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ACQ
Volume 11, Number 2 2009
ACQ
uiring knowledge in speech, language and hearing
Many of these basic oral language concepts are also
important numeracy concepts in the areas of number
(counting and ordering), space (shapes and locational
language) and measurement (comparing and contrasting)
(Fleer et al., 2006; Pasnak, MacCubbin, & Ferral-Like, 2007).
For example, the concepts of “big”, “little”, “same” and
“different” are important for learning the concept of number,
as in “Is 4 the same as 3?”, “Is 2 bigger than 1?”. The size
concepts of “big” and “little” are used in the teaching of
ordering in numeracy, as in “Group the teddy bears from little
to big.” (Fleer et al., 2006).
Program implementation
The OLBPC was implemented in 2005 and was the only
major change in teaching practice in the early years at this
school in this academic year. The OLBCP consisted of two
streams of specific strategies. One stream focused on
professional development of the teachers in basic oral
language concepts (Dickinson & Caswell, 2007) and on the
development of an oral language concept folder. The
professional development was delivered by the speech
pathologist at fortnightly meetings attended by the
preparatory teachers as well as the Early Years Literacy and
Numeracy Coordinators. The meetings concentrated on the
basic language concepts and included information related to
their developmental sequence and assessment practices.
employed speech pathologist met to discuss how to improve
the literacy and numeracy benchmarking data. At the end of
2004, the Early Years Literacy and Numeracy Coordinators,
in consultation with the speech pathologist, designed the
Oral Language Basic Concepts Program (OLBCP).
Program characteristics
Results from longitudinal studies have shown the significant
correlations between spoken and written language
development in students (e.g., Bishop & Adams, 1990;
Dickinson, Anastapoulos, McCabe, Peisner-Feinberg, & Poe,
2003). Many basic oral language concepts are important
literacy concepts (Justice, Invernizzi, & Meier, 2002; Justice,
Kaderavek, Fan, Sofka, & Hunt, 2009). For example:
•
the concepts of “start”, “end”, “same” and “different” are
important for learning phonological awareness skills such
as rhyming that have been identified as key foundation
skills for reading. For example, “Listen for the sounds that
are the same at the end of the words” (Justice et al., 2002);
•
the concepts of “left”, “right”, “top” and “bottom” are
important for learning the directionality of English words
and sentences when reading (Justice et al., 2002, 2009);
•
the concepts of “big” and “little” are important for learning
the difference between upper and lowercase letters
for reading and writing. For example, the teachers talk
about “big” vs. “little” letters once these concepts are
established (Justice et al., 2009; Justice & Ezell, 2004).
Table 2. Concept planner: “big” and “little”
Literacy
Oral language: Choose a
big/little book
Other words for big/little
Big/little letters, upper/
lower case, capitals
Activity sheets attached
First names – capital
letters
Brainstorm big/little –
students naming objects
– obvious objects that
provide maximum contrast
(elephant/ant)
Use this list to make a
class book
Numeracy
Here is something big,
find me something little –
comparison
Bigger than/smaller than –
sheets attached
Sorting into big /little using
hoops as Venn circles.
Comparing students’ size
to teacher
Work sheets attached
Fitness
Big/little balls
Obstacle course – big/
little slide
Other
Computer
KIDPIX – select paintbrush,
choose picture, click &
drag to alter size
Resources
Books
Big and little
. (Meadows,
1995)
We’re going on a bear hunt
(Rosen & Oxenbury, 2006)
The bear concepts
(Foster
& Foster, 2001), pp. 21–24
Songs/rhymes
“John had great big
waterproof boots on”
“Five little ducks”
Table 1. Concept planner: “top” and “bottom”
Literacy
Directionality
Reading – show me where
to start, look at the top of
the page, page number – is
it at the top or bottom of
the page?
Handwriting
Instructions – Start writing
at the top of the page.
Numeracy
Positional language
Vertical algorithms – what
number is at the top, what
number is at the bottom?
What is on top and bottom
of the pile?
Ahmed your hat is at the
bottom of the box.
Please put the box on the
bottom shelf.
Fitness
Directions
Run to the top of the
mound.
Slide to the bottom of the
slide.
Other
Playground
Top/bottom of the slide
Body parts
Top of your head
Bottom of your legs
Resources
Books
Ten apples up on top!
(Geisel & Geisel, 1989)
Songs/rhymes
Simon Says: Put your
hands on top of your head
Extension word: middle