Sally, the youngest in a family of four girls, was described by her mother as a chatterbox, and the tape of her playing mummies and babies with her sisters confirmed that. She went to a playgroup for a month before starting school aged four years and eight months. In playgroup, she did not settle well; in school she did not talk at all and looked unhappy. She was beginning to make friends but her teacher became concerned and believed she had language problems.
Conversation
The analysis of Sally's language was meant to take place in a well-resourced room offering lots of stimuli for conversation and with a small group of children. But she became captivated by my necklace as we walked down the corridor and the following conversation developed: Sally What's that? (stopped, looked, fingered my necklace).
Jacqui It's a necklace (handled and looked even more closely).
Sally What from?... Funny that... look (looked curious, paused to study necklace, smelled it, smiled).
Jacqui What do you think it's made from? (long pause while Sally looked, smiling).
Sally Mmm. Look like wood bits... wood... that a pip?... a pip... not an apple? (had curious, puzzled expression).
Jacqui Mmm... a pip... but I think it's an orange... but I'm not sure (takes necklace off to look together) Sally Yes... looks like orange...what that black? (holding necklace) looks like wood (looked curious, laughed and studied necklace together).
Jacqui Mmm... that's clever of you... Yes, it is a sort of wood... it's a walnut shell cut in slices.
Sally That wood? (laughed and felt and looked closely at necklace).
Jacqui Yes... I suppose it's wood. Haven't thought about it before... wood comes from...
Sally...trees...I got a little nut tree... like they... (looked closely and pointed to the nuts on the necklace) Jacqui That's interesting... they're both hazelnuts, so I expect your tree's a hazelnut?
Sally (nods, skips down the corridor with the necklace round her neck to meet her friends) Look what I got! Look what I got! (they all did, and they too puzzled about it).
Changes
Over the year Sally started to initiate conversation stemming from her curiosity and interest, asked intelligent questions, made connections, was creative, relaxed and happy, and gained confidence with friends.
Adult role
The teacher became an equal and supportive partner who respected her viewpoint and was fascinated by her curiosity, connections and humour.
The reception teacher was relieved to see Sally so happy and talking to the other girls, and recognised that Sally's speech was immature but she had no serious problems.