Special Assignment Lesson Plan - Oral Communication

teacher telling stories to three toddlers

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this lesson's material, students will be able to

  • Identify how oral communication in early childhood relates to later success
  • Present effective oral communication techniques for young children
  • Understand the connection between oral communication and LL&L

Teaching

Oral language development is the foundation for language and literacy. It is the engine of learning and thinking and is directly related to children’s achievement in reading, writing and spelling. From inside the womb, a baby hears and feels its mother’s voice daily. The baby will pick up on the tone, pitch and expression in the words spoken long before it understands the message. Those indicators are only a few of the necessary language and literacy characteristics needed for successful growth. In this lesson, you will practice effective story reading or telling to enhance your work with children and ensuring language, literacy and literature success.

For the assignment, you will need to read Telling & Retelling Stories

Assessment

This assignment has two parts:

Part 1
Read the article assigned and write a 3-5 page paper about the importance of storytelling and story reading.

I want you to address the following:

• Identify the connection with storytelling and story reading to oral communication.
• Describe the characteristics of effective storytelling and story reading.
• Discuss why scaffolding children storytelling and story reading is so important.
• How do you think this impacts children’s oral communication growth in the later years?

Part 2
Choose a story or story book and use the assignment link provided in the lesson folder to send me a link to a video of you telling a story or reading one. You may choose to be recorded with children (must have permission for all children involved and passed in with the paper) or set up the recording so that it is from the perspective of a child. Then upload the link on YouTube for sharing.

I will be looking for the following techniques:
• An introduction to the book (including title, author, and illustrator)
• Pace
• Expression and volume
• Phrasing and smoothness
• Pointing to pictures (if there is a book)
• Possible use of props (puppets, fingerplay, etc.)
• Book or prop positioning
• Eye contact
• Appropriate language (if storytelling)