Oral Language and the Reading Process

I strongly agree that oral language and the reading process go hand and hand.  In Literacy: Helping Students Construct Meaning  Cooper states that the aspects of oral language development form the foundation for reading.  As infants, we as parents start talking to our children and add onto language through books, photographs, and objects found in our daily lives.  They develop sounds, learn how words are formed and related to each other, how language conveys meaning, develop vocabulary, and learn how individuals use language to achieve certain goals (Cooper, 2009).  Once these children reach school age, teachers continue this learning using various techniques and strategies.  The learning process continues to be built on, or scaffold.  We as teachers and parents need to model language and reading so our students are successful.