What is Oral Language?
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Oral language is the building block that fosters all other areas of literacy. (Zhang & Alex, 1995).
At the most basic level, oral language means communicating with other people. But when we talk about oral language development across the curriculum, we do not mean teaching children to speak as much as we mean improving their ability to talk or communicate more effectively (Zhang & Alex, 1995).
Holbrook (1983) sets out three criteria for oral language competence: fluency, clarity, and sensitivity.
Like I mentioned when discussing my sailboat graphic, I couldn't dare leave out oral language when discussing literacy. After all I've learned about this aspect of literacy, I have discovered that oral language plays a vital role in a child's ability to read and write. The literacy learning process begins with speaking, as children talks first about their experiences long before they learn to read and write. Through this speech, children begin to organize their thoughts.
Sadly, oral language is also one of the most neglected areas of literacy instruction. Teachers forget to implement and weave oral language opportunities into their existing curriculum. Below you will find some ways to incorporate oral language into your daily routine.
At the most basic level, oral language means communicating with other people. But when we talk about oral language development across the curriculum, we do not mean teaching children to speak as much as we mean improving their ability to talk or communicate more effectively (Zhang & Alex, 1995).
Holbrook (1983) sets out three criteria for oral language competence: fluency, clarity, and sensitivity.
Like I mentioned when discussing my sailboat graphic, I couldn't dare leave out oral language when discussing literacy. After all I've learned about this aspect of literacy, I have discovered that oral language plays a vital role in a child's ability to read and write. The literacy learning process begins with speaking, as children talks first about their experiences long before they learn to read and write. Through this speech, children begin to organize their thoughts.
Sadly, oral language is also one of the most neglected areas of literacy instruction. Teachers forget to implement and weave oral language opportunities into their existing curriculum. Below you will find some ways to incorporate oral language into your daily routine.
Why is it critical to Literacy?
Like I mentioned when discussing my sailboat graphic, I couldn't dare leave out oral language when discussing literacy. After all I've learned about this aspect of literacy, I have discovered that oral language plays a vital role in a child's ability to read and write. The literacy learning process begins with speaking, as children talks first about their experiences long before they learn to read and write. Through this speech, children begin to organize their thoughts.
The development of oral language is crucial to a child’s literacy development, including listening, speaking, reading, and writing (Kirkland & Patterson, 2005). Oral language is a key indicator of children’s reading abilities (Dickinson, Cote, & Smith, 1993) but sadly, it is also one of the most neglected areas of literacy instruction. Teachers forget to implement and weave oral language opportunities into their existing curriculum. Below you will find some ways to incorporate oral language into your daily routine.
The development of oral language is crucial to a child’s literacy development, including listening, speaking, reading, and writing (Kirkland & Patterson, 2005). Oral language is a key indicator of children’s reading abilities (Dickinson, Cote, & Smith, 1993) but sadly, it is also one of the most neglected areas of literacy instruction. Teachers forget to implement and weave oral language opportunities into their existing curriculum. Below you will find some ways to incorporate oral language into your daily routine.
Assessment Ideas
MONDO Oral Language Assessment
SOLOM (Student Oral Language Observation Matrix)
SOPA, ELLOPA, & COPE Early Language Assessments
CASL (Comprehensive Assessment of Spoken Language)
- With this assessment teachers can assess the strengths and weaknesses of a student as they listen to and repeat the complex structures of spoken English.
SOLOM (Student Oral Language Observation Matrix)
- Teachers can use this rating scale to assess their student’s grasp of oral language based on what they observe on a daily basis in the classroom.
SOPA, ELLOPA, & COPE Early Language Assessments
- Using oral interview/role play technique, these assessments measure a student’s ability to understand, speak, and be understood by others in a second language.
CASL (Comprehensive Assessment of Spoken Language)
- 15 subtests that look at the following language structure categories: lexical/semantic, syntactic, supralinguistic, and pragmatic.
- Ideal for measuring delayed language, oral language disorders, dyslexia, and aphasia. No reading or writing responses needed to complete this test.
- You school district would have to purchase this assessment through the publisher…very expensive.
Instructional Strategies
Oral language is not taught as a separate component of literacy. It is embedded in all content areas.
So how can I teach oral language?
Language & Social Interaction:
•Activity based sharing
•Discussion (partner, small group, informal debate, whole class)
•Social conventions (speaking & listening courtesies, problem solving, etc.)
Speech Development:
•Observe and record on checklists
•Track developmental progress
•Monitor children at risk
•Call on speech therapists, SPED teachers, principals for opinions and support.
Language & Thinking:
•Partner work (collaborative learner, adaption of roles)
•Inquiry (questioning, interviewing, creative inquiry)
•Classification (comparing and grouping, brainstorming, building knowledge)
Language & Literacy:
•News telling
•Formal presentations
•Assembly performances
•Narrative
•Word Warm-ups
•Oral Language Activities that Develop Reading Readiness
So how can I teach oral language?
Language & Social Interaction:
•Activity based sharing
•Discussion (partner, small group, informal debate, whole class)
•Social conventions (speaking & listening courtesies, problem solving, etc.)
Speech Development:
•Observe and record on checklists
•Track developmental progress
•Monitor children at risk
•Call on speech therapists, SPED teachers, principals for opinions and support.
Language & Thinking:
•Partner work (collaborative learner, adaption of roles)
•Inquiry (questioning, interviewing, creative inquiry)
•Classification (comparing and grouping, brainstorming, building knowledge)
Language & Literacy:
•News telling
•Formal presentations
•Assembly performances
•Narrative
•Word Warm-ups
•Oral Language Activities that Develop Reading Readiness
resources
Diamond, L. & Gutlohn, L. (2006).Vocabulary handbook. Berkeley, CA: Consortium on Reading Excellence, Inc. (CORE)
Dickinson, D., Cote, L., & Smith, M. (1993). Learning vocabulary in preschool: Social and discourse contexts affecting vocabulary growth. In C. Daiute (Ed.) The development of literacy through social interaction. (pp. 67-78). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Eisenhart, C. (2007). Oral language development: The foundation for literacy [PowerPoint slides].
Retrieved from http://www.ride.ri.gov/instruction/curriculum/rhodeisland/ppts/oral languagedevelopment.pdf
Holbrook, H.T. (1983). ERIC/RCS report: Oral language: A neglected language art?" Language Arts, 60, 255-58.
Lyle, S. (1993). An investigation into ways in which children talk themselves into meaning." Language and Education, 7, 181-87.
NAEYC & IRA (1998). Learning to read and write: Developmentally appropriate practices for young children: A joint position statement of the International Reading Association and the National Association for the Education of Young Children. Young Children, 53, 40-46.
Smith, C.B. (2003). Successful oral language and literacy techniques. ERIC Digest.
Zhang, H. & Alex, N.K. (1995). Oral language development across the curriculum. K-12. ERIC Digest.
Dickinson, D., Cote, L., & Smith, M. (1993). Learning vocabulary in preschool: Social and discourse contexts affecting vocabulary growth. In C. Daiute (Ed.) The development of literacy through social interaction. (pp. 67-78). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Eisenhart, C. (2007). Oral language development: The foundation for literacy [PowerPoint slides].
Retrieved from http://www.ride.ri.gov/instruction/curriculum/rhodeisland/ppts/oral languagedevelopment.pdf
Holbrook, H.T. (1983). ERIC/RCS report: Oral language: A neglected language art?" Language Arts, 60, 255-58.
Lyle, S. (1993). An investigation into ways in which children talk themselves into meaning." Language and Education, 7, 181-87.
NAEYC & IRA (1998). Learning to read and write: Developmentally appropriate practices for young children: A joint position statement of the International Reading Association and the National Association for the Education of Young Children. Young Children, 53, 40-46.
Smith, C.B. (2003). Successful oral language and literacy techniques. ERIC Digest.
Zhang, H. & Alex, N.K. (1995). Oral language development across the curriculum. K-12. ERIC Digest.
Personal Portfolio
Here is a PowerPoint I created with a focus on oral language. Please check it out for some research and introductory ideas on oral language and its role in the literacy curriculum.
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presentation_one.pdf | |
File Size: | 633 kb |
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