Reading for speech and language development: professional development support resource for primary teaching assistants
This resource for primary school teaching assistants focuses on reading and its role in speech and language development in the early years and Key Stage 1.
Learning objectives
This professional development resource features author and speech and language therapist Lucy Rowland and focuses on the role reading plays in speech and language development.
- Understand the role of reading in speech and language development
- Recognise teaching techniques and features of books that can be used to support speech and language development specifically
Reading in the curriculum
National curriculum
“Pupils’ acquisition and command of vocabulary are key to their learning and progress across the whole curriculum. Teachers should therefore develop vocabulary actively.”
page 11
“Teachers should develop pupils’ spoken language, reading, writing and vocabulary as integral aspects of the teaching of every subject.”
page 10
EYFS statutory framework
“Reading frequently to children, and engaging them actively in stories, non-fiction, rhymes and poems, and then providing them with extensive opportunities to use and embed new words in a range of contexts, will give children the opportunity to thrive.”
page 9
Reading framework
“The guidance discusses the importance of talk and stories, and the critical links between these, especially the role stories play in developing young children’s vocabulary and language. It also considers the role of poetry, rhymes and songs in attuning young children to the sounds of language.”
page 6
“More generally, sharing and discussing pictures in non-fiction books offers opportunities to broaden children’s experiences beyond the immediate and the local. For example, books about space, other countries, animals, exploration, and courageous people from a range of occupations and ethnic backgrounds are rich sources of vocabulary and knowledge.”
page 25
Ofsted school inspection handbook
“When evaluating early reading against the ‘quality of education’ judgement, inspectors will consider whether: stories, poems, rhymes and non-fiction are chosen for reading to develop pupils’ vocabulary, language comprehension and love of reading.”
paragraph 277
“Teaching is a broad term that covers the many different ways in which adults help young children learn. It includes their interactions with children during planned and child-initiated play and activities, communicating and modelling language, showing, explaining, demonstrating, exploring ideas, encouraging, questioning, recalling, providing a narrative for what they are doing, facilitating and setting challenges.”
paragraph 454
Speech and language development
Speech and language is made up of:
Receptive (internal)
- Listening and attention
- Sound recognition
- Understanding vocabulary
- Comprehension
- Recall
- Inference
Expressive (external)
- Sound formation
- Expressing wants and needs
- Selecting relevant vocabulary
- Organising thoughts
- Observing social cues
- Reasoning
Reading and language development
Participating in reading experiences supports children to:
- Understand the structures of language
- Become phonologically aware
- Improve their self-confidence
- Develop a wide vocabulary
- Create connections
- Build relationships
Features of books and stories
In the next section, children’s author and speech and language therapist Lucy Rowland will demonstrate some of the key features of books that can support children’s language development.
Repetition
“Repetition is also a great way of encouraging engagement.”
Books that feature repeated words or refrains help children internalise the meaning of new words in context.
They also increase familiarity and confidence with the spoken sounds of the words or phrases in the story which can then be applied in new contexts.
Rhyme
“Rhyme and repetition improve the retention of new language.”
Rhyme helps children recognise the varied sounds in language and to notice similarities in words they encounter.
Rhyming books add rhythm, tone, meter and anticipation to stories, making them memorable and demonstrating the joys of books and language.
Chorusing
Chorusing is an opportunity for everyone to join in with a repeated refrain, in the form of a known word, phrase, sentence or passage.
It supports children’s fluency as they practise and repeat, helps to build their confidence as they enjoy the communal aspect of chorusing, and boosts engagement as children anticipate the chorused refrain so that they can take part.
Questioning
Questioning gives children a structured opportunity to apply newly learned vocabulary in relevant contexts.
Asking questions supports children in organising their thoughts so that they can be expressed effectively. Questions can range in complexity to suit needs.
Blank’s Levels of Questioning outlines different orders of complexity and gives examples of the kinds of questions you could ask .[1]
Experiencing a range of books
Sharing a diverse range of books exposes children to a rich variety of vocabulary and language structures.
Knowing pupils’ interests and ability will help you select appropriate books and boost engagement.
Different texts will have different emphases in terms of language skills development, so consider your choices.
Preparing for a reading session
Read books before sharing aloud and consider opportunities for:
- Asking questions which extend or check comprehension.
- Discussing the meaning of a new word or phrase.
- Pausing to allow children to complete a sentence.
- Encouraging chorusing and repetition.
- Making connections to other stories.
- Inviting actions or role-play.
Managing behaviour
Too much active engagement and excitement can risk disrupting the learning benefits of your reading sessions. It’s a fine balance.
Along with your normal behavioural practices, try to redirect over excitement or disruption using the techniques you have seen so far.
Try encouraging the repetition of a phrase, asking a question, instigating an action or movement break, or adapting the volume or tone of your voice to bring your audience back to being focused.
Key Takeaways
Reading contributes to the development of both receptive and expressive speech and language development by…
- Introducing vocabulary.
- Demonstrating language structures.
- Increasing phonological awareness.
- Facilitating comprehension through discussion.
- Improving confidence and fostering connections.
View this as a presentation
Assignment
Choose five books that contribute towards different aspects of speech and language development from each of the following categories:
- A book with rhyming text.
- A story with a repeated refrain.
- A book that requires choice and interactivity.
- A non-fiction text that will introduce vocabulary.
- A story that will inspire questioning and discussion.
Read these books over a week to a group and record your reflections.
Provide feedback
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Author and Speech and Language Therapist Lucy Rowland describes why reading with children is so important in helping them learn language.
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Introducing children to language in a fun way