STIMULATION OF DEVELOPMENT AMONG BILINGUAL CHILDREN. THE KRAKOW METHOD

Abstract

The necessity to stimulate the development of one’s ethnic language amongst the children of immigrants has its causes in two factors: firstly, the generation of children brought up in a world of advanced technology develop their relations with the world, people and language differently; secondly, the time of being immersed in an ethnic language dramatically shortens as a result of changes in parents’ work systems. The author draws attention to the need to stimulate speech development in bilingual children and presents the Cracow method as developed: an aural programme, articulation gestures, language programming, events diaries. Simultaneous-Sequential Method of Learning to Read®. Recordings for the aural programme were made in accordance with the principle of time extension so that the child would have the optimum chance to differentiate vowels. The aim of using articulation gestures is to make aware the place and/or the means of vowel articulation as well as to aid the processes of attention and memory through an awareness of the movement of one’s own hand. Language programming is a technique of shaping the beginnings of language communication based on a vocabulary, grammatical, syntactic paradigm. Events diaries are a technique combining direct communication and cognitive approaches in the use of vocabulary and grammatical rules. The form of noting down events and utterances in a diary allows the child to fulfil the role of the interlocutor and recipient, equally at the initial stage of using a language system. In the situation of bilingualism justified is an early acquaintance with written language, which to a noticeable degree makes the construction of a linguistic system easier. When reading out syllables children stop controlling their own speech, and quickly learn correct articulation. Through reading, the language learner masters the most effectively its realisation in accordance with norms. Learning to read early gives huge possibilities in the development of a child’s intellect. Through independent reading not only is the language system developed but imagination and creative thinking are stimulated.