As a child approaches and enters secondary school the expectations of language change and become more sophisticated
- language is internalised as thought
- internalised language guides behaviour - rules have meaning
- meta-linguistic awareness develops - from the age of six to seven years children begin to play with language, such as knock knock jokes
- the language understood and used becomes more abstract and decontextualised
- language is used to:
- plan
- explain
- instruct
- reflect on imaginary events/hypothesise
- describe thoughts and feelings
- communicate with other people.
(Brock et al. 2001)
Development occurs across all areas:
Receptive Language
Understanding spoken language and written language including:
- the literal - the ideas and information explicit in the text
- organisation - integrating old and new information, from a range of sources
- inference - interpreting significance of information by inference or conjecture
- the evaluative - involving personal judgement of the acceptability of information
Concept development:
The understanding of abstract language. There is a developing understanding and a recognition of how to use language to think away from the 'here and now'. Development of thinking skills to internalise ideas and apply them to different situationns.
Vocabulary development:
To include understanding of ambiguity, collaquialisms, synonyms and other language structures requiring inference.
Sequencing information:
To develop analysis of words, sentences and paragraphs.
Expressive language
Expressive skills will mirror the development of more sophisticated understanding and knowledge of the language system. Students will become more proficient in their ability to manipulate complex grammar and a wider range of vocabulary that allows them to engage in an increasing range of linguistic functions.