Oral Language Activities for the Classroom

Oral Language: The Foundation of All Literacy

Oral language is the foundation of all literacy learning. Speaking and listening underpin reading and writing — children who can express ideas clearly, understand complex sentences, and use a wide vocabulary are far better placed to succeed as readers and writers. In Scarborough's Reading Rope, oral language is the language comprehension side of the equation: vocabulary, background knowledge, language structures, verbal reasoning, and literacy knowledge all weave together to support skilled reading.

In Australia, the terminology varies across states and curricula. The NSW syllabus foregrounds "speaking and listening" as a distinct outcome area, while "oral language" is the broader term used across states and in speech pathology research. Regardless of the label, the underlying skills are the same — and they matter enormously.

The 5 Components of Oral Language

Oral language is not a single skill. For classroom purposes, it is helpful to think of it as five interconnected components:

1. Vocabulary — the words a student knows and can use (both receptive and expressive)
2. Grammar and syntax — the ability to construct and understand sentences of increasing complexity
3. Narrative and discourse — the ability to tell stories, recount events, explain ideas, and structure longer stretches of talk
4. Pragmatics (social language) — understanding how to use language appropriately in different social contexts, including turn-taking, tone, and audience awareness
5. Phonological awareness — sensitivity to the sound structure of language, including rhyme, syllables, and individual phonemes

Why Oral Language Matters

Children with strong oral language skills are better readers and writers. Research consistently shows that a child's vocabulary at school entry is one of the strongest predictors of later reading comprehension. Conversely, children who arrive at school with limited oral language are at significantly higher risk of literacy difficulties.

A sobering statistic: approximately 2 children in every average Australian classroom have Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) — a condition that affects the understanding and use of language and often goes unidentified. Many of these students are mislabelled as having behavioural difficulties or low motivation when the underlying issue is language. You can read more on our Developmental Language Disorder page.

This page brings together practical oral language activities, curriculum links, and strategies for supporting all learners — including those with language difficulties. For related reading, see our pages on Reading Comprehension Activities and the Science of Reading.

Reference: Victorian Department of Education — Literacy Teaching Toolkit

The Australian Curriculum v9 for English weaves oral language across both the Language and Literacy strands. Speaking and listening are not treated as a separate strand — they are threaded through every year level and every content area, reflecting the understanding that oral language underpins all aspects of English learning.

Foundation

Students interact with others in informal and structured situations, sharing ideas, taking turns, and listening to respond. They use spoken language to recount personal experiences and respond to stories and texts read aloud. The focus is on building foundational vocabulary, learning to listen attentively, and developing confidence in speaking to a group.

Year 1–2

Students use growing vocabulary to express ideas and communicate with increasing clarity. They speak in more complex sentences, sequence ideas when retelling events, and begin to adjust their language for different audiences (e.g., speaking to a teacher versus a peer). They listen for key information and respond to what they hear with relevant comments and questions.

Year 3–4

Students plan and deliver short oral presentations, using language for a range of purposes including to inform, persuade, and entertain. They use subject-specific vocabulary, structure their ideas logically, and begin to use language features like connectives and modality to strengthen their spoken texts. They engage in collaborative discussions, building on others' ideas.

Year 5–6

Students use persuasive, narrative, and informational language purposefully and with audience awareness. They plan, rehearse, and deliver sustained oral presentations. They engage in structured debates and discussions, evaluating different perspectives and using evidence to support their positions. By Year 6, students are expected to use spoken language with precision and purpose across all learning areas — not just in English.

"Speaking and listening" is threaded across all year levels as both a skill to develop and a vehicle for learning. The curriculum recognises that students who can articulate their thinking clearly are students who are thinking more deeply.

Reference: Australian Curriculum v9 English

The following activities target different components of oral language and can be adapted across year levels. The best oral language programs don't rely on a single activity — they weave vocabulary, grammar, narrative, discussion, and pragmatics into daily routines.

Vocabulary Building

Strong vocabulary instruction goes beyond "word of the week" posters. Effective vocabulary activities include:

• Word of the day — explicitly teach a new tier 2 word each day, with a student-friendly definition, examples in context, and opportunities to use it in conversation throughout the day
• Tier 2 vocabulary walls — display high-utility words that appear across subjects (e.g., investigate, compare, significant) rather than just topic-specific terms
• Semantic maps — graphic organisers that show how words relate to each other (synonyms, antonyms, examples, non-examples)
• Context clues practice — teach students to use surrounding words and sentences to work out the meaning of unfamiliar words
• Wide reading and read-alouds — the most powerful vocabulary builder of all; students encounter far richer vocabulary in books than in everyday conversation

Grammar and Sentence-Level Work

Oral grammar instruction helps students build the sentence structures they need for both speaking and writing. Practical activities include:

• Sentence combining — give students two short sentences and ask them to combine them into one more complex sentence (e.g., "The dog barked. The dog was big." becomes "The big dog barked.")
• Sentence expansion — start with a simple sentence and expand it by answering who, what, where, when, and why (e.g., "The boy ran" becomes "The frightened boy ran quickly across the playground after the bell rang")
• Oral sentence starters — provide structured sentence frames to scaffold more complex language (e.g., "I agree with because " or "One difference between and is _")
• The Writing Revolution approach — Judith Hochman's sentence-level strategies, originally designed for writing, work powerfully as oral activities too. Practising sentence combining and expansion orally before putting pen to paper builds the syntactic knowledge students need

Narrative Skills

The ability to tell a coherent story — with a beginning, middle, and end — is a critical oral language skill that directly supports narrative writing. Activities include:

• Story retell with picture cards — students retell a familiar story using sequenced picture cards, focusing on character, setting, problem, events, and resolution
• Oral storytelling circles — students sit in a circle and collaboratively build a story, each adding one sentence. The teacher can scaffold with story grammar prompts
• Story grammar markers — explicitly teach the elements of narrative: character, setting, problem, events, and resolution. Use visual organisers to support retelling and original storytelling

Discussion and Debate

Structured talk activities build both oral language and critical thinking:

• Think-pair-share — the classic strategy: students think individually, discuss with a partner, then share with the group. It gives every student processing time and a chance to rehearse their ideas
• Fishbowl discussions — an inner circle discusses while an outer circle observes and takes notes, then roles switch. This teaches active listening and discussion skills simultaneously
• Structured academic controversy (Year 3+) — pairs are assigned opposing positions on a topic, present their arguments, then switch sides and argue the opposite position before reaching a consensus

Show and Tell Reimagined

Show and tell is an oral language goldmine — when it's structured well:

• Sentence frames for show and tell — provide scaffolds like "This is my . It is special because . I got it when _." This moves students beyond "This is my toy. It's cool."
• Audience questioning — teach the audience to ask relevant questions using stems like "Can you tell us more about ?" or "How did you feel when ?" This builds both the speaker's and the listeners' oral language

Barrier Games

Barrier games are a classic speech pathology activity that work brilliantly in classrooms. Two students sit back-to-back (or with a barrier between them). One student has a picture, design, or set of objects and must describe it so the other student can recreate it without seeing the original. The describer must give clear, precise instructions; the listener must follow them, asking clarifying questions when needed.

For related activity ideas, see our pages on Spelling Activities and Phonological Awareness Activities.

Not all students arrive at school with the oral language skills they need. Some have had limited language exposure at home; others have a diagnosable language disorder. Understanding the signs — and knowing what to do — is essential for every classroom teacher.

Signs of Language Difficulties in the Classroom

Watch for students who:

• Have a limited vocabulary compared to peers — they use general words ("thing", "stuff") instead of specific terms
• Speak in short, simple sentences and struggle to construct longer or more complex ones
• Have difficulty following multi-step instructions — they may only remember the first or last step
• Struggle to retell events in order — their recounts are jumbled or missing key details
• Have social communication challenges — they may interrupt, struggle with turn-taking, or misread social cues
• Avoid speaking in group situations or give minimal responses

These signs do not always mean a student has a language disorder — but they always mean the student needs support.

Developmental Language Disorder (DLD)

Developmental Language Disorder affects approximately 7% of children — that's roughly 2 students in every classroom. DLD is a lifelong condition that impairs the understanding and/or use of spoken language. It is not caused by hearing loss, intellectual disability, or autism, though it can co-occur with these conditions.

DLD is significantly underidentified. Many students with DLD are never diagnosed, and their difficulties are attributed to inattention, behavioural issues, or low ability. Early identification and support make a significant difference. For detailed information, see our Developmental Language Disorder page.

Classroom Strategies

You don't need to be a speech pathologist to support students with language difficulties. These evidence-based strategies help all students, and are essential for those with language needs:

• Pre-teach vocabulary — introduce key words before a lesson, not just during it. Give student-friendly definitions, show pictures, and use the words in sentences
• Use visual supports — pair spoken instructions with visuals, diagrams, or written dot points. Visual schedules, anchor charts, and graphic organisers reduce the language processing load
• Break instructions into steps — instead of giving a long, multi-part instruction, break it into single steps and check understanding at each stage
• Provide sentence frames — give students language structures to use (e.g., "I think because "). Sentence frames scaffold participation without doing the thinking for the student
• Allow processing time — give students extra time to formulate their responses. Count silently to 10 before expecting an answer. Some students need significantly more time than their peers to organise their thoughts into words
• Model and recast — if a student says "Him goed to the shop", respond naturally with the correct form: "Yes, he went to the shop. What did he buy?" This provides a correct model without drawing embarrassing attention to the error

When to Refer to a Speech Pathologist

Consider a referral if a student consistently struggles with understanding language, using sentences, following instructions, or telling stories compared to their peers — and these difficulties persist despite classroom support. Speech pathologists can assess a student's language profile and provide targeted strategies for both the therapist and the classroom teacher.

NCCD Connection

Students with language difficulties — including those with DLD — may need documented adjustments under the Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability (NCCD). These adjustments might include differentiated instructions, visual supports, modified assessment tasks, or speech pathology input. Documenting these adjustments is important for both the student's learning and school funding.

For more strategies, see our page on Learning Difficulties Strategies.

Reference: NCCD — Classroom Adjustments for Developmental Language Disorder