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context of our languages, traditions, behaviors, beliefs and values. Our cultural experiences and
values shape the way we see ourselves and what we think is important. When individuals are part
of a cultural group, we learn the ways of that culture (e.g., behavior and beliefs), which enable us
to feel like we belong to our community. Cultural perspectives also influence language
acquisition, and other developmental phases that ever human goes through. In this essay, we
therefore look at how culture influences language development in early childhood development
setting.
Children learn to communicate in the context of their home culture. Beginning at birth, children
use their home language and culturally accepted communication styles to connect with others in
a meaningful way, forming secure relationships that are intrinsic to healthy language
development. For the early childhood teacher, it is important to establish supportive, respectful
relationships as well—with both families and children. These connections help teachers learn
more about the strengths, needs, and culture of every child in their care. Collaborative
relationships with families also provide teachers with the information they need to support
children’s individual language and literacy development based on their culture. Before teachers
can address the literacy needs of children in their care, they must first become aware of their own
own cultural roots and group affiliations” (Haberman & Post, 2000).
Culture is described by Giddens (1997) as the way of life of a group including their dress code,
marriage customs, religious festivals, family habits and recreational and occupational pursuits.
The importance of children’s cultural knowledge has become a major theme in the study of
children’s learning and language acquisition. Because culture supports children’s thinking, the
activities, toys, materials and social events introduced to children in their home environments
shape their thought processes and performances. Culturally competent teachers can better
prepare environments for learning, choose materials, and plan experiences that are respectful,
Giddens’ definition is comprised of the behavioral aspects of a culture, such as dress code and
leisure activities, but fails to emphasize the values aspect of a culture. Another definition that
succeeds in encompassing both the behavioral and the values aspect of a culture is the one
proposed by Fiske. (1998). They denote that culture consists of the beliefs and values that impact
Culture influences every aspect of human development and is reflected in child bearing beliefs
and practices designed to promote healthy adaptation, given the magnitude of its influence on the
daily experience of children, the relative disregard for cultural influences in traditional child
Language refers to a system of symbols that is used to communicate information and knowledge.
Other researchers go even further and suggest that as parents interact with their children, the
children learn language and become socialized into a particular set of cultural values and beliefs
(Herschell et al 2002). For example, Ochs (1988) shows the presence of two major ways of
speaking the language: “good speech” and “bad speech.” The latter contains fewer consonants
and is mainly spoken in informal contexts. Good speech is used when speaking to strangers or in
formal settings such as schools, church services, and when talking to a person of high status.
Along with learning both “good speech” and “bad speech,” children learn about the social
It is essential that teachers consider all aspects of a child’s individual development and
environment in an integrated manner, for growth in all areas is interrelated. Different approaches
to child rearing and the use of different languages affect children’s reactions and performance.
Teachers convey attitudes toward the cultural groups represented in each classroom. By
appreciating the diversity of families, values, approaches to parenting, and attitudes around
school and learning children need to be shown that they are accepted and valued for who they
are. Gathering information from families is essential to creating a full description of each child as
a learner. This also provides insight into whether aspects of a child’s behavior or pattern of
development can be explained by language or cultural differences. For children who speak
assessment in order to ensure that the process is tailored to the child’s strengths and abilities
(Neisworth, 1993).
Teachers should also become familiar with the language spoken at home and be intentional in
teaching appropriate literacy skills. Knowledge about cultural and linguistic differences is
essential to foster early literacy development and avoid possible confusion. The use of stories
and language, the amount of reading in the home, as well as the degree of emphasis on writing
and sharing information depends on individual family culture. Along with these astounding
cognitive developments, infancy is also marked by the first attempts to produce speech and
language. Prominent linguist Noam Chomsky believes that language ability is “hardwired” into
the human brain. When born, infants have the entire range of human language possibilities
available to them. Which language(s) they acquire depends on the cultural language(s) to which
they are exposed on a regular basis. At this point, parents and others in the child’s social
environment begin to play a crucial role in language development. If the infant produces a sound
that is part of the language spoken in her environment, this sound is acknowledged and
celebrated as an attempt to communicate (those of you with children or young siblings can
remember the excitement surrounding the first utterance of “Dada” or “Mama”). In contrast, any
sound that is not part of the cultural language environment is dismissed as babbling.
In summary, customs, traditions and values of children’s families and cultures shape and
influence their language experiences. Culture affects how we communicate with each other. We
interpret all we see or hear through the lens of our own beliefs, values and experiences. It is
culture. Each culture has its own defined communication system, including actions, gestures,
words, postures, facial expressions, tones of voice, and ways of handling time, space, materials,
work and play. Children learn the rules and norms for communicating and interacting from their
families and thus reviewing, culture seem to have an important and influential role in the
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