Oral Language Development, the Foundation of Literacy
A child's oral language development provides the foundation for all other language and literacy skills. Even the ability to think about things is tied to oral language. Our vocabulary and language ability control the way we are able to think about things. Understanding words orally is essential to being able to understand words written down. Oral language is neglected far too often when teaching emergent and early literacy to young children.
Oral
language can be effectively taught and if it is done early it will make
a significant difference. Research has shown that strong oral language
development at an early age means that the likelihood of the child
becoming strong in literacy is very high, while the converse is also
true that those who have weak in oral language development at
a young age almost
never become strong in literacy skills.
Those who start strong in oral language skills get farther and farther ahead, while those who start with weak oral language fall far behind and have a difficult time catching catch up. The best hope is that at an early age steps are taken to strengthen oral language. This being said, oral language development at any age is will make a big difference.
Effective Oral Language Instruction
Children develop early oral language skills through observation and interaction. However, this is not enough. We can’t afford to leave these important skills up to chance. Below are listed some of the important components of effective oral language instruction. Further descriptions along with some examples can be found by going to the linked pages.
Components of effective oral language instruction
- Vocabulary development
- Listening skills
- Conversation skills
- Conceptual knowledge development
Some teaching techniques that have proven to be
effective
- Teacher talk using "sophisticated words"
- Shared reading - read aloud
- Shared writing
- Retelling and sequencing
- Dramatic play
- Art and music activities
- Dialogic reading
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