Oral language practice is crucial to organize thinking, convey ideas, and express opinion. Back in the 1960s, Wilkinson noted that the development of "oracy" (a term that he introduced through his research) would lead to increased skill in reading and writing as users of language became increasingly proficient (Wilkinson, 1965). As stated by Britton (1983), reading and writing float on a sea of talk.
In the book Content-Area Conversations, Fisher, Frey and Rothenberg (2008) recall a brief history of classroom talk, analyzing the amount of teacher´s talk in comparison with the student´s talk. In the early history of education, teachers talked for most of the instructional day while students were quiet and completed their assigned tasks. Students were expected to memorize and then recite or repeat the content in written tests and assignments. In traditional classes, teachers may think they have done a remarkable job teaching students by lecturing and eventually asking them questions about the content, but if students are not using words and sentences, they are not developing academic discourse (Fisher, Frey & Rothenberg, 2008).
We all know that these kinds of traditional classes still are common nowadays. With the increased emphasis for better results on student's learning, this has become a serious topic in education conferences and academic meetings. Research on classroom dynamics shows that better results in student's learning take place every time the teacher gives students more agency and various opportunities to talk (Adair, Colegrove & McManus, 2017).
To develop literacy, one of the keys for students is to talk with one another, in purposeful ways, using academic language. Designating a short time for conversation in class with the aim of checking comprehension is not enough. When the balance of talk in the classroom is heavily weighted toward the teacher, students fail to develop language simply because they are not being provided opportunities to express themselves with complete sentences. Only consistent practice and longer time to talk can develop thinking (Fisher, Frey & Rothenberg, 2008).
Parents and caregivers can follow the same tips to help children to improve their language skills. Free conversation about day-to-day themes with children is a booster for their expressive abilities which positively impacts their reading and writing. There are many ways to start a conversation, such as asking open-ended questions, or discussing themes that the children know and can tell their opinion about. Many other factors may impact learning, such as the spaces and places where the learning takes place and the nature of teacher and student relationship (Walker-Gleaves & Gleaves, 2017).
A meaningful, clean and safe environment, whether at school, at home, or learning spaces like libraries can be a motivation factor for improving literacy. The practice of "turn and talk" and group discussion, beyond the improvement of literacy, has the advantage of increasing social skills, such as respecting other's opinions and taking turns in conversation. In also helps students to know each other and allows them to preview how to hold healthy and fruitful interactions in adult life.
Fisher, D., Frey, N. & Rothenberg, C. (2008). Content-Area Conversations. Alexandria, VA: ASCD, Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.
Walker-Gleaves, C. & Gleaves, A. (2017). Language, literacy and the learning environment. In Walker-Gleaves, C. & Waugh, D. Looking after Literacy - a Whole Child Approach to Effective Literacy Interventions. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications Inc, 17-32.
Adair, J., Colegrove, K. & McManus, M. (2017). How the World Gap Argument Negatively Impacts Young Children of Latinx Immigrants´Conceptualizations of Learning. Cambridge, MA: Harvard Educational Review Vol. 87 Nº 3, 309-330.
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