Language is the key to equal opportunities in education from the outset. We require language to make ourselves understood, to play and to learn. Scientific studies show that the development of language is most effective if started early. Within the everyday framework of a kita there are numerous ways of stimulating the acquisition and development of language.
With the Federal Programme “Sprach-Kitas” the ministry for family affairs is supporting our establishment- as one of approx 4000 selected kitas – to enable us to offer an everyday language stimulation of high quality. In order to achieve this aim we have engaged a language assistant, who will be qualified and assisted by an external professional.
Our language assistant, Daniela Wenzel, supports, trains and advises our team in the following ways:
Language in everyday situations
Children learn to speak in stimulating situations aligned to their particular experiences, and help is provided by assessing their individual abilities and interests.
Inclusive pedagogics
The time spent in the kita is enriched by diversity and variety. Inclusive training helps children and adults to question critically prejudice and discrimination and to articulate their own thoughts and feelings. This means paying attention to the common interests and capabilities of the children as well as heeding their differences. This approach leads to many paths of conversation, helping to combat prejudice.
Working with Families
A partnership of trust between the kita staff and the families from varying backgrounds is vital in order to help children with their speech development, since language takes place foremost with parents and at home.
Digitalization
The use of digital appliances has many advantages, saves time and provides interesting possibilities. The purpose is not to allow children to spend unlimited time with digital machines but to include and promote such methods of learning. It is therefore important for parents and staff to explore the possibilities of digitalization and to become accustomed to its use with confidence. We can only thus succeed in accompanying our children in a future unbeknownst to ourselves.
