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WE HELP LEARNERS SUCCEED
Providing practical oral language and LITERACY support and resources
Oral language and communication are key to unlocking success in literacy, learning and life. Oral language provides the foundation for the development of literacy skills. This is because word knowledge underpins speaking, listening, reading, and writing. Language is at the heart of learning.
LITERACYSCAPE
Sound Beginnings Literacyscape™
captures the key components that position oral language and communication around structured literacy for successful learning.To be effective communicators we need to be able to use speech and language and know how to listen actively. The processes involved in communication are complex and interlinked and the same in every language.
ORAL LANGUAGE & COMMUNICATION
Explicit teaching of oral language is important as many learners depend on school for interactions that support the development of oral language skills, including academic talk. This includes the language of socialisation and daily life from social interaction with other learners and adults especially if they are living in a world of more than one language.
PROFESSIONAL
LEARNING
Sound Beginnings professional learning gets the foundation right and supports educators to unlock the mystery of teaching oral language and improving communication. Sound Beginnings brings together research evidence and teaching experience to provide practical knowledge and support for kindergarten, primary and secondary teachers.
ONLINE
RESOURCES
Sound Beginnings resources provide the what and how. Our extensive range of oral language and communication focused resources provide opportunities to listen, observe, participate, and interact. Learners, at every age, need daily opportunities to learn and practice any language for their literacy skills to flourish.
LITERACYSCAPE
Sound Beginnings Literacyscape™
captures the key components that position oral language and communication around structured literacy for successful learning.To be effective communicators we need to be able to use speech and language and know how to listen actively. The processes involved in communication are complex and interlinked and the same in every language.
ORAL LANGUAGE & COMMUNICATION
Explicit teaching of oral language is important as many learners depend on school for interactions that support the development of oral language skills, including academic talk. This includes the language of socialisation and daily life from social interaction with other learners and adults especially if they are living in a world of more than one language.
PROFESSIONAL
LEARNING
Sound Beginnings professional learning gets the foundation right and supports educators to unlock the mystery of teaching oral language and improving communication. Sound Beginnings brings together research evidence and teaching experience to provide practical knowledge and support for kindergarten, primary and secondary teachers.
ONLINE
RESOURCES
Sound Beginnings resources provide the what and how. Our extensive range of oral language and communication focused resources provide opportunities to listen, observe, participate, and interact. Learners, at every age, need daily opportunities to learn and practice any language for their literacy skills to flourish.
Sound Beginnings
Literacyscape™
is a framework depicting the key elements of effective literacy teaching. The properties of oral language and communication encircle the elements of structured literacy instruction depicting how key oral language and communication are to a sound beginning in literacy and learning.
Why a Sound Beginnings membership?
At Sound Beginnings, we believe that a sound beginning to literacy and learning is fundamental to success. Oral language and communication matter; they are the foundation of literacy.
A solid foundation of oral language and literacy skills supports children become confident readers and effective communicators with an overall sense of well-being.
Why a Sound Beginnings membership?
At Sound Beginnings, we believe that a sound beginning to literacy and learning is fundamental
to success. Oral language and communication matter; they are the foundation of literacy.
A solid foundation of oral language and literacy skills supports children become confident readers and effective communicators with an overall sense of well-being.
What people say
ORAL LANGUAGE - WE THINK WE TEACH IT.
We all learn about reading and writing. We all speak. We teach reading and writing – and have had great training, and the confidence to teach these. Oral language – we think we teach it, and we teach the best we can – news stories, talking circles, peer-share, and rhymes – but when have we ever learned about how to teach oral language, to teach hearing and speaking? Never. We teach speech making but not speaking. It is the most under-taught area of PD and in the classroom.
Finally, we have professional learning that helps us to unlock the mystery of oral language. Without the foundation of excellent oral language, the rest has the potential to really go wrong. Get the foundations right. Slow down and do this first.
ARNNA GRAHAM
DIRECTOR OF LEARNING
What people say
ORAL LANGUAGE - WE THINK WE TEACH IT.
We all learn about reading and writing. We all speak. We teach reading and writing – and have had great training, and the confidence to teach these. Oral language – we think we teach it, and we teach the best we can – news stories, talking circles, peer-share, and rhymes – but when have we ever learned about how to teach oral language, to teach hearing and speaking? Never. We teach speech making but not speaking. It is the most under-taught area of PD and in the classroom.
Finally, we have professional learning that helps us to unlock the mystery of oral language. Without the foundation of excellent oral language, the rest has the potential to really go wrong. Get the foundations right. Slow down and do this first.