E7 - Floating On a Sea of Talk: Oral Language Foundations for Multilingual Literacy
MaryKate DeSantis is the founder of Left Side Strong LLC and a passionate advocate for evidence-based literacy instruction. With experience as a special educator, reading specialist, and literacy coach in urban schools, she brings a teacher-centered approach to her work. MaryKate has served as faculty at the MGH Institute of Health Professions in the Speech-Language Literacy Lab and currently collaborates with Harvard University on improving literacy outcomes at scale. She has also worked as a clinician at Boston Children's Hospital and is an adjunct professor at Boston College's Graduate School of Education.
In this episode, MaryKate explains the deep connection between language and literacy, uplifting the power of intentional oral language development as a critical factor that undergirds reading development. She shares a wealth of resources to support educators in their practice. MaryKate also explains the complex work of capturing language comprehension and directs educators to “remove the print” so they can truly see what multilingual learners know and can do.
Key Takeaways:
Remove the print to assess language comprehension. Read aloud to students and have them retell or answer questions to see what they truly understand.
Language instruction doesn't compete with literacy. It IS literacy. Oral language is the foundation for reading, and intentional oral language development must be embedded in everything we do.
Assess multilingual learners in their native language when possible. Translational tools and multilingual screeners help us distinguish between normal second language development and true language delays.
Leverage evidence-based oral language curricula systematically to provide structured, explicit instruction in vocabulary, narrative skills, and comprehension strategies.
Timestamps:
(00:00) Welcome to Literacy Across Languages!
(01:33) Meet MaryKate DeSantis
(05:25) Two Sides of Scarborough's Rope
(08:37) Centering Oral Language Development
(11:24) Resources for Oral Language Development
(16:49) Language Difficulties vs. Reading Difficulties
(21:40) Tools for Assessing Oral Language
(27:59) MTSS for Multilingual Readers
(32:50) Takeaways
Episode Resources:
Visit Left Side Strong to learn how MaryKate partners with schools and districts to build strong readers through the power of language.
Check out the following oral language resources:
Abound Parenting App
Let's Know! Curriculum
TEL Ted Program
TEL Ted's Language Screen
Project Ready
Story Champs
DIBELS
Keywords: oral language development, multilingual learners, language comprehension, science of reading, English language learners, reading comprehension, bilingual education, ELL strategies, vocabulary instruction, phonics instruction, literacy assessment, evidence-based reading, emergent bilinguals, dual language learners, reading intervention, language screeners, MTSS, systematic language instruction