teacher should be to see that the child can use language to facilitate thinking and learning and that the child can use language to communicate effectively. These are placed first because of their importance in the educational process and because so much of the other subgoals is dependent on linguistic development.
The Primary Program notes certain factors which affect intellectual development--maturation, experiences, social interaction, environment, equilibration, and individuality (Primary Program foundation document, 1993, 59). Linguistic ability is bound with each of these in some fashion and can facilitate, say, social interaction considerably. Children learn through play, which can be solo, but they learn more through interactive play in a social setting. In such a setting, communication and understanding are important and help the child develop long-term habits that facilitate learning.
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