Kid Language

I love listening to my students talk. There is something fascinating in the way they arrange words. Often they get it right, but sometimes in the process of translating from English to Spanish, the English comes out a little of of order. I love being able to understand it anyway.
As their teacher, I know exactly what Angela means when she says "the school with the bird red" (a neighboring school's mascot is the cardinal). I know that "the store with the star" is Macy's. I have learned that "poopy" means puppy and that /v/s and /b/s are pretty much interchangeable.
The same is true for their writing. Spelling and conventions can make it a challenge at times to understand but I find it so important. If my students can take the risk to communicate, I give every effort I can to try to be able to understand it. My favorite decoded writing sample ever was found in a story about a trip to the dentist. After some effort I realized that "lemeseyrteef" translated to "let me see your teeth"
Words and language are so amazing to me. I love that my students have their own unique and beautiful way of communicating.