Toddlers
What We Saw: During lunch, the
oldest toddler in the room stood up and walked to the
middle of the room. He proceeded to take off his bib,
and began to walk towards the toys. The teacher asked
him, "Are you done eating now?" In response,
the child shook his head yes. The teacher responded,
"Okay then, go get your plate on the table,"
He looked at her for a while, and the teacher repeated,
"Go get your plate." He went back to the table
and grabbed the plate, next the teacher asked, "Now
you are all done, so throw your plate in the garbage."
He went right to the lunch garbage and tossed it in.
The teacher said, "All right, I see that you understood
me, now you can play."
What It Means: Many young toddlers
are ready to practice self-help skills. By using
receptive language skills, this child was ready to follow
some simple directions given to him by his teacher.
Receptive language is the input system of language.
It is what we see and hear and the information that
we take in and understand. Children learn to comprehend
information through receptive language. At 11 months,
children usually start to understand simple questions
and between 13-18 months, they start to understand many
new words each week. Toddlers should be given opportunities
to use this skill throughout the day. Simple directions
can increase a child's ability to process language and
to comprehend what is being heard. Teachers are
amazed at how much toddlers really can understand and
do when they are given opportunities to try.
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