Blog Series: Why We should STOP teaching Reading Schools
Part 1: What are the components of Oral language?
This blog series explores the development of Written Language: reading, spelling, and writing as a natural extension from oral language to visual language.
This blog series describes what reading IS – the integration of visual language (letters) into already-existing oral language processing systems (sounds, words, and vocabulary).
The acquisition of written language – reading, writing, and spelling – is a continual ongoing process of integration.
The brain continually puts together information about what words look like, sound like, and mean. Through continued exposure, a visual vocabulary is built as the visual form of language gets “mapped” onto or integrated with oral language.
An oral language vocabulary already exists – words that are recognized when heard, or able to be used when speaking. These words are a SPECIFIC (often unique) string of sound information.
Not JUST sounds, but also syllable information, as well as “extra” sound cues like rate, rhythm, and intonation/pitch changes.
For a given word, there is a specific string of sound-based language information. That SOUND information gets INTEGRATED or “wired together” with MEANING information.
This is the 2-pronged system of vocabulary. Further, we need additional processes to RECEIVE these words and make meaning (e.g., hearing, attention, memory). These RECOGNITION processes are the basis of understanding and comprehension.
We need additional processes to TRANSMIT meaning such as speech and grammar structure. What becomes key here in the RETRIEVAL process is SEQUENCING: we need the RIGHT sounds at the RIGHT time in the RIGHT order.
This retrieval process requires a sophisticated understanding, reflection, and processing of the sound-based language units that comprise spoken language.
Watch for part 2 of this blog series as we discuss the history of written language.
9 Part Blog Series – Why we should stop teaching READING in schools
Got questions, concerns, yeah buts? Visit www.speak2read.ca to engage in some delightful conversation on how you can improve your reading instruction or your child’s learning.