Building Strong Oral Language Foundations

Oral language is the basis of reading, writing and social interactions. The quality and quantity of early oral language interactions sets children up for literacy success at school and beyond! The following strategies can help to strengthen this skill with your child at home.

Strategies:

Follow your child鈥檚 lead in conversations听and take turns speaking.
Give your child sufficient time to compose听and finish their messages.
Listen carefully to the meaning of their听message.
Respond with animated expressions, and听specific, meaningful comments that are听related to the message.
Make eye contact, pause and wait expectantly for your child to initiate questions and comments.

Try It Out!

Use pictures to spark conversations with your child.

Identify and talk about听details in a picture.
Search and find picturesthat highlight a particular feature or characteristic (e.g., feelings, colours, animals, body parts)

Here are more听听that you can share with听your child!

Phonological Awareness

There are also specific oral language skills that underlie future reading and writing success. Phonological awareness is the ability to distinguish words, syllables and individual sounds in words by ear, with no print involved. This skill can be developed on-the-go in many playful, interactive ways.

For example:

Jump once for each word in the sentence:

The dog is sitting (4 jumps)
听听*听听听*听听 *听听听*

Clap the syllables in the word: sunshine 鈫� sun - shine

What鈥檚 The Word?

rain鈥pause] bow 鈫� rainbow

ffff鈥pause] ish 鈫� fish

mmmm鈥pause] aaa鈥pause] p 鈫� map

What Do You Hear?

What sound do you hear at the听beginning听of the word?听(e.g.,听p颈驳鈫�/p/)

What sound do you hear at the听end听of the word?听听听听听听 (e.g., sad鈫�/d/)
What sound do you hear in the听middle听of the word?听听听听(e.g., log 鈫掆€�aw鈥�)
Break apart the word, e.g., tub.听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 (/t/ [pause] /u/ [pause] /b/)

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