be put into his mouth; which objects can or cannot be held in his hand; which subjects do or do not produce noise when moved; he learns to distinguish between breakable and unbreakable objects All these are processes which concern the characteristics of objects The child absorbs this information by performing various actions with objects and observing the results which will determine his attitude towards them However, he

is not able as yet to establish a relationship between the objects When two or year-old child is asked to collect objects that are similar in some ways, he usually places together objects with no connection whatsoever The child tends to fuse in his perception very distant items because of some casual impression

three-Later, the child will be able to group various objects together, not only because of casual subjective impressions, but also because of connection actually existing between those objects

In the next stage of his development the child combines objects into sets according patterns from his practical experience For example, the combination of objects on the basis of their common functional operation: knife, fork and spoon, or a set of clothes

Only at the older age the child is able to isolate properties from objects and collect objects with similar properties To do this he must concentrate on certain properties of the objects while ignoring those which are irrelevant

At five to six years of age, the child is able to classify objects according to their similar properties He begins to understand why he has grouped certain objects together and he can use this knowledge to classify the remaining objects Moreover, he can reclassify the same group of objects according different criteria At kindergarten age, the child begins to internalize concepts related to classification The most important point of all these activities is not the linguistic aspect but, first and foremost, the ability of the child

to classify, which is expressed in his actual action

The concept of set must be perceived by the children intuitively, the relation starting from the children’s social life: their names, toys…The classification activities are based mainly on classification of concrete objects which offer a large number of stimulation These are accompanied by the classification of pictures, objects and abstract forms (letters and numerals)

The classification methods suggested are:

Guided classification – where the task is specified and suggested by the teacher Free Classification – whereby the objects are presented to the child and he chooses a

particular property or properties as the criteria for forming the groups or dividing groups into subgroups

Comprehension check

Are these sentences true (T) or false (F)?

1 _ A child has his tendency to classify back to his early years

2 _ The baby learns from his / her parents’ experience of all kinds

3 _ These processes concern the characteristics of objects around the baby

4 _ Child can perform various actions with objects but can’t observe the result

5 _ A child can’t set up a relationship between the objects

6 _ A child can place together the same objects that he’s asked to collect because of their impression available

7 _ The child then will be able to group various objects together because of some casual expressions and the connection of the object

8 _ In the next stage of his development the child can isolate properties from object

9 _ At the older age the child just can collect objects with different properties

10 _ The child begins to understand why he has groups the objects of the objects

at the age of four

11 _ The ability of child to classify objects is expressed in his / her actual action

12 _ The child’s classification activities are based mainly on classification of any object

13 _ In the guided classification the teacher’s task is suggested

14 _ The child can choose a particular property that is presented to him

Vocabulary

1 Write the related verbs and nouns

Example: oppose (v) Æ opposition (n)

a classify b characterize

c isolate d stimulate

e combine f connect

2 Put the words in the correct gaps

positional expressions, children actions, vertical fashion, environment, young children, construct, activities(2),

Building and constructing

Children love to build and make things This love for building is first seen in (1) as they make things in a horizontal fashion and later, as older children, they pile things one on another in a (2) _ This love for building is seen around the (3) _ – where ever young children are found With Legos, nesting blocks and all types of other things, children build and (4) _ the world in which they play Constructing carries with it a host of exciting opportunities to develop, practice, and master various understandings, skills, and attitudes

The activities include making snowflakes, drawing’s children’s and animals’ bodies, experiencing (5) , building groups of objects, investigating plant and animal life forms, understanding word study, obeying safety and danger signs, imitating the movements of common items found in homes, watching television, and numerous other (6) The world of building comes alive as children become immersed

in sea of creative things Through the (7) , they come to know and understand the world Building and constructing are, quite simply, fun (8) that become opportunities for learning

Grammar review

Talking about obligation and necessity 1: must, have to

1 Form

must + V have to

Educators must know the principle theories of children’s cognitive,

social, and moral development

2 Use

z Must and have to are used to talk about something which is necessary Must

expresses strong obligation from speaker

I must study hard I really want to pass this exam

z Have to expresses strong obligation that comes from a rule or situation that we

have no control over:

I have to clean my teeth every day My teacher has told me to

z As must does not have any other forms such as an infinitive or participles, we use have to when these forms are needed:

I don’t finish my report today I might have to work at the weekend

This game was so difficult that the child had to ask mother for help

Practice

A Complete these sentences using must when possible, or have to

1 My child’s toy car was stolen, so I have to get another one for him

2 The law says that every one _ wear a seat belt when they are traveling by car

3 You _ call me as soon as you arrive

4 I like to sleep late, but I _ start work at 8 a.m every morning

5 I don’t like my hair I _ have it cut soon

6 The doctor says my baby _ stay in bed today

7 You _ be back home before it gets dark or I will be worried

8 I feel terrible I _ sit down

B Complete these sentences using the correct form of have to

1 When the telephone rang I get out of the bath to answer it

2 I expect I _ get a part-time job next year

3 Our television broke down last week, so we _ buy a new one

4 My parents have been on holiday for two weeks, so I look after their dog

5 If you fail the exam, you _sit it again next year

6 You _ stay in bed for a week until you feel better

7 Since Harold got his new job, he _ work every weekend

8 I wait for an hour in the supermarket last week

Necessity/obligation 2 : mustn’t, don’t have to, needn’t(have), didn’t need to, don’t need to, doesn’t need to

Use

1 Don’t have to, don’t need to or needn’t expresses absence of obligation

Mustn’t is used to express a prohibition

You mustn’t make noise The baby is sleeping

You don’t have to feed the child I’ll do that

Children don’t need to swim in the sea They have a swimming pool

2 Needn’t have and didn’t need to are used to talk about necessity and obligation in the past Needn’t have with a past participle is used to talk about an action which someone did, although it was unnecessary

I took my swimsuit to the beach I needn’t have taken it It was too

cold to swim

3 Didn’t need to with an infinitive is used to talk about an action which was

unnecessary

Peter didn’t need to go to kindergarten on Saturday

(We don’t know if he need to go or not.)

(mustn’t doesn’t have to)

3 Peter is pleased as he _ go to kindergarten tomorrow

(mustn’t doesn’t need to)

4 Andy go inside that old building It is not safe

(mustn’t, needn’t)

5 You drink the water in the river It is not clean

(mustn’t, don’t need to)

6 You _drink the water in the river I have brought some

lemonade!

(mustn’t, don’t need to)

7 I walk to work as I have borrowed my sister’s car this week (mustn’t, needn’t)

8 The doctor says I walk for a few days as I have hurt my ankle

(mustn’t, don’t have to)

B Mary and June are getting ready to go on holiday They are planning what to take with them Complete their conversation using the words in the box Follow the

example:

mustn’t needn’t have needn’t mustn’t needn’t have

didn’t need to don’t have to don’t need to

1 Mary: Should I take any warm clothes?

June: You needn’t any warm clothes – it will be hot

2 Mary: I bought a new camera for the holiday

June: You _ bought a camera – you could

have borrowed my brother’s one

3 Mary: That’s OK I wanted a new one anyway

June: Remember, you _ pack your new camera at the

Bottom of your bag – it will get broken there

4 Mary: OK Shall I take my hair dryer?

June: You _ take your hair dryer – I’ll take mine and

we don’t need two

5 Mary: Do you have a book to read?

June: I nearly bought a book but then my dad gave me one of his so I

_ buy one

6 Mary: That was lucky I’ve got three big books to read

June: You _ take lost of heavy things or your luggage

will weigh too much

7 Mary: Yes, you’re right I must remember my passport this time

June: You _ remember your passport We aren’t

going to a foreign country

8 Mary: Of course I have brought my sea- sickness tablets too

June: You brought them either – we’re not

traveling by boat!

Discussion

Work in groups to discuss the questions below

- Should children be encouraged to perform classification activities, then explain what they did and why?

- What objects that may be classified can be put in a variety of receptacles or in certain places?

Listening

You will listen to the sentences containing one of the words in each pair below Circle

the word you hear

1 toes nose 5 throat foot

2 neck back 6 wrist chest

3 hips lips 7 eyes cars

4 hair ear 8 leg neck

Writing

Use the following sets of words and phrases to write complete sentences

1 / the children / speak directly / peers / attentive to others / the group /

ƒ Try several different kinds of painting: finger painting, water color etc Look at

an artist’s work (such as Van Gogh) and then using different techniques, practice and make your own paintings Then try to paint each others’ portraits

Science

Play with magnets Hypothesize about what a magnet will attract and what it will repel, then test your hypothesis How many paper clips to one magnet?

ƒ Find some things that are liquid and some things that are not How do you make

a solid become a liquid? Experiment with ice

ƒ Using pictures, talk about the characteristics of an insect (six legs, three sections

of body, etc.) Go on a nature walk and study the insects you find Inspect them

to make sure they are insects

UNIT 4 PRESCHOOLERS’ PLAY

keeping shop

being pirates

playing at catch

hide-and-seek pick-a-back fight

hopscotch

Read the passage

Most of a preschooler’s interactions with peers occur during play However, the degree

to which play involves other children increases over the preschool years In a classic study of preschoolers, Mildred Parten identified four categories of play that reflect increasing levels of social interaction and sophistication Solitary play is play that occurs alone, often with toys, and is independent of what other children are doing Parallel play involves children engaged in the same activity side by side but with very little interaction or mutual influence Associative play is much like parallel play but with increased levels of interaction in the form of sharing, turn-taking, and general interest in what others are doing Cooperative play occurs when children join together

to achieve a common goal, such as building a large castle with each child building a part of the structure For example, Howes and Matheson followed a group of children for 3 years, observing their play when they were 1 to 2 years old and continuing until they were 3 to 4 years old They found that children engage in more complex types of play as they grow older, advancing from simple forms of parallel play to complex pretend play in which children cooperate in planning and carrying out activities

Play is important for children because it exercises their linguistic, cognitive, and social skills and contributes to their general personality development Children use their minds when playing, because they are thinking and acting as if they were another person When they make such a transformation, they are taking a step toward abstract thinking in that they are freeing their thoughts from a focus on concrete objects Play is

also associated with creativity, especially the ability to be less literal and more flexible

in one’s thinking Play has an important role in Vygotsky’s theories of development, because it allows children to freely explore ways of thinking and acting that are above their current level of functioning Vygotsky wrote, “In play a child is always above his average age, above his daily behavior; in play it is as though he were a head taller than himself.”

Preschoolers’ play appears to be influenced by a variety of factors For instance, preschoolers’ interactions with peers are related to how they interact with their parents Three-year-olds who have warm and nurturing relationships with parents are more likely to engage in social pretend play and resolve conflicts with peers than are children with less secure relationships with their parents Children can also play better with familiar peers and same-sex peers Providing age-appropriate toys and play activities can also support the development of play and peer interaction skills

Comprehension check

1 Which words in the text have the same meaning as follows:

a _: play that is much like parallel play but with increased levels of interaction in the form of sharing, turn-taking…

b _: play that occurs alone

c _: play in which children join together to achieve a common goal

d _: play in which children engage in the same activities side by side but with very little interaction or mutual influence

2 Which of the following statements about play is false?

a Psychologists today generally agree that play is overemphasized in kindergarten and detracts from academics

b Parallel play occurs when children do not interact purposefully with each other

to create shared experiences

c Sociodramatic play follows pretend play in the developmental sequence

d Because play is spontaneous, it appears to stimulate creativity

4 Are the following questions true (T) or false (F)?

a _ Preschoolers interact with one another during play

b _ Associative play occurs when children join together to achieve a common goal

c _ Children engage in the same types of play when they get older

d _ Play is associated with creativeness

e _ Children tend to play better with the same sex friends

5 Answer the questions below:

a How many categories of play are there in a classic study of preschoolers?

b Why is play important to children?

c Why do children use their mind when playing?

d What’s the role of play according to Vygotsky’s theories of development?

e What are factors that influence on preschoolers’ play?

Vocabulary

Multiple choice test

Choose the best words to fill in the gap

Some teachers with whom we spoke told us that their whole program is (1) _ Others, like Kristin, are experimenting with including more play Others are wondering

if play is (2) _, and, if so, what kind and how much All are trying to answer questions about the (3) of play in meeting the needs of the children with whom they work

“ Developmentally appropriate practice” is a (4) used by the National Association for the Education of Young Children to describe (5) _ grounded

in child development theory and research, thereby designed to meet the developmental needs of children These are programs in which children’s (6) in all areas is fostered through age-appropriate activities congruent with children’s growth

1 a play b game c contest

2 a suitable b appropriate c acceptable

3 a part b function c role

4 a term b phrase c explanation

5 a plans b programs c intentions

6 a growth b mature c development

Grammar review

Talking about reasons: because, since, as, because of

1 We use because, since and as to connect two clauses which explain the reason for so

bmething happening:

Children like observing animals and plants because they are interesting

He felt confused since nobody understood what he said

It is important to warn the children against tasting everything they

want as some things might be dangerous

2 Difference between because of and because

because + clause

because of + noun, noun phrase

Ç

They couldn’t go out because it was raining

They couldn’t because of the heavy rain

Practice

A Use the words in the box to make complete sentences Follow the example:

1.June was sad We have very light skin

2 Henry got his hair cut

3 Sally went to the doctor

4 We often get sunburn

5.Paul arrived late

6 The day passed quickly

7 People thought we were sisters

8 The car stopped

because

as since

They were enjoying themselves

We looked so alike

She had a bad cold

It had run out of petrol

Her dog had died

He missed the bus

It was too long

1 June was sad because her dog had died

1 It was raining The picnic was canceled (as)

The picnic was cancelled as it was raining

2 The tree had to be cut down It was dangerous (since)

1 I like Gordon He is kind

a) I like Gordon because he is kind

b) I like Gordon because of his kindness

2 Sue’s parents are proud of her She is intelligent

a) _

Fill the words you hear into the gaps

Three children, Andrea (age three years and two months), Celine, and Peter (age three years and four months), were playing with pots and pants at an (1) sand table Andrea and Celine were busy (2) _ about what the baby will have for breakfast, while Peter silently stirred a bowl of sand nearby

Pam, their teachers observed their play and assessed Peter’s silence engagement as an example of solitary or perhaps (3) _ play However, her later analysis of a video tape recording of this episode provided evidence for Peter’s more active participation in the group (4) _ During the episode Pam had been casually observing nearby Though close at hand, she failed to take note of the role that Peter had been assigned Only at the end of the (5) _ she made aware that she and Peter had been feeling the role of “baby” and “baby-sitter” respectively This was revealed to her at the (6) of the episode when Andrea, the “mommie”, pointed her (7) _ and said to Pam: “Baby, you-I’m going out to the woods” Then gesturing toward Peter, Andrea said: “ You stay here with the baby-sister”

Translation

1 Translate into Vietnamese

a Specific behaviours that cause rejection by fellow students include things like rough play, arguing, upsetting things in class, trying to get their own way, and not sharing Children who exhibit these behaviours also tend to be less independent and less cooperative than their peers Most children prefer playing with others who are polite, caring, attentive Preschool teachers and parents need to teach young children social skills, especially how to enter social groups

b Perhaps the most important contribution of Vygotsky to understanding play and development is his assertion that every function in development occurs first at the social level and then at the individual level

2 Translate into English

a Niềm hạnh phúc lớn lao là nhìn con cái trưởng thành quanh chúng ta

b Vygotsky có một vài ý kiến thú vị về việc trẻ em phát triển sự hiểu biết các luật chơi như thế nào Ông khẳng định rằng tất cả các trò chơi đều có luật, và cùng với sự phát triển các luật chơi trở nên diễn đạt rõ ràng hơn

c Vui chơi trước hết là một dạng hoạt động không mang tính chất bắt buộc

ADDITIONAL TEXT

Differences in boys’ and girls’ play and socialization

Paley, a teacher and writer, examined the differences in play of preschool boys and girls She found that when time for spontaneous play was lengthened, boys became more willing to engage in quiet table activities more typically favored by girls

A year long study of children’s narratives by Nicolopoulou and scales found preschool boys’ and girls’ stories differed in both content and form In their stories, boys were inclined to pile powerful or violent images, one upon another, with little apparent order nor sequence Girls, on the other hand, tied their stories to the rhythm of the home For example, babies get up and have breakfast, go to the park, come home, and go to bed

For girls, the family romance was paramount, with marriage, the arrival, losing,

or finding of babies being frequent themes Relationship of mother, father, sister and baby were often depicted Boys on the other hand rarely spoke of any relationship other than that of a “friend”, a friend with whom they more than likely battled as culminating feature of their stories These gender differences emerged quite early and persisted despite teachers’ efforts to broaden the repertoires of both boys and girls

As a teacher and researcher are aware, not only do the themes and characteristics for boys’ and girls’ stories differ but so too does their willingness to engage in play usually associated with members of the opposite sex Garvey and Berndt found boys were reluctant to play roles of a specific female character such as

“mom”, or even assume roles that are commonly associated with females, such as preparing food

A similar reluctance was evident in the story-play observations of two of the authors Preschool boys refused to allow girls to play “male” roles such as “ bad guy” Kindergarten boys refused to play “prince” roles typically found in the girls’ stories Paley recommends that the teachers respect children’s role choices Such roles are part of the child’s self-concept Like Paley’s work, further observation, reflection, and sharing by teachers about their classrooms can contribute to greater understanding

of this critical issue

UNIT 5 BENEFITS OF OUTDOOR PLAY

Pre-reading task

Do you prefer outdoor play to indoor play? Why? Why not?

Read the text

While it’s expected that outdoor play will differ in some ways from indoor activities, the rich learning potential of time outdoors deserves special attention Guidelines presented for developmentally appropriate practice and other early childhood literature illustrate the importance of time outdoors The literature indicates, for example, that children tend to engage in different social and cognitive forms of play in indoor and outdoor settings Boys, for example, tend to engage in more dramatic play and longer play episodes during outdoor versus indoor activities Girls, on the other hand, tend to engage in indoor activities For most children, outdoor play also tends to be more creative, adventuresome, socially interactive, fun, carefree, and active than indoor play

Out door play environments, especially those which offer access to natural materials, are also rich in sensory stimulation and support a board range of skills and interests Such environments support the development of the whole child, including the mental, physical, aesthetic, social, adaptive, emotional, and communication domains Some research indicates that outdoor play contributes to literacy, fosters and appreciation of the natural world, and supports the development of naturalistic intelligence

Both a suitable environment and adult support play critical roles in making outdoor time an enjoyable and valuable learning experience for all young children Safety and accessibility are two factors to be considered when setting up the physical environment and planning for the role of adults While these factors are important for all young children, they are even more critical for children with special needs because these children tend to be at greater risk for accidents, injuries, and social isolation than their typically developing peers Condition that make them more at risk include problems with balance and motor control, seizure disorders, vision and hearing impairments While adults should be aware of the increased risk for children with special needs, they should not try to create environment or arrange situations that are devoid of opportunities for healthy risk taking An environments that is free of risk limits children’s opportunities for novel experiences Children need such opportunities to stimulate exploration and, at times, to learn from their mistakes

Providing suitable environment for outdoor play doesn’t always mean constructing playgrounds with a variety of equipment In fact, an impressive body of evidence indicates that children prefer to spend the greatest amount of their outdoor time in

undesignated play spaces, rather than on traditional playgrounds Unfortunately, “most child care center playgrounds continue to contain constructed pieces of equipment designed exclusively for gross motor activities, ignoring the social, emotional and cognitive needs of children” As such environments are limited in opportunities for exploration and involvement, a child’s potential for learning in those environments will also be limited

Comprehension check Read the passage carefully and choose the appropriate answer below

1 The literature shows that

a girls don’t tend to engage in different social and cognitive forms of plays in indoor and outdoor settings

b boys tend to engage in such forms of plays in indoor and outdoor settings

c children tend to engage in different social and cognitive forms of plays in indoor and outdoor settings

d children tend not to engage in different social and cognitive forms of plays in indoor and outdoor settings

2 Outdoor play environments offer

a the access to natural materials

b the enrichment in sensory stimulation

c the development of the whole children

d a & b & c are correct

3 What are the important factors to be considered when setting up the physical environment?

a safety

b accessibility

c the role of adults

d a and b are correct

4 Why should adults arrange situations or opportunities for healthy risk taking?

a They give children opportunities for novel experiences

b Children can learn from their mistakes

c A and b are correct

d A and b are incorrect

5 Constructing playgrounds with a variety of equipment is

a suitable environments for outdoor play

b less appealing to children because children prefer playing in undesignated play spaces

c Safe for children’s risky taking

d Good for adults to control children’s activities

6 A child’s potential for learning in designed activity is limited

a in traditional playgrounds

b in opportunities for exploration and involvement

c in being controlled by adults

d in spending their time taking risky activities

a a play that takes place outdoors

b the chance of injury, damage, or loss, dangerous chance

c the field of knowledge or activities

d a place, often part of a school yard for outdoor games and recreation

e a trip away from the classroom to permit the gathering of data at first hand

2 Fill the blanks with the words in previous exercise

a _ is one of preschool learning activities to help children to widen knowledge about the natural world

b Have to you ever participated in a sport that takes the such as car racing, scuba diving…?

c _ help children to be more active

d There is a for children in each kindergarten of our city

e I still know little about _ of art

Talking about obligation and advice: should, shouln’t

1 Should and shouldn’t are used to give or ask for advice

We should keep a certain area of the classroom as a nature corner

and display site

She shouldn’t be late for the class

2 Should have with a past participle is used to talk about things which didn’t happen,

although they were supposed to:

We should have started the workshop on science program for

kindergarten and elementary school children

3 We use should not have with a past participle to talk about things which did happen

although they weren’t supposed to:

I shouldn’t have worked too hard Now I feel tired

Children shouldn’t have used these items They are only three

Practice

A Your uncle leads a very unhealthy life Use the phrases in the box with should, shouldn’t to give him good advice Follow the example

eat more fruit and vegetables play more sport smoke cigarettes

drink a lot of coffee go for a walk every day go to bed early

eat chocolate and sweets stay up late watching television

1 You should/ ought to eat more fruit and vegetables

B Read about these situations and give advice using should have, shouldn’t have

Follow the example

1 I didn’t take my umbrella when I went shopping I got wet

You should have taken your umbrella

2 I didn’t send my mother a birthday card She was very angry

5 I didn’t eat my breakfast I was hungry all day

Your hair is too long I think you _ get it cut

You smell, and you’ve got a cough You smoke

I’m going to bed I be up early tomorrow

I’d like to meet your boyfriend You _ invite him round

I tell my parents where I am, then they don’t worry

You come with me if you don’t want to I’ll go on my own

If you need some help with your homework, you _ go the library

If you’ve got a ticket, you _ queue You can go straight in

You tell lies It’s naughty

Geoff works too much I think he take it easy

Discussion

Work in groups to discuss these questions

1 Why do children’s enjoyment and participation in outdoor activities are limited?

2 Are there enough “ environmental yards” in the kindergartens of our country?

Writing

Sentence Connectors: on the contrary and on the other hand

- On the contrary emphasizes a denial

- On the other hand introduces a statement that is in contrast to another

1 The single-tract system permits each child a maximum freedom of choice; _, the two-tract system strictly limits the number of children who can go on to college

2 The single-tract system does not restrict the child; , it gives him a maximum freedom of choice

3 The American system has the advantage of being open and accessible; , there is a great danger that all children might be treated as if they were exactly alike

4 Not all students who graduate from secondary school can be admitted to a university; , many universities have very high entrance requirements

5 It is possible to argue that universities should not combine theoretical studies such as philosophy with practical courses such as hotel management; , it can be argued that the public university must meet the needs of the society it serves

on the other hand, any expected event occuring during the outing, and all the sights it unveil, should also be given maximum attention Therefore the group should be small (no more than 10 children) and of course, accompanied by some adults - both for reasons of safety and for personal attention The children should be allowed to move freely, observe things and ask questions

UNIT 6

SUGGESTIONS FOR CREATING ACCESSIBLE

AND MEANINGFUL OUTDOOR ENVIRONMENTS

Pre-reading task

1 Did you use to play alone or play with your peers? Did you feel shy when you play with them? Were you afraid of the strange animals?

2 Do adults help you and encourage you to participate in outdoor play?

Read the passage

Following are some specific suggestions as to what adults can do to make outdoor play more accessible and meaningful for all young children

Provide a wide variety of play and learning materials so that all children can make choices based on their individuals interests, abilities, and levels of comfort Learning centers often used inside the classroom to accomplish this goal Keep in mind that learning centers are just as appropriate for outdoor settings as they are for indoor classrooms Materials for art, dramatic play, and, and construction (blocks, etc.) can be easily set up outdoors, thus affording a wide variety of choices for children This is especially important for children who may find large muscle activities difficult or intimidating

Engage in outdoor play spontaneously Some children need modeling, encouragement, and guidance on how to engage in indoor play Be there for the children to observe, encourage, and support

Encourage peer-to-peer interaction While outdoors, some children tend to stay close to

an adult and may try to keep the adult engaged in conversation or interactive play The child’s may be motivated by the need for protection or attention An appropriate adult response is to assure the child that he will be safe, but that interacting with other children is what is expected

Provide opportunities for children to modify their play spaces and play activities by adding loose materials to the play environment By being dynamic and ever-changing, loose parts meet the diverse and changing needs of children during play and promote a wide range of play forms Loose parts are, in fact, “the most popular equipment chosen

by children on playgrounds” “Loose materials”, such as sticks, stones, cardboard boxes, rug scraps… provide excellent materials for creative manipulation of the environment Children’s play environments should be never totally finished

Be sensitive to children’s feelings and anxieties Some children will fear certain

outdoor elements For example, it’s not unusual for young children to fear bees,

thunder… They may also fear butterflies and birds Some children may be fearful of

climbing or participating in rough and tumble play It’s often helpful to talk to

individual children about their feelings and gradually lead them to a better

understanding of that which they are afraid Children should be assured that adults are

concerned about their safety and will be nearby to protect them

Give children many opportunities for exploration and involvement in natural spaces “

Natural spaces provide opportunities for children to explore and manipulate their

environment in a way that is not permissible in more formalized play spaces

Adapt the outdoor play space, as necessary, for children with physical disabilities

Comprehension check Match a line in A with a line in B

A B

1 a wide variety of play and learning

materials so that

2 Materials for art, dramatic play can be

easily set up outdoors, especially for…

3 The child’s need for protection and

attention while outdoors…

4 Provide opportunities for children to

modify their place spaces and play

activities by adding loose materials to the

play environments means that…

5 Offering the children reassurance and

encouragement to…

6 Talking to individual children about

their feelings and anxieties…

7 Natural spaces provide opportunities

for children to explore and manipulate

their environment…

8 Adaptable outdoor play spaces are

necessary for children…

a…children who may find large muscle activities difficult

b…with physical disabilities

c to lead them to a better understanding

of that which they are afraid

d in a way that is not permissible in more formalized play spaces

e all children can make choices

f take part in activities

g should be responded by adults to assure the child that he will be safe

h children’s play environment should never be totally finished

Vocabulary

A Match a term in A with its definition in B:

A B

1 material

2 anxiety

3 adapt

4 manipulate

a control or handle sth with skill

b what a thing is, or may be, made of;

B Put each of the following words or phrases in its correct place in the passage

exploration, favorite place, outdoors, natural environments, hill, elements

(1) _in the out-of-doors are perhaps the most ideal environment for learning because they foster creativity and (2) and are appealing to children Unless socialized differently, children love to be outdoors In one research study, children were asked to draw their (3) to play – only four out of 96 children depicted inside areas

Other elements that make the (4) so appealing to children include association with other living things (plants and animals), opportunities for exploration, and opportunities for opened ended play Specific (5) of what children like in outdoor environments, as expressed by children themselves, include access to water (especially a waterfall and pond with fish and frogs), flowers that they can pick, a (6) _ to climb on, a garden, and very tall and bright flowers, such as sunflowers

Grammar review

Result: so, therefore, so/such…that

1 So and therefore are used to explain the result of something Therefore is more formal than so:

Michael wants to be a good teacher so/ therefore he’s trying his best to improve

his knowledge

Everybody compliments her child so she’s very proud of him

2 So/such…that…are also used to explain the result of something

so + adj + that + clause such noun

Gary wrote so badly that people stop to read his books

He was such a bad singer that he became quite famous

Practice

A Join these sentences, making sure that they are in the right order, using either so or therefore Follow the example:

1 Susan felt ill She went to the doctor

Susan felt ill therefore she went to the doctor

2 Adrian was very annoyed He had lost his bus ticket

1 Mrs Green decided to go on a bus trip because she was bored

Mrs Green was so bored that she decided to go on a bus trip

2 She had to wait for half an hour because the bus was late

C Rewrite the following sentences using such…that….Follow the example

1 Michael ran so fast that he won the race

Michael was such a fast runner that he won the race

2 Jason painted so well that he studied art

_

3 The city was so big that we often got lost

D Complete these sentences using so or such Follow the example

1 He was so unhappy that he started to cry

2 She was _ a good friend that I miss her very much

3 They were tired that they couldn’t stay awake

4 They made a lot of noise that we phoned to complain

5 We are bad swimmers that we will have to get lessons

6 He is _ excited that he can’t sit still She had a good time that she plans to come back next year

7 It was quiet you could hear a pin drop

Listening

Listen to the following text Put true (T) or false (F) in the gap If they are false, say

why

1 _ In the United States government officials, parents and teachers are working hard

to give the children the best preparation available

2 _ There is national school policy in the United States

3 _ Public school in all states are supported by taxes paid by the citizens of individual state

Writing

Linking words: so, because

- So is use to express the result of statement before

- Because expresses the reason or cause of something

Examples: She was tired so she went home

She went home because she was tired

Link these sentences, first with because and then with so Change nouns to pronouns

where necessary

Example: Paul got up early because he had to go to the railway station

Æ Paul had to go to the railway station, so he got up early

1 Andrew didn’t go out Andrew was tired

_

_

2 The baby didn’t want to eat The baby was full

_

Translate this activity into Vietnamese

Guess What? (science)

Overview: The children learn about the various textures, smells, sounds, tastes, and

appearances of objects in three related games The first involves a feel and remember exercise; the second a visual memory exercise; and the third, a match-by-property group games Property hunts complete the activities on an interesting, stimulating note

Objective: Discovering the idea of property

Supplies: y handkerchief ( for blindfold) y small objects

Words you’ll like: property, object, blindfold, matching, describe, category, noisy,

quiet, smooth, taste

Getting Started

Place an object in the hands of a blindfolded child The child smells, feels, and/or listens to the mystery object and tries to remember its properties Remove the object and the blindfold and have the child look at a set of three similar objects (including mystery object) The child try to identify the mystery item Examples of sets are:

1 tissue, felt square, paper square

2 foil, cellophane wrap, waxed paper

3 three envelopes of herb such as garlic, pepper, dry mustard

4 rattle, bell, whistle

5 paper clip, coin, bottle cap

Target

Show one child a set of six objects Ask the child the following questions about the various properties of the objects:

1 Which object is noisy?

2 Which object is quiet?

3 Which object is strange-looking?

4 Which object is smooth? Bumpy? Rough?

5 Which object has a nice smell?

6 Which object has a good taste?