Oral Language Development

what we know

• Many ELLs go through a "silent period", during which they listen and observe more than they speak. 

• ELLs may speak at first in single words or short phrases. 

• They may speak fluently when using greetings and other basic phrases in routine interpersonal situations, but speak haltingly when constructing English sentences to express more complex ideas. 

• Effective teachers are aware that ELLs who are quiet in class may be hard at work listening and comprehending. 

• Teachers also know that ELLs may take longer to answer a question or volunteer a comment, because they need more time to process meaning and formulate an appropriate response.

• ELLs' speech may be ungrammatical, reflecting their lack of experience with English word order, grammatical patterns, or word endings. Their speech may be "accented," reflecting lack of experience with English sounds, rhythms, and stress patterns. As a result, ELLs may feel self-conscious about speaking, especially in large groups. Criticism, ridicule, and public correction exacerbate these anxieties. 

• ELLs are likely to be more comfortable speaking in small groups.

• ELLs may over-use high frequency words like nice or go until they acquire a larger repertoire of more differentiated words, such as beautiful, happy, entertaining, kind, generous or leave, depart, travel, journey, race, hike, skip. 

• While young ELLs naturally acquire the language of play and daily life from social interaction with other students and adults, ELLs require explicit instruction and modeling of the more formal language used in academic settings to talk about reading and writing. 

Source: https://www.brown.edu/academics/education-alliance/teaching-diverse-learners/about/oral-language

Image source: http://www.colorincolorado.org/sites/default/files/styles/article_image/public/articles/Science-5.jpg?itok=tcRJLy-w

INCREASING CLASSROOM TALK 

ELLs are more likely to become passive because language and cultural differences can disconnect them from mainstream schooling. Here are some general guidelines to support the oral language development of students:

• Uphold high expectations for student participation. During key discussions, use a class roster to keep track of students' participation levels and employ ways to get students talking beyond having them raise their hands (e.g., choral responses, shared reading, and paired discussions).

• Practice behaviors that value students' contributions. Smile and share common courtesies. Be a good listener, focusing on the content of the message rather than its grammatical structure. 

• Allow sufficient wait time, including patient pauses and that support students' possible need for code switching (i.e., thinking or speaking in one language and switching to another). Repeating the question or prompt allows more time for processing while engaging more students.

• Use yes or no, either, or other prompts to bridge language gaps. Because oral language production competence follows reception skills, students can comprehend more than they can verbalize. Giving students a way to show their knowledge without having to construct complete sentences keeps students involved and scaffolds their use of English to evidence their understanding.

• Accept phrases and partial answers and model more complete sentences. Helping students elaborate their ideas into full sentences with academic structures and terms will help them to write their ideas down in more standard English.

• Model standard pronunciation and grammar. Slowing down, oversimplifying, or speaking more loudly are not necessary. Rephrasing and gesturing to help convey meaning are more helpful. Remember to amplify (quantity), not simplify (decrease quality) (Gibbons, 2002).

• Find time to make small talk on a one-to-one basis. Ask questions frequently and listen carefully to student responses. These less intimidating exchanges may provide information that you can use when leading whole-group discussions later.

• Learn some key phrases in the student's native language to make a connection and to share the language-learning process with your students.

• Help students elaborate their message.  The tables below illustrate how teachers can prompt students for elaboration.  For more details about increasing classroom talk and helping students elaborate, see the full article. 

Source: Reading Rockets article: Extending English Language Learners' Classroom Interactions Using the Response Protocol by Kathleen and Erick Mohr (2007).

using Games to foster oral language

for more info - online resources and blog posts

Oral Language & ELL Recipes, OISE Toronto - this site features a variety of short video clips and virtual tours highlighting oral strategies in action in K-6 classrooms such as storytelling, puppet plays and critical thinking activities

Teaching Newcomers: The Silent Period

Dr. Lindsey Moses Guccione - Oral Language Development and ELLs: 5 Challenges and Solutions

Nicole Knight - Why are Academic Discussions So Important for ELLs

Tah Huynh - The Harkness Discussion: Where Everyone Has a Voice at the Table