When we learned as infants and
children, thinking aloud or saying what we are thinking (private
speech), was accepted as a way of demonstrating our knowledge, or of
opening ourselves to "get it right." We sounded out
words, expressed ideas, formed sentences. When corrected, we
practiced until we imitated correctly, or conformed to the model of
our family, neighborhood, school, etc.
Thinking aloud was essential
to our early learning. Thinking aloud is also called private
speech.
As we grow older, thinking aloud
is internalized, and speech shifts to communicating with others.
"Nevertheless, the need to engage in
private speech never disappears. Whenever we encounter
unfamiliar or demanding activates in our lives, private speech
resurfaces. It is a tool that helps us overcome obstacles and
acquire new skills".
We tend to use only phrases
and incomplete sentences in private
speech. What is said reflects our thoughts, but only what is
puzzling, new, or challenging. We omit what we already know or
understand. So also private speech decreases as our performance
or understanding improves.
Applications
of private speech in learning include planning, monitoring progress,
or guiding ourselves in working through challenging tasks and
mastering new skills. It can help us manage situations and
control our behavior by verbalizing our feelings, or venting to
ourselves.
Private speech is a useful tool in
learning. The
more we engage our brain on multiple "levels," the more we
are able to make connections and retain what we learn. We read,
create images or diagrams, listen, use music or motion, talk with
others (collaborative learning) and with ourselves. Some of us
like to talk things through with someone or in a group, either to help
us understand or to remember better. And some of us don't need
another person around to talk with in this process! This can be
a learning style, and a very effective one.
We use multiple senses and experiences
to process and reinforce our learning, and the combination of these
strategies is very individual.
Applications of private speech
in learning include;
- memorizing vocabulary by saying the words
- appreciating poetry by "dramatizing"
it
- editing papers by reading the text aloud
- talking through math problems to arrive at
solutions
