Welcome!  I will tonight’s PowerPoint to you! I will also do it for the other mtgs.  Book suggestions for parents: * Literacy and the Youngest Learner by V. Susan Bennett-Armistead, Nell K. Duke, and Annie M. Moses *Beyond Bedtime Stories by V. Susan Bennett- Armistead, Nell K. Duke, and Annie M. Moses

Presented by: Ashley Miller-Tazelaar May 2, 2011

What is Oral Language? In it’s simplest terms… “Oral language is the ability to use words to communicate thoughts and needs and ask questions, and to understand language heard in conversations and in books” (Bennett-Armistead et al., 2005, p. 1).

Pop Quiz! When does oral language begin to develop?

At birth!

How Can That Be? Infancy—Infants listen to and become aware of sound and the words spoken by the people around them. Using sounds and gestures, infants and very young children communicate their needs. Toddlers—Toddlers express feelings, ideas, and wants using language (simple sentences). Young preschoolers—Young preschoolers build their vocabulary by listening to the people around them and by learning new ideas in books. They use more complex language to convey their thoughts, feelings, and ideas. (Goodson & Layzer, 2009, p. 2)

Why is Oral Language Important for Literacy Development?  Language interactions allow children to learn the meaning of words and concepts.  These interactions teach children about sentence structure.  Knowing a large number of words is critical in your child’s ability to comprehend what he/she is reading.

How Can I Help My Child Build Strong Oral Language Skills?  Talk! Have conversations with your child— talk with them, not to them. These conversations will help your child build listening and speaking skills as well as teaching him/her new words ( Goodson & Layzer, 2009, p. 3).  Describe! Narrating activities introduces new vocabulary words and encourages a deeper understanding of new words ( Goodson & Layzer, 2009, p. 5).

Building Oral Language Skills Continued… Respond and Expand! This helps to model more sophisticated language and recognizes that what your child says was important (Bennett-Armistead et al., 2005, p. 47) Listen! Really listen to what your child is saying to you (Bennett-Armistead et al., 2005, p. 46) Ask open-ended questions! Asking open- ended questions encourages children to use more complex language (Bennett-Armistead et al., 2005, p. 51).

Building Oral Language Skills Continued… Connect! Connect new words with concepts children already know. Listen! Children love to talk about themselves and things that interest them. Tell stories! This provides children a chance to try out new vocabulary, use language to organize their thinking, and use their imaginations! Play! Taking on new roles provides the opportunity to use language in new ways. (Bennett-Armistead et al., 2005, p ).

Building Oral Language Skills Continued…  Read with your child!

Choosing Books to Develop Oral Language:  Choose books from many different genres (fiction, non-fiction, poetry, reference books, etc.)  Choose books that have interesting content, rich vocabulary, and detailed illustrations.  Talk about the book before, during, and after you read it (Goodson & Layzer, 2009, p. 10).

Wrap Up  Questions?  Next week—Be prepared to share how you helped develop your child’s oral language skills.  Next week our focus will be concepts of print  Please me with any questions:  Have a great night!

References Bennett-Armistead, V. S., Duke, N. K., & Moses, A. M. (2005). Literacy and the youngest learner: Best practices for educators of children from birth to 5. New York: Scholastic. Goodson B., Layzer, C. (2009). National institute for literacy: Learning to talk and listen. Washington, DC.