Research consistently shows that using oral language as a foundation for writing can significantly improve student outcomes. When students talk through ideas before writing, they organize their thoughts, internalize language structures, and build confidence. This foundation helps bridge the gap between spoken and written expression, particularly for younger learners or those struggling with writing.
WHY Oral Language Supports Writing Development
Oral language serves as a critical steppingstone for writing success. According to Vygotsky’s theory of language development, speech is a precursor to thought, allowing students to structure and organize their ideas before putting them into written form. Classroom discussions and verbal interactions help students rehearse language patterns and develop critical thinking skills, which are essential for clear, organized writing. Research from the National Literacy Trust confirms that strong oral skills predict later success in literacy, as speaking helps students clarify and refine their ideas. By reducing the cognitive load of generating content while writing, oral practice makes writing tasks more manageable, particularly for struggling writers.
WHAT Oral Language-Based Writing Strategies Look Like
Effective use of oral language in the classroom includes a variety of approaches that scaffold students’ writing. Structured talk, such as sentence stems or think-pair-share, allows students to orally rehearse their responses before writing them down. Dialogic instruction, where students engage in meaningful classroom conversations, helps foster critical thinking and idea formulation, which translates into more coherent written arguments. Strategies such as annotating text, discussing key ideas with peers, and using oral summaries give students a chance to test out their ideas in a low-stakes format, making the transition to writing smoother and more confident.
HOW, to Implement Oral Language into Writing Instruction
To set students up for success in writing, teachers can integrate oral language practices throughout the day. Examples include using bell ringers where students first discuss a key concept verbally or exit tickets that prompt students to reflect on their learning orally before writing a response. Collaborative activities like think pair-share or partner reading can also help students orally process content before moving into writing tasks. By embedding these oral language opportunities, teachers can build a strong foundation for writing development. See specific strategies and examples for K-2, 3-5, and middle and high school below.
K-2 Examples:
- Sticky Note Summaries:
- Oral: After a read-aloud, pause and ask students to tell a partner what happened in the beginning, middle, or end.
- With Support: Provide sentence starters like “At the beginning, ____ happened.” Students orally fill in the blanks, then with a partner, use sticky notes to label the parts of the story.
- Written: Teacher guides students to write one sentence on a sticky note for each part using phonetic spelling.
- Turn and Talk with Sentence Frames:
- Oral: After asking a comprehension question (e.g., “Where does this story take place?”), students turn and talk using a sentence frame: “The story takes place in ____.”
- With Support: Students orally answer, then write their response with a partner using the sentence frame and labels for words they know (e.g., “The ____”).
- Written: Teacher helps students expand sentences and write with support using known letter sounds and words.
- Visualize and Write:
- Oral: Students close their eyes while the teacher reads and share what they see (e.g., “I see a big red apple.”).
- With Support: Students draw their visualization and orally label their drawing.
- Written: With teacher help, students write a short description using phonetic spelling (e.g., “Big apple.”).
- Annotating Text for Evidence:
- Oral: Teacher models how to point to a picture or word in the book and explain, “This shows ____.”
- With Support: Students work in pairs to point to a part of the text and orally share what it shows, using sentence stems like, “I think ____ because ____.”
- Written: Students circle key words or letters and attempt writing sentences with support like “I think ____.”
- Partner Reading with Response Prompts:
- Oral: Students take turns reading simple texts aloud with a partner and answer an oral prompt like, “What did the cat do?”
- With Support: Students respond orally with a sentence stem (e.g., “The cat ____.”), then write key words with the teacher’s help.
- Written: Use phonics skills to write short sentences independently or with partner support.
6. Quick Writes after Read-Alouds:
- Oral: After a read-aloud, students orally answer a prompt like, “What happened in the story?” o With Support: Teacher provides sentence frames (e.g., “The dog ____.”) and students fill in the blanks orally, then attempt writing.
- Written: With teacher support, students write short responses, using words they know.
- Character Sketches:
- Oral: After a read-aloud, students describe a character orally, focusing on one trait (e.g., “The cat is funny.”).
- With Support: Students draw the character and label traits with teacher guidance.
- Written: With teacher help, students write simple sentences about the character, such as “The cat is funny.”
- Sentence Stretchers:
- Oral: Start with a basic sentence (e.g., “The dog ran.”) and ask students to orally add details: “Where did the dog run?” “The dog ran in the park.”
- With Support: Students work in pairs to stretch sentences orally, then write one extended sentence with teacher help.
- Written: Independently or with partner support, students write a longer sentence.
9. Writing Dialogue from Pictures:
- Oral: Show a picture and ask, “What do you think the characters are saying?” Students orally share answers.
- With Support: Students draw speech bubbles for characters and label with phonetic spellings (e.g., “Hi”).
- Written: With teacher support, students write short sentences in the speech bubbles.
10. Exit Ticket Writing:
- Oral: Before leaving, students share aloud one thing they learned from the story.
- With Support: Students use sentence starters like “I learned ____” orally, then attempt to write it with teacher help.
- Written: Students independently write a word or sentence reflecting their learning.
3-5 Examples:
- Sticky Note Summaries:
- Oral: Students orally summarize key events during a shared read-aloud.
- With Support: Write summaries on sticky notes using sentence frames like “At the beginning, ____. Then, ____.”
- Written: Students write their own sticky note summaries independently and compile them into a written paragraph.
- Turn and Talk with Sentence Frames:
- Oral: Students answer comprehension questions orally with a partner using sentence frames.
- With Support: After discussing, they write a response using a scaffolded sentence starter.
- Written: Independently respond to questions with complete sentences using learned vocabulary.
- Visualize and Write:
- Oral: Students orally describe their visualizations after a shared reading.
- With Support: Use sentence starters like “I can see ____” and “I imagine ____” to structure their writing.
- Written: Write a descriptive paragraph independently based on their visualizations.
4. Annotating Text for Evidence:
- Oral: Students identify text evidence verbally during group discussions.
- With Support: Underline evidence in the text and write a short explanation using the format “I know ____ because the text says ____.”
- Written: Write longer responses with multiple pieces of evidence, citing specific parts of the text.
- Partner Reading with Response Prompts:
- Oral: In pairs, students discuss and respond orally to comprehension questions about a shared reading.
- With Support: Write responses in short paragraphs, using sentence starters like “One key idea is ____.”
- Written: Independently write detailed answers to comprehension questions.
- Quick Writes after Read-Alouds:
- Oral: Students orally discuss the prompt and share ideas with a partner before writing.
- With Support: Write a few sentences using sentence frames, such as “I think the main idea is ____ because ____.”
- Written: Independently write a response to the prompt in a paragraph form.
- Character Sketches:
- Oral: Students describe a character’s traits orally after reading a shared text.
- With Support: Use a graphic organizer to list traits, actions, and emotions before writing.
- Written: Write a detailed character sketch independently, focusing on traits and actions.
8. Sentence Stretchers:
- Oral: Begin with a simple sentence and have students orally add details to stretch it (e.g., “The cat played in the sunny park.”).
- With Support: Write extended sentences with support from peers or the teacher.
- Written: Independently write complex sentences that stretch a basic idea.
- Writing Dialogue from Pictures:
- Oral: Students orally create dialogue for characters in a picture.
- With Support: Write the dialogue using proper punctuation and formatting with teacher guidance.
- Written: Independently write a dialogue scene between two characters, focusing on grammar and voice.
- Exit Ticket Writing:
- Oral: After a lesson, students share their takeaways with a partner.
- With Support: Use sentence starters to write a reflection on the lesson.
- Written: Independently write a short paragraph summarizing what they learned.
MS and HS Examples:
- Bell Ringer Summaries (ELA, Social Studies, Science)
- Oral: As students enter, ask them to orally summarize key points from the previous lesson with a partner.
- Written: Students then write a one-sentence summary in their notebooks or on a sticky note to share with the class.
- Exit Tickets (All Subjects)
- Oral: At the end of the lesson, students orally reflect on what they learned or how they can apply the content.
- Written: For their exit ticket, students write 2-3 sentences answering a specific prompt (e.g., “What’s one key takeaway from today’s lesson on ecosystems?”).
- Visualize and Describe (ELA, Science)
- Oral: After reading a descriptive passage or observing a scientific process, students share what they visualized with a partner (e.g., “I see the layers of the Earth’s atmosphere”).
- Written: Have students write a short paragraph describing the visualization with sensory details or scientific accuracy (e.g., “The atmosphere consists of the troposphere, stratosphere…”).
4. Sentence Stretchers (History, Science)
- Oral: Begin with a simple fact (e.g., “The Industrial Revolution began in the 18th century”) and ask students to expand it by adding details orally (e.g., “The Industrial Revolution, which began in the 18th century in Britain, revolutionized production…”).
- Written: For the written component, have students independently write a detailed sentence that expands on the original, incorporating key facts.
- Annotating for Evidence (ELA, History)
- Oral: During a class reading, ask students to identify text evidence verbally (e.g., “In this paragraph, the author argues that ____”).
- Written: Students then annotate their texts by underlining key evidence and writing a brief margin note or using sticky notes (e.g., “This supports the claim that ____”).
- Think-Pair-Share (Math, Science)
- Oral: After introducing a problem or concept (e.g., solving a quadratic equation), have students think silently, then share orally with a partner how they would solve the problem.
- Written: For the written task, students write out the steps to solve the problem or summarize the concept discussed.
- Quick Writes (All Subjects)
- Oral: Introduce a complex concept or idea (e.g., “Why is the water cycle important?”) and allow students to discuss with a partner for 1-2 minutes.
- Written: After the discussion, students spend 3-5 minutes writing a quick response, summarizing their thoughts.
- Character/Concept Sketch (ELA, Social Studies, Science)
- Oral: After reading a text or learning about a key historical figure, scientific concept, or character, have students describe its traits or key features orally.
- Written: Students then write a character or concept sketch, listing traits, actions, or facts they learned (e.g., a sketch of George Washington or the function of mitochondria).
- Writing in Response to Questions (Math, Science, History)
- Oral: Pose a content-specific question (e.g., “How does Newton’s third law apply to the motion of a rocket?”) and allow students to discuss their thoughts with a partner.
- Written: Have students write a response to the question, using evidence or examples to support their explanation.
- Graphic Organizers (ELA, History, Science)
- Oral: As a class, verbally identify the key elements of a text, event, or process (e.g., cause and effect in historical events or steps in the scientific method).
- Written: Students then fill out a graphic organizer, such as a cause-and-effect chart or a sequence map, to visually organize their understanding.
Roadmap: Integrating Oral Language and Writing to Improve Student Writing Scores
Goal: To increase the quantity and quality of student writing throughout the school year, leading to improved student writing scores by leveraging oral language as a foundation.
Step 1: Define Desired Outcomes
End-of-Year Goals:
- Improved writing scores on standardized assessments, benchmarks, or district writing assessments. • Increased volume of writing across all grade levels, with regular writing tasks embedded throughout the school day.
- Enhanced quality of student writing, particularly in organization, coherence, grammar, and vocabulary usage.
- All students will move from speaking in complete sentences to writing coherent paragraphs by the end of the year (adapted to grade level).
Step 2: Establish Baseline Data and Needs Assessment (August-September)
Action Steps:
- Collect baseline data: Analyze current student writing samples from all grade levels and evaluate existing writing and oral language practices.
- Teacher surveys and focus groups: Understand current practices, needs, and perceptions of how oral language is being used to support writing.
- Review data from state and district assessments to identify specific gaps in writing skills across the school.
- Set specific grade-level writing targets based on identified gaps, such as improving sentence structure in K-2 and paragraph development in 3-5.
Step 3: Professional Development and Capacity Building (September-October)
Action Steps:
- Provide targeted professional development (PD) on the connection between oral language and writing, supported by research.
- Example PD topics: The role of oral language in writing development, strategies to integrate speaking before writing, and scaffolding oral responses for writing tasks.
- Invite literacy specialists or use external resources like videos from Striving Writers www.strivetlc.com/strivingwriters.
- Introduce oral language routines that support writing:
- Sentence frames for K-2 (e.g., “The main idea is ____ because ____”).
- Oral think-pair-share across all grades to allow students to orally process their ideas.
- Partner discussions before writing tasks in grades 3-5.
- Model lessons: Have literacy coaches or consultants demonstrate lessons integrating oral language and writing in real-time, allowing teachers to observe how speaking can set up writing.
Step 4: Curriculum Alignment and Daily Integration (October-December)
Action Steps:
- Align writing tasks across subjects: Collaborate with teachers in different subjects (math, science, social studies) to integrate writing and oral language across the curriculum. For example:
- Have students explain math problems orally before writing their steps.
- Encourage science students to orally describe an experiment’s outcome before writing their lab report.
- Set expectations for daily oral-to-writing routines:
- Use bell ringers and exit tickets that prompt students to orally discuss a topic or answer a question before writing.
- Incorporate quick writes following oral discussions or group activities.
- Create oral language-rich classrooms by introducing speaking opportunities before writing. Build a daily routine where students have opportunities to verbally articulate their thoughts, discuss, and share ideas before they begin any formal writing tasks.
- Example: Use “think-pair-share” and sentence frames for students to discuss content before writing.
Step 5: Ongoing Monitoring, Feedback, and Adjustments (January-March)
Action Steps:
- Classroom walkthroughs and observations: Monitor teachers’ implementation of oral language strategies and their impact on writing. Use a structured observation tool to assess the integration of speaking into writing instruction.
- Regular writing assessments: Assess student writing samples and compare them to the baseline data to measure improvement in volume and quality.
- Provide feedback and coaching: Offer individualized coaching and feedback to teachers based on classroom observations. Focus on strategies to enhance the effectiveness of oral language integration.
- Mid-year reflection: Meet with staff to discuss progress toward the writing goals. Share successes and challenges, and collaboratively adjust the plan as needed to address gaps in implementation.
Step 6: Embedding Writing and Oral Language into School Culture (April-May)
Action Steps:
- Showcase writing growth: Organize a school-wide event where students can present their writing projects. Encourage students to explain their work orally before sharing their written pieces, reinforcing the connection between speaking and writing.
- Student reflection: Have students reflect orally and in writing on how their writing has improved over the year. This reflection can be part of a portfolio assessment.
- Celebrate writing achievements: Recognize students who show significant improvement in writing and encourage peer recognition through sharing their writing progress in classroom discussions.
Step 7: End-of-Year Assessment and Data Review (May-June)
Action Steps:
- Evaluate final writing assessments: Compare end-of-year student writing samples and assessment scores with the baseline data collected at the beginning of the year.
- Analyze growth: Look for trends in how oral language activities impacted student writing scores and the overall volume of student writing.
- Teacher reflections: Gather feedback from teachers about the effectiveness of integrating oral language into writing and what can be improved next year.
- Plan for next year: Based on the data, plan summer PD or next year’s initiatives to continue building on the gains made in writing.
This implementation plan leverages oral language as a foundation for improving writing, with a clear focus on increasing both the quantity and quality of writing throughout the school year. By setting clear goals, providing targeted professional development, and embedding oral language activities into daily instruction, the school can see measurable growth in student writing performance.
STRIVE can help you achieve these writing goals by offering tailored professional development, coaching, and resources to support the integration of oral language and writing into your school’s curriculum. Our Striving Writers system is designed to help teachers build writing fluency and confidence in their students by connecting oral language with structured writing tasks. For additional support, customized resources, and ongoing guidance, reach out to us at STRIVE: Striving Writers. Together, we can help your students succeed in writing!
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