The Importance of Oral Language
There are direct links between the spoken and written word. We know children with strong language skills are likely to do well with their reading, and those with poor language are at high risk of reading difficulties. Many children who struggle to read have a history of poor spoken language dating back to the Early Years.
There are also around 10% of children in upper primary who, despite reading accurately and fluently, struggle to understand what they’ve read. [1]
Historically, research showed the link between language and reading was particularly important for reading comprehension. But more recent evidence shows language is crucial for the whole reading process.
“Strong foundations in oral language are the key to educational success globally.” [2]
Professor Maggie Snowling
The good news? We can reduce this risk. By supporting children to develop their language skills, we ultimately improve their reading. A focus on spoken language can make a profound difference, from language interventions in the early years through to key stage two and beyond.[3]
Why Is Language Still Overlooked in Literacy Support?
It sounds like common sense, but spoken language is still not prioritised in many schools, despite the overwhelming evidence.
Children struggling with literacy often receive literacy interventions. When they struggle with phonics, they’re given more phonics. But rarely are spoken language interventions considered the first step.
Why is that? Often, the challenge is time. Yet, schools devote a significant amount of time to phonics, and place strong emphasis on reading and writing - and rightly so.
But when children are struggling, why wouldn’t we prioritise supporting the foundation language skills needed for reading? Instead we are often attempting to build the written word on the sandy foundations of limited spoken language.
“In education, the only way to improve is to stop people doing good things, to give them time to do even better things.”
Dylan Wiliam
Spotting and Supporting Language Needs Early
The language–literacy link really matters because it helps us act early and change outcomes.
We can identify children who are struggling with spoken language and support them to develop their language skills.
These skills are important in their own right, as well as being crucial for literacy. We don’t have to wait until children are older and struggling to read. By supporting language early, we reduce the risk of children developing reading difficulties later, before reading becomes something they grow to avoid or dislike.
Why Spoken Language Comes Before Phonics
Strong spoken language skills play a vital role in the development of phonics and early reading. They form the foundation for the awareness and understanding needed to connect sounds with letters.
Language is a strong predictor of phoneme awareness.
This impacts sound–letter correspondence (phoneme–grapheme) needed for phonics.
The language skill, phonological awareness, is vital for phonics and decoding for reading.
In preschoolers, phonological awareness strongly predicts later reading fluency.
Supporting language and phonological awareness in the early years benefits reading.
Early vocabulary contributes to later phonological awareness.
If children are struggling with phonics, check their phonological awareness and vocabulary. If they are struggling, consider using phonics time to build these skills so they are ready for phonics teaching. The evidence on the links between these skills and phonics is strong.
Recognising Language Difficulties That Impact Literacy
We know early spoken language skills are strong predictors of later reading comprehension. However, children who struggle with language — including those with Developmental Language Disorder — are at high risk of having difficulties with reading, including struggling with reading comprehension.
With this in mind, there are several things to look out for as a teacher if you have a child that’s struggling to read:
Understanding what is said to them.
Explaining or defining words.
Recalling sentences.
Understanding grammar.
Stumbling or needing more time with words when they’re unsure of the meaning.
Finding it hard to learn new words, including learning words to enough depth of understanding.
Struggling to use context clues to work out meanings and sentence comprehension.
Proven Techniques for Boosting Reading Through Language
Evidence from the Educational Endowment Foundation highlights several effective strategies to support reading, many focusing on spoken language. These include:
Pupils reading books aloud and encouraging conversations about what they’ve read.
Adults modelling inference-making by asking relevant questions aloud and answering them.
Well designed paired or group work to share ideas and thought processes with peers.
Activities that extend spoken and receptive vocabulary.
Structured questioning to develop reading comprehension.
Additional Evidence-Based Language Interventions
There is also strong evidence for several targeted language interventions that support both spoken language and literacy development:
Comprehension Monitoring
Teaching pupils how to develop their verbal understanding, alongside sharing strategies for monitoring understanding and knowing what to do if they are struggling.
Vocabulary
Teaching vocabulary explicitly, with activities that extend pupils’ understanding and use of new words, particularly focusing on depth of knowledge. Vocabulary work is best in context, linking with other areas of language and text comprehension.
Scaffolded Questioning
Use carefully structured questions to develop reading comprehension.
Dialogic and Shared Reading
Effective in supporting language and reading comprehension.
Oral Narrative
Positive impact on children’s language and understanding of text coherence.
Language Interventions
Use evidence-based interventions tailored across age groups and language areas — these improve both language and literacy.
Teaching Higher-Order Language
Supporting children in summarising, inferring, predicting and questioning. Using modelling and structured support, reducing as a child progresses until they are capable of completing the activity independently.
In Summary
Spoken language plays a critical role in literacy development — from early phonics and decoding to later reading comprehension. Children with poor language skills are at high risk of reading difficulties, but identifying and supporting these needs early can make a real difference. Rather than waiting for literacy struggles to appear, we should prioritise early language development as a proactive and preventative approach. The evidence is clear: early language intervention is key to long-term success in reading and beyond.
We work with lots of schools doing brilliant work around children’s language development. We’d love to hear what’s working for you, and the impact it’s having on language and literacy in the comments below.
Want to Know More?
Professor Maggie Snowling explains how oral language is the foundation of both reading comprehension and decoding, including skills like phoneme awareness, letter sound knowledge, and rapid naming.
In essence, research has found language to be key for the whole reading process. She argues for language to be seen as the ‘heartbeat of literacy’ and as such should be treated with the same importance as phonics in early education.
Language is everything for literacy – Maggie Snowling, OxEd & Assessment
[1]Nation et al, 2010 A longitudinal investigation of early reading and language skills in children with poor reading comprehension Journal of child psychology and psychiatry Volume 51, Issue 9 Pages: 965-1075 https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-7610.2010.02254.x Wiley online library
[2] https://www.psy.ox.ac.uk/research/snowling-group
[3] Clarke, P.J., Truelove, E., Hulme, C. and Snowling, M.J. 2014. Developing Reading Comprehension. Chichester: Wiley Blackwell.