A colleague who works in our kindergarten recently wrote the following about an experience with one child (name changed):
- Worked with Oliver on beginning sounds of words (something he and a few of his buddies are still working on and wondering about): Oliver has a small picture card of a snake and he is looking at a collection of other pictures for another one that has the same beginning sound as snake. He knows and has said the beginning sound of snake. He picks up the picture of the horse and says “horse” quietly; then he says it again. I ask him, “Does that have the same beginning sound as snake?” Oliver says “horse” again, then shakes his head and declares, “No, it has the same beginning sound at the other beginning,” with all the clarity in the world.
We care about minutiae like this, and it makes all the difference – and clarity – in the world. Note that my colleague never told Oliver the correct answer.
