Page 44 - PSPS: A Training guide

Unit 4 Language: Identifying Needs

The language a child speaks as their mother tongue can present different types of
barriers during their transition to primary school either from the preschool or home, if
it differs from the official language of tuition. In some countries where there is no
mandatory or accessible preschool programme in place, school is the child’s first real
immersion into the majority/national language.

In migrant families, the adults may not have any command of the official language, but
may have sent their children to kindergarten and preschool, so their children have
learnt at least the basics of the official language of the host country. Some of these
children are eager to master the official language as soon as possible in order to make
friends and communicate with other children, but some are afraid that they will lose
and forget their mother tongue if they adapt too well to the official language of the
preschool and school.

Recognising the language and a dialect, accent, or any different way of speaking the
language, that the child and their family members speak (even when it is linguistically
the same language as the official language at school), may help the child transition in a
less stressful way. Communication with preschool teachers, children and their families
prior to the school year start is of crucial importance in this process. Learning more
about the environment from which a child comes, their family and the family’s situation
can also help in identifying different types of support the child may need. It can also
help to create a positive, encouraging and supportive environment for each and every
child in the class from the beginning.

In this unit, we will describe a few different scenarios that can provide information on
the child’s needs in terms of language and communication.

Both a child and their family members speak the language of tuition but use
different dialect, accent, some words or incorrect grammar in their communication.
Within most countries, dialect, accents and vocabulary differ from one
part of the country to another. The way language is used, especially
the use of grammar is also different depending on the level of
education a person has. All these differences may cause a child to feel
insecure in a new environment, and may trigger a fear of being
excluded, bullied or laughed at in a new class where the child doesn’t
know their peers. Although the child can understand and
communicate in the official language, (s)he may try to keep quiet and
try to mix only with those children who seem to speak the language in
a similar way to themselves.
Child’s mother tongue is a different language but both the child and their family
members have some understanding of the language of tuition and can hold basic
conversation in the language of tuition, although not fluently.