As children begin using oral language, they start off babbling, then they “produce syllables with a consonant-vowel structure (Freeman),” then they start to use individual words. From here, they begin talking in short, basic sentences, and gradually start using longer, more descriptive sentences to “express complete ideas more fully (Freeman).” Through their oral language growth process, children are learning the order in which words make sense, the context in which words can and should be used, the meaning of words, grammar, and so much more. Without oral language, the reading process would not be possible…oral language in essence builds a foundation for reading. In my opinion, the two are dependent on one another. A child would not be able to read if they did not first learn to speak, or at least understand the structure of oral language.
In my field experiences completed during my undergrad, I had the opportunity to witness first hand the connection between oral language and the reading process. I had a 4th grade boy named Daniel whose first language was Spanish. In addition to being an ELL, he also had difficulty speaking and pronouncing things (in both Spanish and English) and because of this, he was reading at a 1st grade level. His issues with oral language directly affected his ability to read.
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