Early Literacy Development DQ 2 & 3

Oral language is a key aspect of the future literacy of children , as it goes a far way toward promoting many of the skills contained in reading writing , and language arts . The encouragement of oral language in children allows them to practice their vocalization and verbal arrangement skills in an organic and real-world setting . Speaking in to be understood is akin to writing for the purpose of letting others understand one 's thoughts . In the same way , listening and deciphering the meanings contained in the oral communication of others is similar to

the cognitive exercise that goes on in the mind while reading . Practice with oral language , therefore , gives a child a head start in understanding the methods of reading comprehension and writing

Oral language is also a method through which children may learn incidental vocabulary . Being exposed to language in a real life setting allows them to learn and use new words in an interactive way that is likely to promote memory and proper usage . This form of learning is akin to the constructivist type of knowledge that is advocated by such developmental psychologists as Vygotsky , Bruner and Piaget . The child expands not just his /her knowledge of the language , but also the ability to express him- /herself

Children 's familiarity with oral language and the ability to express themselves in this way requires that they develop a certain awareness of the different phonemes that exist within the language . Such oral language skills also require that children be able to understand the differences among the array of phonemes and be able to mix and manipulate them to create intelligible sounds . This is the very beginning of phonemic awareness , and therefore oral language practice helps the child develop skills that will later be required in phonics instruction (Lesaux , 2006

Diversity education has a language component , as cultural differences also come out in the dialects that children are likely to hear and speak (Colquit , 1975 . It is often the case that dialects highlight the variability that often exists within the phonetics of a language (especially English . Exposure to oral language gives children the chance to hear similar words being spoken in different ways , and this allows them to bring a sort of verbal flexibility to the learning of reading . Such flexibility is beneficial , as it is often the case that phoneme substitution (especially for English vowels such graphemes as g and c ) aids in the pronunciation of tricky words

In-class reading and comprehension instruction may also include an oral language component . Read-alouds promote the listening and attention skills that are important for children 's comprehension and the development of the ability to carry out instructions . It also aids in modelling to children how reading should sound , and this gives them a benchmark for emulation in their own reading . Finally , read-alouds are a form of oral language practice that promote reading as a fun and enjoyable activity that is worth doing even when the child is alone

Phonemic awareness and phonological...