Oral language as a foundation for meaningful classroom literacy learning

Purpose – This paper describes oral language as a multi-faceted and unconstrained phenomenon, including its social purpose in societies and the implications of this for education. It provides a critique of the concepts of oral language which have come to dominate literacy and language education policy across the Organisation of Economic Collaboration and Development (OECD) in Anglophone countries like Australia. This paper synthesises the interdisciplinary evidence regarding the nature of oral language from the broad field of “language sciences” and explains the implications of this for literacy education. The paper includes recommendations for educational research, school leaders and policymakers.

Design/methodology/approach – A synthesis of interdisciplinary evidence from across the “language sciences” is outlined, drawing on Aristotle’s notion of sound with meaning. The evidence highlights the emphasis given to “sound” and “meaning” within various perspectives and shows that meaning is essential to oral language and provides a lens with which to evaluate educational policy and practice.

Findings – Findings from a synthesis of evidence across the language sciences and research on school-based practice suggest a number of implications for policy and practice in linguistically diverse settings. Firstly, phonological awareness through musical and drama processes can be applied in the early years of oral language development. Secondly, that oral language is a complementary communicative tool rather than an isolated practice. Finally, that oral language for the classroom may better reflect language’s social purpose to coordinate around meaning.

Originality/value – This paper is an important clarifier at a time when the place of oral language has become constrained within particular educational models in the Anglosphere. This paper highlights that oral language is a basis for learning to read and write throughout the schooling years, but also in life in the ongoing generative work that language allows and demands.