The Smelly Socks script and other available scripts have been based on Marion Blank’s Model of Classroom Language. Marion Blank recognised the importance of keeping questions and statements within a child’s level of understanding. The more concrete the statement or question, the easier it will be for the child to understand. As questions become more abstract, they become harder for children to answer. Marion Blank’s model offers a 4-level framework for questioning, starting with concrete concepts (Level 1) and progressing to abstract thinking (Level 4).

Using Wise Words Scripts to enhance a child’s understanding and increase his/her expressive language
You can use a book to expand a child’s:

• Vocabulary (world, fighting, winning, pretending, crept),
• Understanding of concepts (e.g. new, many, frightened, around, lonely),
• Ability to understand questions.

The scripts you’ll find, including “The Smelly Socks,” are designed to consider how well children understand language. This is based on the work of Marion Blank, who believed questions and instructions should be easy for children to follow. The simpler the question or statement, the easier it is for a child to learn from it. Marion Blank even created a system with four levels, going from very basic (Level 1) to more complex (Level 4) to show this idea.