The Importance of Oral Language Skills

The Importance of Oral Language Skills

When parents think about literacy, they most often think about the importance of written language, letter recognition, and reading. But an equally critical foundation of good communication is oral language, helping children learn to use words to talk as well as to listen. In fact, historically, the role of stories and folklore in transmitting traditions and culture were paramount.

Today, in our electronic world, we tend to overlook the important role of oral language skills in promoting reading and broader cognitive development. In fact, promoting oral language was another area of focus by the National Institute for Literacy in their series on how to promote early language development.

In a recent booklet by the National Institute for Literacy, oral language is called the “engine” of learning and thinking, as the importance of oral language skills is linked to later literacy achievement in reading, writing, and spelling.

As infants, children use sounds and gestures to express their needs, and the responsiveness of caring adults to these early efforts to communicate play a critical role in brain development. As children grow and begin to use simple sentences and express their likes, dislikes, and curiosity, they are able to learn about the world around them and their environment. And with a growing vocabulary and oral mastery, preschool children more fully express their ideas and abstract concepts through stories and make believe.

What are some things that parents and teachers in early childhood education programs can do to promote oral language development?

As the National Institute for Literacy points out, one of the keys is through shared conversations and book reading—but not just reading a book from cover to cover, but taking the time to ask questions such as, “what do you think will happen next,” or “what do you think this character is feeling now.” Asking questions, providing explanations, discussing feelings—all of this things enrich the language experience for children and help to foster broader skill development.

Equally important is making sure that as adults we talk with children, not to them. Asking open-ended questions, using a varied vocabulary, and taking advantage of routine activities such as driving in the car, shopping in the market, or making dinner to talk with children about the activity or asking them about what they did during the day—these all require relatively little effort but have a big payoff in terms of your child’s language development. Children enjoy talking about things that are familiar to them, but they also can have rich imaginations and turn everyday events into fanciful journeys to unknown worlds that live only inside your child’s creative mind.

Parents today are often stretched, trying to balance the hectic demands of work, parenting, community involvement, friends, and other family members such as aging parents. In that context it is easy to feel as if there is isn’t enough time to do it all. The wonderful thing about oral language development is that you can engage your child anytime and anywhere.

So turn off your mental to-do list and use your time together to communicate, really communicate with your child. There is no doubt that your child will benefit immensely, and you will also learn a great deal about the world from the eyes of a child. And there is probably nothing more wondrous and rewarding than that.
http://education-blog.kindercare.com/2010/08/the-importance-of-oral-language-skills/