Oral instruction has four main purposes: to introduce, to reinforce, to use, and to bridge the gaps for working on sound, word or text elements.(i.e. a sound/letter correspondence, a word, a sentence or a paragraph of a text.) Teachers should link oral instruction with other aspects of the reading lessons such as developing fluency. For example, if a teacher’s primary focus is to teach the word core, teachers can present the words orally before the stage of reading when students learn to recognize the written forms of words either embedded within a context or in isolation. Teachers may also consider introducing lexical items via games, and activities which can be spread over a number of lessons. “To learn a new language, there must be opportunities to communicate about real things and events” (Barone, p. 89).

Once teachers know what lexical items to focus on, they can examine their progress as they effectively design a program that provides needed instruction for developing oral proficiency for both ESL and ELL students.

Pedagogical considerations:
1. What is the purpose of oral instruction? To practice mechanical reading or to review the meanings of new vocabulary?
2. What is the motivational element for learning?
3. Is the methodology meaningful? Does the oral follow-up complement either the receptive or productive areas of language learning?
4. Does the oral instruction provide sufficient amount of practice? (i.e. reinforcing targeted vocabulary words)
5. New vs. known material. How many words have been taught and stressed?
6. Do the oral follow-ups include any of the learning stages of: repetition, recognition, (semi)production?
7. What is the expected mode of interaction? (i.e. pair work, group work)

Teaching Ideas
1. Students read a list of lexical items such as timed readings
2. Students practice short dialogues
3. Picture prompts: How many items can students recognize in x number of minutes?
4. Recognition games
5. Semi-productive activities (i.e. “hidden object T eacher says: “There is a/an____________ on the floor
6. Production games
Presenting the targeted words in different contexts
• Exposure: Using read-alouds (chapter four)
• Connecting word to print: students check off what aphids eat or drink
• Presentation on whole sentence level: Teacher shows a sentence, one word is scrambled. Students unscramble the targeted word
• Presentation on a whole word level: Vocabulary games: “I’m thinking of a word” Teacher describes the object and students guess the word.
• Presentation using word families.

Suggested planning tip:
Look at your reading program for the first few months of reading. From what core level would you like to start? Look at your textbook and decide which activities you should supplement? What skills do you need to include?

English language learners need to develop oral proficiency skills in order to make progress in their acquisition of a second language. As teachers assess their students’ levels of fluency, they collaborate to identify the core, or starting point, of their students’ abilities. Teachers can then use information to further evaluate students and plan oral instruction. Checklists and academic standards also provide a guide to developing lesson plans and objectives.

Oral instruction allows teachers to introduce and review concepts of oral proficiency and fluency with students. Teachers may use pre-reading activities to teach vocabulary and word structure. Oral follow ups provide a foundation for further work as students become familiar with and able to produce words in broader contexts.

About the author
Purchase your ebook of classroom tested tips – “Tips and Tricks for Surviving and Thriving in the Classroom,” at: http://www.MakeYourTeachingSparkle.com and you’ll receive a FREE ebooklet, “Yes! You Can Teach K-12 English language learners Successfully!”

Dorit Sasson is a freelance writer, speaker, educator and founder of the New Teacher Resource Center.