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QUESTION…
We have a mix of children aged three to five in our pre-school room. We have noticed that some children are very good at explaining what they have been doing. Others seem to find this very difficult without a lot of prompting, even a few minutes after an activity. We would like to know at what age children should be able to re-tell an event or story, and also what we can do to encourage this skill.
Being able to re-tell a story or explain what has happened comes under the umbrella term of ‘narrative’. It is an important skill for children for many reasons. First, it allows children to explain to others what has happened. This is important if there has been a tussle in the playground or if a significant event has happened in the child’s life. Being able to use narrative is also a skill that helps children when it comes to writing.
The ability to use narrative relies on a range of language skills. These include having a concept of time, being able to sequence events and being alert to the key elements of who, when and what happened. Children also need sufficient grammar to make sentences and use the past tense. They also need to have the relevant vocabulary.
Younger children are likely to find narrative more challenging because they may not have developed all the skills needed. A good starting point when considering whether children may need extra support is therefore to look at typical expressive language.
FROM THREE TO FOUR
Between the ages of three and four, children’s language continues to develop. Their sentences become longer in length and they are likely to be very interested in talking. In terms of using a narrative, you should see significant progress over this year.
A child of this age typically:
- is using sentences of four to six words
- asks the questions ‘who’, ‘why’ and ‘what’
- can answer simple questions when looking at a picture book. For example, ‘Where did the dog go?’
- can answer some simple questions about why something has happened, such as ‘Why is the girl crying?’
- understands and uses some time words such as ‘after’, ‘tomorrow’, ‘later’ and ‘yesterday’
- can use the past tense, although there may be some errors – ‘We wented to the cinema with my dad’
- can use the future tense. For example, ‘When I am three, I will have a big party’
- talks simply about something that has happened recently. For example, ‘We went to the shops. I ate lots and lots of grapes’
- can be understood by strangers
- loves to talk and start conversations
- from three and a half, starts to describe past and present experiences.
FROM FOUR TO FIVE
At four years, children should be speaking fairly fluently. There will still be some grammatical mistakes but, overall, children should be able to express themselves easily. Most children will enjoy talking about events or what they have done and find it quite easy. They may also deliberately emphasise words or use description to embellish their tales.
A child of this age typically:
- uses sentences of six to eight words
- understands and can use words that describe time, such as ‘next’, ‘after’ and ‘later’
- has words to describe objects and actions, such as ‘soft’, ‘dirty’ and ‘fast’
- has a good understanding of past and future
- can talk about things that have happened and also events in the future using sentences. For example, ‘Yesterday, I went to the park with my nan. Next week she is going to buy me a scooter for my birthday’
- can use longer and detailed sentences; for example, ‘It wasn’t my fault because I didn’t know that it would break’
- can stay on the same topic and continue a conversation
- can use positional words such as ‘above’, ‘below’ and ‘next to’.
WHEN TO BE CONCERNED
When you are working with a wide age range, it is likely that you will pick up on differences between children’s skills. While some may be age-related, it is worth looking out for any of the following points as they may indicate that a child will need additional support:
- Uses lots of gestures and general words such as ‘that’, ‘doing’, ‘things’, ‘there’ when talking.
- Has a small vocabulary and is not able to use action words such as ‘eating’ and ‘sleeping’ or everyday words such as ‘cup’ or ‘ball’.
- Is unable to have a conversation.
- Uses words in the wrong order in their sentences – ‘dog big get ball’.
- Uses very short sentences of perhaps only two words.
- Tells stories that are very hard to follow. For example, the child often misses out key information or jumps from one thing to the other.
As well as the above, from four years old the following would also indicate that the child is having difficulties with use of language:
- Is unable to tell a simple story.
- Is unable to talk about the past or the future.
- Is not using the right grammar or hardly using any grammar in their sentences – ‘I go swim pool’ instead of ‘I am going swimming in the pool’.
STRATEGIES
There are a few strategies that can be used to help children develop the skill of narrative that are worth considering.
- Make sure children feel that they have plenty of time and they will not be interrupted by others. Children find it hard to recall and re-tell events if they are under pressure.
- Use everyday routines to help children learn the language of sequencing. ‘First we need to wash our hands. Then we get our aprons on. And then we can start our meal.’
- Remind children about what they have just done and role-model a narrative. ‘First we went to the park. Then you kicked a ball, but it was very muddy.’
- Use prompts and questions to help children sequence events, such as ‘What did you do next?’. When children have finished, repeat the narrative back to them so children can hear a coherent sequence.
- Use photographs to help children talk about what they have done. Start by putting photographs in order.
- Share picture books and help children to talk about what is happening and why.
- Use sequencing cards to see if children can put in order actions such as getting dressed.
- Use photographs or pages of picture books to focus children’s attention on ‘who’, ‘where’ and ‘what is happening’.
- Encourage role play. Tell simple nursery rhymes or stories and role-play them with children afterwards.
Nursery World North 2019
Join us at Nursery World North in Manchester on 11 and 12 May to hear leading speakers from across the sector in our masterclass and seminar programme.
Following the success of our SEND conference, key experts will return to present Friday’s masterclass, ‘SEND in the early years: a child’s route to support’.
Saturday’s masterclass – ‘Helping children achieve: challenge and progression in children’s learning’ – will look at how to help children fulfil their potential by improving outcomes for all and so closing the attainment gap.
The seminar programme includes a wide variety of themes, including school readiness, block play, early music development and how to become an ACE-aware setting, looking at the impact of adverse childhood experiences (ACE) on early child development.
Penny Tassoni will be looking at the importance of cross-curricular learning in role play and how daily activities can support the Prime areas in under-threes.
