Oral Language Interventions

Oral language interventions (also known as oracy or speaking and listening interventions) refer to approaches that emphasise the importance of spoken language and verbal interaction in the classroom. They include dialogic activities.

Oral language interventions are based on the idea that comprehension and reading skills benefit from explicit discussion of either content or processes of learning, or both, oral language interventions aim to support learners’ use of vocabulary, articulation of ideas and spoken expression.

Oral language approaches might include: 

• targeted reading aloud and book discussion with young children;
• explicitly extending pupils’ spoken vocabulary;
• the use of structured questioning to develop reading comprehension; and
• the use of purposeful, curriculum-focused, dialogue and interaction