Oral Language and the Reading Process

Learning to speak a language orally is similar in many ways to the reading process for English Language Learners.

-Pauline Gibbons (2002) suggests that, “it is often at moments of struggle that real steps in learning are achieved. This is true of speaking a language orally and the reading process. Moments of struggle encourage the reader or speaker to find a remedy or a solution for the struggle, which can often be useful in future situations as well.

-Both oral language learning and the reading process for ELLs require immediate and specific feedback from a knowledgeable speaker/reader. When learning to speak a language the speaker must speak and then gain insight as to whether or not their intended message was communicated clearly. If it was not communicated clearly, the ELL student needs specific feedback for how they could clarify. For emergent reader ELL students, the readers must attempt to decode or use other clues to identify a word, before receiving feedback and support from a knowledgeable reader.

-Group work is useful for oral language development for English Language Learners and for the reading process as well. Students can view their peers as model readers and thinkers, expanding their thinking processes and their vocabularies. Students may hear a peer say something, or phrase something a certain way that they want to try as well. Students may also perform at higher levels when around their peers to try to keep up with and even show off a little for their friends.

-Context in important for both oral language and for the reading process. Oral comprehension is increased when “language is used in an appropriate context and used meaningfully for a particular purpose” (Gibbons, 2002). ELL students may also use nonverbal context clues to help decipher meaning, such the location of the conversation, the speaker or gestures. While reading, ELL students may use context clues such as surrounding words in a book or picture clues to help determine the meaning of unknown vocabulary words.

 

References:

Gibbons, Pauline (2002). Scaffolding Language, Scaffolding Learning. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann Publishing.