Following a Child’s Lead – Example
Álex: Numbers.
Educator: Numbers! What numbers are they?
Álex: This is a seven, this is an eight, this is a nine, this is a one, this is a two, this one a four, this one a five, this one a six, this one a seven.
Educator: Seven, and here is a ... Very good.
Álex: Stop. I want my mommy now.
Educator: Oh, you want your mommy? Where's your mommy now then?
Álex: She's working.
Educator: She's working, right?
Álex: So she can make some money 'cause if they don't let mommy work she won't be making any money. And if they let her work she's gonna make money.
Educator: Yes. And what does your mommy need the money for?
Álex: To buy me clothes.
Educator: Oh, to buy you clothes. That's nice. What else do they buy you with the money? What else, Álex?
Álex: I don't know.
Álex: Oh, I do know!
Educator: What then?
Álex: Shoes!
Educator: Shoes! And how much money does your mommy make?
Álex: At the butcher's she makes eight.
Educator: She makes eight? She does. What number is the eight? Can you write it down? Let's see an eight. An eight here. Let's see. Can you write one? An eight. Is this the number eight? Yes? That's nice. I'll just write down that this is an eight.
In this short video, watch as an educator assesses a child's mathematical knowledge while the child plays math games on a computer. The educator asks the child questions to make sure she understands what the child knows. This clip is part of the Dual Language Learners: Program and Family Support module, one of several EarlyEdU Alliance Higher Education Learning Modules.
