Features

To the point: It's just not 'good' enough

Sometimes it seems as if the language spoken in nurseries is evolving in its own unique way, distinct from the ways that other people speak.

Take a recent example. Practitioners keep asking young children to do 'good looking, good sitting and good listening'. There is not any other field of life where people do 'good listening' - I think generally people are described as listening well, or listening carefully. It is the same with 'good sitting'. People generally sit still, or they fidget and generally move about. It is rare to be complimented on how well you sit. At least 'good looking' sounds like the English the rest of the world speaks, though it should be used with some care beyond the nursery gate.

Does it matter that children are being talked to in odd ways? Perhaps not. Children are resilient, and this is probably mostly washing over them. I doubt nursery children go home and compliment family members for 'good looking' at the television, or 'good sitting' on the sofa.

Register now to continue reading

Thank you for visiting Nursery World and making use of our archive of more than 35,000 expert features, subject guides, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:

What's included

  • Free access to 4 subscriber-only articles per month

  • Unlimited access to news and opinion

  • Email newsletter providing activity ideas, best practice and breaking news

Register

Already have an account? Sign in here