Understanding Oral Language: Why It’s Vital for Reading, Writing, and Spelling

Oral language and literacy development rely on several interlinked components. Any one of them can be weak and weaknesses in multiple components often underlie reading, writing, or spelling difficulties. A thorough understanding of these areas—and how they work together—is essential.

What Are the Six Components of Oral Language?

1. Phonology – The sound system of a language: how sounds are organized and used.

2. Vocabulary / Semantics – The meaning of words: knowing what words mean and how to use them.

3. Morphology – The structure of words: understanding roots, prefixes, suffixes, inflections.

4. Syntax – The grammar rules that order words into sentences.

5. Pragmatics / Discourse & Social Communication – How language is used in social contexts; conversation, storytelling, adapting speech.

6. Orthography – Written symbols and spellings; how letters and letter sequences map to spoken sounds.

Why All Six Components Are Critical

A deficit in any one component can affect reading comprehension, writing clarity, or spelling accuracy.

Children may appear to “keep up” in some areas while falling behind in others. For example, good vocabulary but poor phonological awareness, or strong syntax but weak orthography.

Conditions like ADHD, Autism, Childhood Apraxia of Speech, or cognitive impairments often interfere with one or more components. These associated challenges can make assessment and intervention more complex.

Orthography Is More Than Visual Memory

Many people assume spelling is just memorizing words or visual strategies like flashcards. However:

• Orthography is an oral‑language skill too.

• When you see a word like CAT, your brain should internally “ring the bell” for the sounds /k/‑/æ/‑/t/ and then link to the corresponding vocabulary meaning.

• Without accurate sound‑/word‑level processing beforehand, visual strategies are far less effective.

Why You Need a Comprehensive Language Assessment

To truly understand a student’s learning profile:

• A language assessment should measure performance in all six oral language components.

• It should evaluate speaking, listening / comprehension / memory, organizing and expressing ideas, and written language (reading, writing, spelling).

• Only then can you see how individual skills are integrating (or not) into the student’s overall communication and academic performance.

Why Generic Programs Often Fall Short

Many curriculums or “programs” (websites, group approaches, etc.) miss the mark because:

1. They don’t include all necessary language components (e.g. orthography + morphology + pragmatics).

2. They lack a clear structure of skill progression (from foundational to applied).

3. They aren’t able to scaffold new skills based on what the child already knows.

This is why it is important to assess word-level language skills. Certain children continue to struggle despite intervention, it’s important to consider long-term language processing challenges. For example, a longitudinal study of children with Specific Language Impairment (SLI) and co-occurring literacy delays found persistent weaknesses in vocabulary, morphology, and narrative skills throughout early grades — highlighting how these deficits can compound over time if not addressed early (Botting & Conti-Ramsden, 2012).

One‑on‑One Therapy with a Speech‑Language Pathologist: The Gold Standard

Here’s why individual therapy with a qualified SLP is often much more effective than tutoring or generic programs:

• An SLP assesses and begins instruction in the exact component(s) where the child is weak.

• Therapy is personalized: the path of learning is scaffolded, progressive, and responsive.

• The child learns not just isolated drills, but how to apply language skills across speaking, listening, reading, writing, and spelling.

• The results are comprehensive: improved communication performance, not only in written tasks but in everyday social interaction and comprehension.

How to Recognize When This Is Needed

Consider seeking a formal assessment when you observe:

• Difficulty spelling words or reading aloud accurately.

• Trouble organizing thoughts or expressing ideas in writing.

• Comprehension that seems okay in conversation but not with text.

• Persisting speech sound errors beyond typical ages.

Building Strong Foundations for Literacy Success

The six components of oral language are essential to strong oral language and literacy development. When phonology, vocabulary, morphology, syntax, pragmatics, and orthography are strong and well integrated, children can read well, write clearly, and spell accurately.

If you suspect your child is struggling in any of these areas, a comprehensive language assessment with a Speech‑Language Pathologist can identify the gaps—and therapy can help build the growth that follows.

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Botting, N., & Conti-Ramsden, G. (2012). The weak foundations of narrative abilities in children with specific language impairment: Longitudinal evidence from kindergarten to adolescence. International Journal of Language & Communication Disorders, 47(1), 27–36. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1460-6984.2011.00090.x

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Language impacts every part of learning. Let’s uncover the missing links and build the foundation your child needs to thrive. Contact us to schedule a personalized assessment.