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SmTalk
Volume 21, No. 2 • Winter, 2008
Published by the Early Childhood Special Education and the
Educational Services Departments of Northwest AEA • Sioux City, IA
Mother Goose: Where are you when
we need you?
Nursery Rhymes are becoming a lost art. Many people today do not know
the familiar rhymes that so many before them “cut their teeth on.” Try a little
experiment. Start a nursery rhyme and ask anyone of any age to complete
it. Find out how many can actually finish the rhyme. A sad tale but true, the
lost art of nursery rhymes could actually hinder the reading skills of young
children. This edition of Small Talk will take you on a journey with Mother
Goose’s fun times with nursery rhymes.
Language Box by Amy Legg, Speech and Language Pathologist
Nursery Rhymes are an excellent way to teach
children that spoken language is made up of words,
parts of words and sounds in words. Understanding
and knowing that language is made up of words,
parts of words and sounds in words is an important
component in learning to read. Read, act out, sing,
and say nursery rhymes as much as possible–
repeating them often will encourage children to join
in saying and singing the rhymes and songs. Here
are some ideas to try when reading or singing nursery rhymes for children ages 0-5.
g Practice reading nursery rhymes slowly at first by saying the rhyming words louder at the end of the sentences.
g Name or point to rhyming words while reading or
saying nursery rhymes. For example, when you read or
recite “Jack and Jill” you would stop reading after saying
the first few lines and say “Jill and hill rhyme. They sound
the same at the end.”
g Sentence completion can be used to predict a word at
the end of a sentence. For example, recite “Jack and Jill”
Early Childhood
but don’t say the last word at the end of the phrase “Jack
and Jill went up the ____ (hill).”
g Read nursery rhymes slowly emphasizing the beat or
natural rhythm of the parts of words. As children become
familiar with a nursery rhyme, they can match the rhythm
and say parts of words in unison with you.
g Clap and say the words to the Nursery Rhymes to
match the beat of each part
of the words. For example,
IN THIS ISSUE
say and clap the parts or the
The Language Box.............1
words that are underlined:
Behavior Forum.................2
“Jack and Jill went up the
hill to fetch a pail of wa ter.” Parents’ Point of View........2
Focus on Babies.................3
Have fun. Make the
Toddlers and Twos.............3
activities interesting and
Assistive Technology.........4
playful. Expect and allow Three-Four-Five.................4
for individual child difEtc. A Page for Teachers....5
ferences.
Community Focus..............6
Me, Too!.............................7
Healthy Hints.....................8
Visit our website at: www.nwaea.k12.ia.us
Behavior Forum by Jerome Schaefer, School Psychologist
focus and pay attention for longer periods of time.
As reading becomes part of a routine, a baby will
want to sit longer and be able to listen to more
story words.
Reading provides babies a chance to learn by seeing the pictures in the book, hearing the words and
sounds associated with the pictures, and touching
the books. From birth to about 18 months the focus
of reading should be on varying the tone of voice
and pointing to pictures or colors to draw attention
to the book. Large pictures, basic colors, and textures
make a book more interesting to infants.
Not every word of each page has to be read at this
age. If the little one wants to turn the page allow him
to do this. It is important for reading to be fun – not
something that has to be done with Mommy and
Daddy. Sharing the love of books with a child is a
lasting and valuable lesson.
Read, Read, Read To Baby
It really is never too early
to read to a child. Many
people are surprised to find
out that even infants can
benefit from and enjoy
being read to. Reading to
infants provides them the
opportunity to hear different voice inflections and a
variety of sounds within
words. Both are important
prerequisites to learning to
talk. Repetitive or rhyming books help a baby hear
familiar patterns and rhythms within speech. Reading time is a super way to nurture and secure attachment with baby. It fosters activities that help a baby
Parent’s Point of View by Marlene Pietz, Parent Representative
We hear and read so much these days
about inclusion of children with special
needs that it’s easy to forget how much
diversity is already in every classroom and
in every aspect of our lives. Little differences
and individual strengths are as much a part
of classroom diversity as the more visible
child with special needs. Our increasing
awareness and acceptance of all kinds of
differences in people should make inclusion
easier, not just for children coming from special education classrooms, but for all children. Discussion of our differences brings to
mind this poem that I’ve always enjoyed and
would like to share again.
– Marlene
2
?
SNOWFLAKE SPLENDOR
And to the earth So when the flakes
The snowflakes came,
Begin to fall,
Patterned all
Let the flakes
Yet none the same
Remind us all
And we would find If we did seek,
Each one special
Each unique
That we, like snowflakes,
Are all unique,
And this in others
We must seek
Each majestic
In its way,
Adding splendor
To our day.
Each one special
In its way,
Adding splendor
To our day!
Have questions about your child’s development?
Northwest AEA Early Childhood Department can help you. Babies, toddlers, and preschoolers with learning delays can get free services. Call for more information:
1-800-352-9040, ext. 6050
or
Sioux Center
712-222-6050
1-800-572-5073
Focus on Babies by Linda Cron, ECSE Teacher/Consultant
Rock On!
Nursery rhymes are whimsical, musical, nonsensical, charming, and hundreds of years old. Rhymes
are found in every culture and are often the first language link in rhythm, repetition, vocabulary, story,
and song. Tried and true, they bring joy to you and
you and you!
It has been said that Elizabeth Goose, an English
woman, moved to Boston and published a book of
verses she recited to her grandchildren. The book
was called Mother Goose’s Melodies for Children or
Songs for the Nursery. Thank goodness Elizabeth
Goose had the good sense to put in print the wonderful words of age-old rhymes. The past and future
are linked in these traditional verses. They introduce
every new baby to the cultural rhythm and rhyme of
beautiful language.
Every
nursery rhyme is
rockin’ good! All
it takes is a rocking
chair, a loving adult
who knows some
rhymes, and a baby
who is all ears. That
is a recipe for language success. Matching the rocking with the cadence of the rhyme helps the baby
feel the beat.
Rock on with Rock-a-Bye Baby; Baby Bunting; Baa,
Baa Black Sheep; Hush-a-Bye Baby; Sing a Song of Sixpence; Little Bo-Peep; Little Tommy Tucker; and oh so
many more.
Toddlers and Twos by Anna Schmadeke, ECSE Teacher/Consultant
Little Miss Muffet…Jack and Jill…Humpty Dumpty…
When you hear those rhymes, you may have fond
memories of sitting on a parent’s lap as mom or dad
read them to you. Maybe you recall acting them out
with your brother or sister. But did you know that
you were preparing for future reading? Research
by Sonderman, 1995, indicates that children who
enter school with little or no knowledge of nursery
rhymes or print awareness (understanding that
print has meaning), perform significantly poorer in
reading through Grade 3. When children participate
in songs, finger plays and rhymes, their ears and
brain are being trained to pick up the individual
sounds in spoken words. It is very important for children to participate in reading/
language activities that develop their listening skills. That is NOT accomplished
through TV viewing. It takes the human interaction.
So what is a child learning with
nursery rhymes? The following skills
are just the beginning of exciting learning: new
vocabulary, rhyming, letter sounds, following directions, sequencing (putting the rhyme or story “in
order”), social interactions and memory skills. So
as you look at the books to read with your children,
find ones that have opportunities for
them to hear, repeat, and act out.
Have fun with nursery rhymes.
Give it a try – success in reading
may depend on it!
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Assistive Technology
“Hey Diddle, Diddlethe Cat and
the Fiddle”…
Nursery
rhymes are a
great tool to
teach many
different things. So often, adults don’t engage
children in activities that
involve multiple senses,
such as seeing, hearing,
feeling (touch), and doing (movement). In
order to learn information efficiently, children need to “experience” it in
by Beth Tisher, OTR
different ways. Adults can do many things to make
this possible. For example, making up actions is
fabulous for working on imitation skills, movement patterns, and rhythm. Drawing pictures of the
nursery rhyme and discussing those pictures assists
to develop fine motor and language skills. Adding
texture to pictures allows a child to really “feel”
the details (example: cotton balls for sheep, fabric
to make the moon, sandpaper for the ground, etc.).
Singing the nursery rhymes along with reading them
provides different auditory information. Interactive
sound books that have buttons to push provide a different type of auditory and visual input to assist in
the learning process. Exposing children to a variety
of sensory modalities assists them to understand,
process, and remember what they have just experienced.
Three-Four-Five Thrive
by Sally Hartley, ECSE Teacher/Consultant
Nursery rhymes are very traditional activities for
young children. They give children a FUN way of
interacting with words and language. Typical
early childhood programs (child cares or preschools)
spend time during their daily routine using language to help children build their vocabulary (number of words). Nursery rhymes and songs also allow
children to learn about following a direction (put
one foot in, etc.) as well as other learning concepts
such as counting, colors, names of objects.
Children in early childhood programs use these
early language experiences to begin to make sense of
how things around them operate. Children also get
a chance to imitate others while they are building
relationships with the adults and children in their
classrooms. Special needs children in inclusion environments (where typical and special needs students
attend together) have stronger role models for social
4
and language relationships, which
support their
continuing
growth and
development.
So, when
children sing:
“Humpty,
Dumpty, sat
on the wall.
Humpty,
Dumpty had
a great fall,”
it is using a
FUN experience to give children many learning skills!
Etc. Etc.
A Page
for the Educator
by Audrey Hansen,
Educational Consultant
Joint project of the Early Childhood Special Education Department and the Educational Services Division of Northwest AEA
As educators, we know the value of using nursery rhymes in our classrooms and homes. Many of the prereading skills can be taught and reinforced by the use of nursery rhyme activities. A rhyme’s repetition sensitizes children to the sounds in words. Nursery rhymes introduce the idea of listening from beginning to end.
They are the perfect “first story” because they are short and interactive. Children learn about counting in One
Two, Buckle My Shoe. They learn spatial concepts in Hickory Dickory Dock. They learn large motor and fine motor
skills as they create finger and body movement to go with the rhyme. They learn about emotions in There was a
Little Girl (when she was good, she was very, very good. And when she was bad,
she was horrid!)
The following web sites provide resources for teachers, caregivers and parents
alike in using nursery rhymes with young children.
*Nursery Rhymes–Verses and Songs
(an alphabetical listing)
http://www.geocities.com/EnchantedForest/Fountain/5540/
*Fingerplays, Action Songs, Nursery Rhymes and Songs
http://www.preschoolrainbow.org/preschoolrhymes.htm
*Nursery Rhymes Theme–Activities and Crafts
http://www.first-school.ws/theme/nurseryrhymes.htm
*Nursery Rhyme Activities
http://www.hubbardscupboard.org/nursery_rhymeactivitieshtml#HumptyDumpt
yStations
*Nursery Rhymes
http://www.thevirtualvine.com/nurseryrhymes.html
* There is a section on incorporating nursery rhymes into thematic units.
*Rhyme Sequencing Cards
http://www.zoomwhales.com/rhymes/seq/
*Word Families Used in Nursery Rhymes
http://www.zoomwhales.com/rhymes/wordfamilies
http://www.earlyliterature.ecsd.net
For additional resources, go to the Every Child Reads
website at the Iowa Department of Education,
http://www.iowa.gov/educate/ecr3-5
5
Community
Focus
by Teresa Hobbs, Early Access Regional Coordinator
Iowa WIC Program
1(800) 532-1579
If you’re pregnant, breastfeeding, just had a baby, or have children under 5 you may
qualify.
We can help you buy milk, cheese, eggs, baby formula, cereal, juice, peanut butter,
and other healthy foods.
If you have questions about nutrition, breastfeeding your baby, or feeding your family
WIC dietitians can help.
Check the income guidelines. Working families are welcome. Call 1(800) 532-1579 to
find a clinic near you.
Income Guidelines
4/1/07 to 3/31/08
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Household.............. Annual . ............. Monthly................ Weekly
1........................$18,889...................$1,575..................... $364
2........................$25,327...................$2,111...................... $488
3........................$31,765...................$2,648..................... $611
4........................$38,203...................$3,184..................... $735
5........................$44,641...................$3,721..................... $859
6........................$51,079...................$4,257..................... $983
Me, Too!
by Shari Freeman, ECSE Teacher/Consultant
Hearing Loss
A hearing impairment or loss happens when there
is a problem with one or more parts of one or both
ears. About two out of 100 babies are born with a
hearing impairment. Six out of 100 school age kids
develop some kind of hearing loss.
Some causes of hearing loss may include: a buildup of ear wax, ear infections, other serious infections, severe head injury, medications, listening to
loud music or noise frequently, heredity, or genetics.
If parents suspect a hearing loss, their child
shouldsee an audiologist. Audiologists are specially
trained to test and help with problems related to
hearing loss. NWAEA staff audiologists offer free
hearing screens to children in the ten county area of
Northwest Iowa.
A hearing loss might be treated through medicine
or surgery. Hearing aids or some other type of
assistive listening device might be recommended.
For some children who are not able to hear or understand words even with the help of hearing aids, a
device called a cochlear implant might be used. Audiologists and medical personnel provide guidance
and perform tests to determine what would work
best for each child.
In all environments try to:
• Be aware of child’s position within activities.
• Gain the child’s attention before speaking.
• Stand still when talking to child.
• Face the child when speaking; establish eye contact.
• Rephrase questions or directions if needed; check often for understanding.
• Access amplification equipment; monitor func-
tion carefully.
• Consult with the audiologist or other supports; frequently monitor the child’s hearing.
• Use visual cues/techniques (pictures, gestures) to help the child learn .
• Try to pre-teach vocabulary and prepare a child for changes.
• Provide quiet areas at home and at school.
• Encourage interaction with others in play.
Children might take special classes and work with
audiologists, hearing teachers, and/or speech/language pathologists to help them develop their hearing and speaking skills. Children might also learn
sign language or may learn to speech read, which
involves looking closely at a person’s lips, facial
expressions, and gestures.
At home, families might provide a special communication device called a TDD to be used on the
phone. This allows conversations to be typed out
instead of spoken. Many TV shows and videos now
offer closed caption for the hearing impaired.
With some awareness and planning, children with
hearing impairments will be active and positive
participants in theirs homes, classrooms, and communities.
7
Healthy Hints by Becky Walding, R.N.
Playing It Safe
Picking out toys for a child can be challenging.
Toys are supposed to be fun and an important part
of development. But if not chosen with care, they
can lead to serious injury. When choosing toys for
your toddlers and preschoolers look for toys that
are:
*Free of cords or long strings that can be hazards
*Free of marbles, coins, small balls, and other choking risks
*Not making loud noises that can harm hearing
*Free of sharp edges or pointed parts
*Sturdy enough to withstand pulling and twist-
ing
* Large enough that even if squeezed they won’t get lodged in a baby’s throat. Use a toilet paper roll to test this. If anything can fit through the roll, it is too small.
* Flame resistant or flame retardant if made out of fabric
*Lead free if painted
The most important thing any parent can do is to
supervise a child during playtime. Remember that
many items that look like playthings to children
can be safety hazards. Keep the following out of
reach!
Fireworks Scissors Walkers Trampolines
Gift wrap and ribbons BB guns or pellet rifles
Uninflated balloons or broken balloons
Toy makers must follow guidelines and label toys
for age groups. Look for codes on labels to indicate
safety. *Crayons; ASTMD-4236 (labels like ASTM,
CPSC, Snell and UL mean that the toys have been
tested to meet safety standards) *Helmets and
Safety Gear-CPSC or Snell. * Check www.cpsc.gov
for the latest toy recalls or call (800)638-CPSC to
report an unsafe toy.
Always read labels to make sure a toy is appropriate for your child’s age. Safety–not a child’s
intelligence–is usually the basis for the age labels.
Northwest Area Education Agency does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, religion, national origin, gender, age, marital status, sexual orientation, gender
identity or disability in its educational programs, activities and employment practices. Questions or grievances related to this policy may be addressed to: Sally Hudek,
Equity Coordinator, 1520 Morningside Ave., Sioux City, IA 51106-1716, 712/222-6114.
1520 Morningside Ave.
Sioux City, IA 51106
Western Hills Area Education Agency 12
(now Northwest Area Education Agency)
Permit No. 380
Sioux City, Iowa
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