Oral Language

Oral LanguageOral Language Includes the Ability to:

  • understand spoken language
  • speak clearly to communicate with others

Some Key Oral Language Skills:

  • understanding and using individual words to communicate needs and label objects
  • understanding and using phrases, sentences and questions
  • paying attention to the language of others in conversations

Developing Your Child’s Oral Language Skills Helps Her:

  • increase vocabulary and speaking skills
  • build comprehension and enjoyment of reading
  • relate stories in books to her own experiences
  • build listening and attention skills for school

Tips to Help Your Child Build Oral Language Skills

  • Talk with your baby from Day 1! 
    • Label objects.
    • Tell him about the world he is experiencing.
    • Narrate your daily routines together.
  • Pay close attention to beginning conversations.
    • Watch your baby’s eye contact, facial expressions and first sounds.
    • Respond by smiling, imitating your baby’s sounds and extending this “conversation” with some related comments.
  • Read aloud every day.
    • Ask your toddler to point to, name or describe pictures in the story.
    • Introduce new words and explain their meaning.
    • Encourage your preschool child to predict what the story will be about or what might happen next.
    • Ask your child to retell a part of the story by describing what happened at the beginning, middle and end.
    • Ask your child to tell you who the story was about and where the story took place.
    • Ask your child to describe his feelings related to the story.
    • Ask your child to connect the story to her own experiences.
  • Use a variety of words when you talk.
    • Use action words (hopping, snoozing) and ask your child to do the actions.
    • Use descriptive words (bumpy, gigantic) and give your child clues to help him find something that matches the descriptions.
    • Use feeling words (grumpy, excited, frustrated) and ask your child to make faces to show the meaning of the words.
    • Extend your toddler’s one-, two-, or three-word statements by repeating what she said and adding on to it.
  • Play listening games.
    • Give your child simple two- or three-step instructions, and see if she can follow the instructions. Examples:
      • “Can you clap your hands once and stomp your feet twice? Can you do it?”
      • “Can you put one hand behind your back, one hand in front of your nose and jump three times? Can you do it?”
    • Play games like Simon Says, Mother May I and I Spy.
  • Provide enriching experiences.
    • Visit the library. Find out about free children’s programs and check out books.
    • Visit the zoo. Talk about the different animals, where they live and what they eat.
    • Visit a beach or lake. Talk about the water and boats, collect seashells or rocks and describe their shapes and colors.
    • Visit a park. Talk about the weather, the trees and the leaves.
    • Visit a museum to explore art, history or science. Talk about what you are seeing together.