Blog #3

Entry #3: Comment on the relationship between oral language and the reading process.

Oral language has long been regarded as the foundation for beginning reading as children draw on the meaning, syntax and the phonology of spoken language as a bridge to emergent literacy (Clay, 2002).  Students cannot read and comprehend material if there isn’t a relationship between oral language and reading. Students need the benefit of a comprehensive and balanced ESL program as well as the added opportunity to practice both listening and speaking skills to become proficient at a second language. Classroom talk is essential to a successful second language acquisition.  The process of decoding would fall apart if students couldn't break a word down into the morphemes and word parts that make up language. Just as students need practice reading, they also need practice in developing their oral language stills.  It is very important for teachers to allow students to speak in the class each day.  In many classrooms today, teachers ask many questions and allow for student responses.  However, these questions usually ask for simple, few word responses.  Students are not given the opportunity to talk and explain in detail, which plays a very large role in student’s oral language development.   Students need to work in small groups and whole group situations where each student has the time and the ability to interact with other students.  Second language learners, especially, need to have this oral language and need to always be given time and encouraged to speak and interact with their peers to provide them with the practice they need to have conversations with one another. I also believe in the importance of students hearing text read to them while reading. This teaching strategy helps students see for themselves the relationship between oral language and the reading process and why they are so important. While students obviously learn from interacting with one another and using their own voice, they also need to hear and know the words and the sounds before they can decode meaning from the word.  

References

Clay, Marie, M. 2002. An observation survey of early literacy achievement, 2nd edn.

Auckland: Heinemann Education.