Supported Decision

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Chapter 5: Oral Language: Strategies and Techniques: 5-4 Oral Language and Reading and Writing Book Title: Methods & Strategies for Teaching Students with High Incidence Disabilities: A Case-Based Approach Printed By: Jasline Stansell ([email protected]) © 2019 Cengage Learning, Cengage Learning

5-4 Oral Language and Reading and Writing The association between language problems of students with HI and reading and writing problems is complex; however, a link does exists between language disabilities and reading or written language disabilities (Friel-Patti 1999). Deficits in oral language could result in problems in reading and written language (Sturm and Clendon 2004), as illustrated by Table 5.3. Longitudinal studies have found that children who develop language impairments at an early age often have continued problems during adolescence in oral language, literacy, and academic achievement (Aram and Hall 1989). In particular, children who lack phonological awareness appear to have problems in early reading (Adams 1990). In addition to this link, researchers have found other skills, both oral language and print skills, that correlate with later reading skills. For example, the language skills of expressive vocabulary, oral language proficiency, and recall of sentences or stories are three skills that have been shown to predict reading achievement. All of this information points to the role that oral language skills, including phonological awareness, play in reading development, as well as other literacy aspects such as awareness of print (for example, concepts of print and letter identification) (Scarborough 2005).

Table 5.3

Oral Language and Reading and Written Language

Language Domains Implications for Reading Implications for Writing

Phonology

Demonstrated delays in phonology (e.g., Berninger and Gans 1986; Vandervelden and Siegel 1999)

Phonological skills are related to the development of phonemic awareness and decoding.

Phonological skills are related to spelling development.

Morphology

Difficulties with production of morphemes (e.g., Binger and Light 2002; Kelford Smith,

Knowledge of morphology is needed to comprehend sophisticated meaning changes in text.

Morphology is critical to conventional writers who communicate subtle

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Thurston, Light, Parnes, and O’Keefe 1989; Sutton and Gallagher 1993)

word meanings through text.

Semantics

Restricted experiences and background knowledge (e.g., Carlson 1981; Light 1997)

Vocabulary delays (e.g., Berninger and Gans 1986; Udwin and Yule 1990)

Background knowledge and vocabulary are needed to effectively comprehend text.

Vocabulary is needed to communicate during a range of reading lessons.

Background knowledge and vocabulary are central to content generation.

Categories of knowledge support retrieval of content.

Vocabulary is needed to communicate during a range of writing lessons.

Syntax

One- or two-word utterances predominate (e.g., Harris 1982; Udwin and Yule, 1990)

Prevalence of simple clause types, word order deviations, and word omissions (e.g., van Balkom and Welle Donker-Gimbrere 1996)

Knowledge of sentence structure and sentence connections is needed to process the range of sentences encountered in text.

Knowledge of sentence structure is needed to compose simple, compound, and complex sentences and to support cohesion between sentences.

Pragmatics

Impaired pragmatic skills (e.g., Light, Collier, and Parnes 1985a; O’Keefe and Dattilo 1992; von

Pragmatic skills are related to understanding the author’s intention.

Pragmatic skills are related to understanding the audience.

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Tetzchner and Martinsen 1996)

Typically respondents (e.g., Basil 1992; Harris 1982; Light et al. 1985a; O’Keefe and Dattilo 1992; von Tetzchner and Martinsen 1996)

Restricted range of speech acts (e.g., Light, Collier, and Parnes 1985b; Udwin and Yule 1991)

Pragmatic skills are needed to understand classroom participation structures of reading activities.

Writing requires children to generate text independently, often with an absent audience.

Pragmatic skills are needed to understand classroom participation structures of writing activities.

Children ask questions and comment on peers’ compositions.

Discourse

Greater number of communication experiences with conversational discourse (e.g., Nelson 1992)

Restricted experiences with classroom discourse (for example, narrative discourse or expository discourse) (e.g., Nelson 1992; Sturm et al. 2003a)

Knowledge of the discourse structures of text is needed to support text comprehension.

Knowledge of the discourse structures of reading lessons (e.g., small group reading, large group discussion) is needed to participate effectively in the classroom.

Knowledge of the discourse structures of text is needed to organize a coherent composition.

Knowledge of the discourse structures of writing lessons (e.g., peer and teacher conferences, large group lessons, sharing) is needed to participate effectively in the classroom.

Source: Adapted from J. Strum and S. Clendon, “Augmentative and Alternative Communication,

Language, and Literacy: Fostering the Relationship,” Topics in Language Disorders 24(1):77, 2004.

As children get older, other skills beyond phonological skills contribute to decoding and comprehension. For example, students who have difficulty with semantic skills also have problems with vocabulary words and reading comprehension (Nation 2005). Other language skills such as listening comprehension are also related to reading skills. Students with poor listening comprehension also performed poorly on measures of reading comprehension (Nation and Snowling 1997). Moreover, weaknesses in certain aspects of oral language may

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2.

lead to or be causally linked to problems in reading and written language (Nation 2005); students with language disabilities or spoken language delays often perform poorly in other areas, such as spelling and vocabulary (Snowling 2005).

Think Back to the Case with Sammie…

In addition to oral language, what other skills would you, as the teacher, address?

Because word recall could create problems for Sammie during written language, it might be a good area to address. In terms of written language, Sammie’s word recall problems might create frustrating situations for him when he is asked to write responses to short-answer or essay questions on worksheets or tests, or to compose written essays or compositions. Keep these problems in mind as you read about oral language skills and techniques.

Chapter 5: Oral Language: Strategies and Techniques: 5-4 Oral Language and Reading and Writing Book Title: Methods & Strategies for Teaching Students with High Incidence Disabilities: A Case-Based Approach Printed By: Jasline Stansell ([email protected]) © 2019 Cengage Learning, Cengage Learning

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