Experience of hearing and saying sounds is how children begin to understand language and use it to communicate. This oral language development lays the foundations for early reading.

According to Realising the Ambition (2020), the journey begins with children hearing and noticing sounds and conversations around them. This helps to secure the important skills of listening and attention. Children can start to notice the differences between a range of sounds. This skill is known as auditory discrimination and is an important step in learning to read. Children’s auditory memory is developed as they begin to hear, say and remember sounds and words.

Talking and listening are vital to developing vocabulary. Building a wide and meaningful experience of words can help children to know, understand and be able to use a broad vocabulary. As children start to read this will help them to recognise words and use what they know to make sense of texts.

The number of young children in Scotland experiencing speech, language and communication difficulties has increased since the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a survey by the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists and Early Years Scotland (2023). This highlights the importance of working closely with families, health visitors and speech and language therapists to support children’s oral language development.

Evidence suggests that one of the key factors driving the attainment gap is the high prevalence of early difficulties in language ability among disadvantaged children (Law et al., 2017). We can work to tackle this gap through the targeted use of oral language interventions (Education Endowment Foundation).

The Growing Up in Scotland (2019) report reminds us that although coming from disadvantaged social background increases the risk of poorer language skills, it does not equate to poorer language skills for all children from disadvantaged backgrounds and vice versa.

In Scotland, over 42,000 school children speak a language other than English at home and there are many ways of being bilingual (Teaching Bilinguals, 2016).

Flynn (2008) emphasises there is a need to maintain children's first language for the dual purposes of supporting their self-esteem and ensuring that they have a secure grounding in their home language. There is a common misconception that children will be confused if they must learn to read more than one language. However, the long-term benefits will outweigh any early disadvantages that are experienced in settings that do not support bilingual development.

At the same time, we should carefully consider how to provide vocabulary support, recognising that learning new words in English not only creates linguistic demands on children, but also cultural demands as culture and language are inseparable. Children with English as an additional language will vary in the extent to which they can transfer their literacy skills and knowledge between languages (Breadmore et al., 2019).

Research highlights the dangers of negative attitudes towards different dialects (Snell & Andrews, 2014). Accounting for dialect and accent is also important when supporting decoding skills through phonics. Moll and Diaz (1987), emphasise the dangers of making assumptions about children’s decoding skills based upon correct pronunciation as children are likely to have an accent influenced by their home language. It is important to consider how any phonics programme aligns with the spoken language of children in your setting.

Role modelling language during interactions is key to developing oral language skills. The quality of conversation that children have with their peers and adults is very important (Education Endowment Foundation). Skilful educators tailor their support to meet the needs of individuals. By taking time to follow the child’s lead, we can develop interactions which occur naturally from their interests.

Speech and Language UK stress the importance of a communication supportive environment, where spaces are carefully planned to support children’s oral language development. We should consider different spaces for children to talk and listen for a variety of purposes. These could be social spaces or quieter areas for children to participate in conversations without distractions.

Play experiences are the natural vehicle for children to develop early language. It is important that educators take time to observe and consider children’s progress in listening and talking to provide responsive experiences that best suit their interests and abilities (Realising the Ambition, 2020). Children can then draw upon these experiences as they learn to read.

The development of listening and talking underpins early reading progress.  

Department of Education, Victoria State Government. (2021). Vocabulary. Literacy Teaching Toolkit.

Education Scotland. (2020). Realising the ambition: Being Me.

Speech and Language UK. (2016). Vocabulary Learning in the Early Years.

Ongoing impact of children living in poverty and long-term effects of covid on oral language development should be taken into account   

Education Endowment Foundation. (n.d.). Oral language interventions.

Royal College of Speech and Language Therapy. (2023). RCSLT Scotland survey: children’s communication difficulties increase since COVID.

Scottish Government. (2019). Growing Up in Scotland: changes in language ability over the primary school years. Chapter 1.

Scottish Government. (2019). Growing Up in Scotland: changes in language ability over the primary school years, Chapter 5.

Home language experience should be valued and supported. 

Bilingualism Matters, University of Edinburgh. (2016). Teaching Bilinguals.

Breadmore, H. L., Vardy, E. J., Cunningham, A. J., Kwok, R. K. W., & Carroll, J. M. (2019). Literacy development: Evidence review. Education Endowment Foundation.

Education Scotland. (2020). Realising the ambition: Being Me.

Marsh, J., & Hallet, E. (Eds.). (2008). Desirable literacies: Approaches to language and literacy in the early years. Sage.

Moll, L. C., & Diaz, S. (1987). Change as the goal of educational research. Anthropology & Education Quarterly, 18(4), 300-311.

Scots Language Centre. (n.d.). Dr Michael Dempster - Scots, Scottish English, and Phonics.

Snell, J., & Andrews, R. (2014). To what extent does a regional dialect and accent impact on the development of reading and writing skills? A report for the BBC. University of Leeds.

Whitehead, M. (2010). Language and literacy in the early years 0-7. Sage, 36-43.

Provide a physical and social environment to model, support and promote early listening and talking skills. 

Education Endowment Foundation. (n.d.). Supporting oral language development.

Education Scotland. (2020). Realising the ambition: Being Me.

Speech and Language UK. (n.d.). Communication supportive environments for practitioners.

The Hanen Centre. (2010). Weitzman, E., & Greenberg, J. ABC and beyond: Building emergent literacy in early childhood settings, 9-11.