Entry #3--Relationship between oral language and the reading process

You cannot learn to read without good oral language. You have to know how to use words and speak them in order to interpret them within text. Students that come from a rich oral language environment seem to learn to understand the reading process better. When a child picks up a picture book and can tell a story based on what they see in the picture that is a part of learning to read. Adding words to pictures and relating to a book is an important part in the beginning stages of reading. Oral language also happens when you read a book to a child. A child can "read" a book based on what he hears, by repeating the words he has heard someone say when reading the book. Having conversation about books also helps learn listening comprehension. Asking questions like what do you see, and what might happen next are all great examples of this. A child can also hear the sounds of words and the make up of sentences. Oral language is not only for early education, but also it is important for students who have learned to read and have trouble comprehending what they read. Exposure to words can help the older students become more comfortable with text.

Here are two great links to an article about oral language and reading

http://www.colorincolorado.org/educators/content/oral

http://www.ilsp.gr/homepages/protopapas/pdf/Mouzaki_etal_2005_ProcLDW14.pdf