The core of communication is oral language. Those children who have developed a strong awareness of oral language skills early in life are better equipped to use and understand the written language.
Studies have consistently revealed a strong connection between the proficiency of oral language and later success academically, particularly in writing and reading
Oral language skills can be thought of like tree roots. They provide nourishment and stability for literacy to grow. If these oral skills are not well developed at an early age, critical thinking, vocabulary acquisition, and reading comprehension can falter.
Essential Components of Oral Language
Language is more than just saying spoken words. It encompasses a large range of diverse skill. These include:
Understanding and Listening: The ability to interpret and process the spoken language.
Speaking: Clearly expressing their ideas, thoughts and emotions.
Vocabulary Development: Effectively knowing and using a large range of words.
Syntax and Grammar: sentence structuring that makes sense
Pragmatics: The understanding of how to use language in a variety of different social contexts.
Strategies For Developing Oral Language Skills At Home
Create an environment that is language-rich
An environment that is language-rich encourages curiosity and conversation. Incorporating opportunities for your child to explore words and sounds in meaningful contexts.
Model good conversational skills
Children tend to mimic what they hear. Use speaking to your child, use descriptive and clear language, try not to oversimplify. For instance, instead of telling them, “Good job”, try “ I really like how you use bright colors in your drawing of the park”. This encourages a wide range of expression and vocabulary.
Ask questions that are open ended
Instead of asking questions that have a simple yes/no answers, ask questions that require more thought and elaboration. Substitute “did you like the story?”, with “what was your favorite part of the story, and why?”. Open ended questions help create dialogue and help children learn how to express their thoughts.
Check back with First Words Speech Therapy for more ways to develop strategies for parents to boost their child’s oral language skills.
