Oral Language and Reading Process

Oral language and reading go together hand in hand. Oral language develops listening and speaking skills which is crucial to have when students begin to read. If students develop oral language, they are more prepared to read and write. Once they start reading, they will pick up more academic language (BICS) and their comprehension level will increase. I think one of the best ways to build a student's oral language and reading skills is with guided reading. Guided reading is an excellent way to better the students' comprehension levels. You can do this by making predictions, asking questions about the story, develop mini-lessons with vocabulary or phonemic awareness, summarizing the story, discussing if they have experiences similar to the characters, etc. If students can comprehend what they reading, their oral language skills (with academic laguage) will be more proficient.