The Relationship Between Oral Language and the Reading Process

Children begin reading first by developing oral language that consists of both listening and speaking. After obtaining the ability to listen and speak children later learn to read and write. These five elements (speaking, listening, reading, writing, and thinking) all continuously develop together. A child who develops a good listening and speaking vocabulary has formed many concepts and ideas, which is known as prior knowledge. As teachers, once we understand how these elements work together we then can develop an effective literacy program for our students. Oral language is also essential to develop comprehension. The oral language a child develops helps a child to construct meaning, interact with text, and associate meaning with text. Children acquire oral language through experiences and interactions with others. It is important that all schools build literacy experiences around the language the child has developed to successfully establish a connection between oral language and reading.