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A BRIDGE TO READING AND WRITING LITERACY

Developing Oral Language Skills in Young Children
B y J a n J e n n e r

hat is a literate person? attitudes, and behaviors about reading, including answering Historically, reading and writing childrens questions, employing literacy concepts, responding to literacy has been defined in terms of the childrens behavior toward print, providing reading material, following skills: and conducting language activities with their children. reading and writing ones own name; Children whose parents sing or chant nursery rhymes with reading and writing (with understanding) them not only help children develop a positive view of reading, a short, simple statement about ones life; but an understanding of sound patterns and what those pat reading the daily newspaper. terns look like in print. Because a childs knowledge of oral lanTodays expectations, however, encompass more than the guage precedes and forms the basis for knowledge of written ability to read, write, speak, and listen. These expectations language, it is vital that those who work with young children include use of oral and written language to make sense of the be aware of and help develop childrens oral language skills. world and to communicate, problemsolve, and participate in decisionmaking. The foundation for these literacy skills is language and an underPromoting Reading and Writing Literacy standing of how language works. At the White House Summit on Family habits and traditions regarding oral language lay the groundwork Early Childhood Cognitive for childrens ability to apply language principles to written language. Development held in July 2001, Dr. To assist young childrens oral language development: Patricia Kuhl of The Center for Mind, Provide a warm and rewarding atmosphere when using oral language. Brain, and Learning at the University of Washington talked about her Use language in a social, child-centered context. research on language development in Use language that is meaningful and purposeful. the infant brain. Field studies conduct Present the entire language system at once. ed in Japan, Russia, Sweden, Finland, Provide opportunities to learn simultaneously rules for both France, and the U.S. show that as infants get older, they no longer language and communication. respond to foreign languages. As Kuhl explains, By 12 months of age, young Source: An address by Dorothy Strickland titled The Role of Parents and infants are very focused on the patterns Grandparents in Childrens Cognitive Development: Focus on Language and of their own language . . . . They Literacy delivered at the White House Summit on Early Childhood Cognitive become more culture-bound, just like Development, July 27, 2001. Available online at www.ed.gov/PressReleases/ us. This specialization is essential for language learning, and illustrates how 07-2001/07272001-strickland.html. powerful early learning is (from Born To Learn: Language, Reading, and the Brain of the Child, available at www.ed.gov/PressReleases/07-2001/07262001-kuhl.html). By (See the sidebar that accompanies this article for more on how the time they are 1 year of age, infants are familiar with many parents and caretakers can help young children develop skills language components, including sounds, sound combinations, that promote reading and writing literacy.) and the tempo and cadence of words and phrases. Childrens The Reading First initiative established a national imperasource of information about these language components is tive: all students must read on grade level by grade 3. Research their parents and caregivers. shows that there are tools available to help us meet this chalA National Research Council report titled Preventing lenge. It will take active partnerships among researchers, Reading Difficulties in Young Children (available at schools, and families, however, if that goal is to be attained. www.nap.edu/html/prdyc/ch4.html) describes studies that explore family factors that influence childrens language and Jan Jenner is a Reading Specialist with the Pacific Regional literacy development. These factors include parents beliefs, Educational Laboratory. 5
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