EXPLORE SPEECH & LANGUAGE AT....
Claude Moore Colonial Farm
Wednesdays through Sundays in McLean, Virginia
At Claude Moore Colonial Farm, your children can experience life in the 1700s while strengthening their communication skills.
TALKING
EXPLORE: Descriptions of Similarities and Differences
ENRICH: Expressive Grammar and Vocabulary
ENGAGE: The ability to compare and contrast
PARENT PROMPT:
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Living history sites are rife with experiences that spark the imagination, and Claude Moore Colonial Farm is no exception. As you and your child immerse yourselves in 1700s farm life, you can also work on the ability to use specific vocabulary and grammatical structures to describe similarities and differences between the life of a child in colonial times and the life of a child in present day:
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Describe a similarity: "We both ____."
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Describe a difference: "A colonial kid ____, but I ____."
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Express a preference: "I would rather live ____ because ____."
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EXPLORE: Following Directions
ENRICH: Oral Comprehension
ENGAGE: The ability to understand verbal directions
PARENT PROMPT:
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As you explore the farm, make a game out of getting from one location to the next by following oral directions. Give your child directions one at a time using a variety of vocabulary types, such as prepositions and directional terms. If your child can follow single-step directions, challenge him/her to remember two- and three-step directions:
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Use prepositions (e.g. Walk BEHIND the tree.)
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Use directional terms (e.g. Turn LEFT at the end of the fence.)
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Use sequential terms (e.g. AFTER you pass the barn, turn towards the forest.)
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LISTENING
WORD PLAY
EXPLORE: Velar Sounds
ENRICH: Articulation of Individual Sounds for Clear Communication
ENGAGE: The ability to produce /k/ and /g/
PARENT PROMPT:
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/k/ and /g/ are both sounds produced by tapping the back part of the tongue against the soft palate (velum). Remind your child to make both of these sounds in the back of his/her mouth, turning on his/her "motor" (vocal cords) for the /g/ sound and leaving it off for the /k/ sound.
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Start the day by practicing the /k/ sounds in the title of the farm: Claude Moore Colonial Farm. Then, challenge your child to find words that contain the /k/ and /g/ sounds:
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Find 10 /k/ words and say each word 3 times (e.g. Cow, traCtor, ducK)
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Find 10 /g/ words and say each word 3 times (e.g. Goat, eGGs, hoG)
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Choose 5 /k/ words and 5 /g/ words and use each in a sentence
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EXPLORE: Dramatic Play
ENRICH: Pragmatic Language
ENGAGE: The ability to pretend to be living in a different time period
PARENT PROMPT:
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Research has shown time and time again that dramatic play with peers plays a significant role in the development of shared language and problem solving. Because Claude Moore Memorial Farm is a living history site, the employees wear period costume and maintain the characters of 18th century farmers. The farm encourages visitors to participate in activities on the farm, providing a great opportunity for your child to practice dramatic play in an authentic environment.
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Pick an activity for your child to participate in, such as cooking or tending to the garden, and challenge him/her to act as though he/she is really living in the 1700s. See if your child can:
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Imitate the actions of the living history actors (e.g. stirring ingredients in the kitchen)
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Imitate the language of the actors using period-specific vocabulary (e.g. "I am baking johnnycake")
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Use imagination to expand upon the experience (e.g. Decide what chore to do after the johnnycake is baked)
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