- Thursday 18 April 2019
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With our new Integrated oral language series hot off the press, we sat down with the authors to discern why this product is needed in the current market, how you can utilise the information, and the challenges and rewards she experienced while writing. Read on for a behind-the-scenes look into the writing process for one of our most exciting new releases.
How was Integrated oral language developed?
Because oral language is the foundation on which all English skills are built, establishing good speaking and listening skills early in schooling is paramount to learning across all curriculum areas. Integrated oral language was developed to support teachers in planning oral language activities that suit a range of commonly used themes in early childhood and junior primary classrooms. A visual stimulus (a full-colour image) was chosen as the starting point for developing a number of different oral language skills. Each full-colour image depicted an image from common and familiar themes that relate to students. The oral language activity suggestions for each theme allow teachers to develop students’ speaking and listening skills and provide opportunities for them to practise these skills while applying themed vocabulary, grammar knowledge and/or knowledge of text types.
Who would benefit from Integrated oral language and why?
This resource supports early childhood students in particular, but also ESL children, reticent speakers (because structures are provided) and those who have not developed these skills in earlier years. It can also be used by older students who would benefit from learning how to communicate better orally. The themes included in each book are based on topics that students may encounter in their daily lives or in their school lives, which allows students to connect with, and develop their oral language skills through, real-world situations. By teaching and developing students’ oral language skills through real-world concepts, they will be better equipped to understand and use these skills throughout their daily lives.
What advantages would using Integrated oral language give teachers?
All resources, activities, lesson ideas and beautiful full-colour downloadable images are provided—teachers need to do nothing more than select the activities they want to use. The 25 themes, each with 5–7 activities, allow you to customise your oral language lessons to suit your students learning needs. For each theme, cross-curricular activities are suggested which allow you to integrate these activities into either English lessons and/or lessons in other learning areas.
What is the most interesting part of the books?
For each theme, a full-colour poster is included as a digital download to engage students in the theme and provide a visual stimulus for use during the activities. These themed posters contain a range of artwork, including drawings and photographs, to allow students to view, interpret and discuss a variety of images which show depictions of people, places and objects and/or places relating to the theme. Developing the full-colour resources for each topic/theme with the artists was interesting and enjoyable, and allowed us to be a bit more creative when designing the product. Using a common structure throughout made writing easier, which resulted in a product that is very easy for teachers to use. It was also a pleasant change to write activities that focus around ‘doing’—speaking, listening, role-play, and drama.
What was the hardest part about writing Integrated oral language?
It was often difficult to think of new and different ways to do speaking and listening activities when all your good ideas have already been used—175 activities per book is a mammoth task, but we enjoy it as it saves teachers from having to do all the work!
If you would like to a free sample of this new series, click here to download a 5-page unit from Early Years, Foundation, Year 1 and Year 2. If you have any feedback about Integrated oral language, we'd love to hear from you!