Oral language
Oral language: what you need to know
Oral language in Kindergarten focuses on how children listen, understand, and express ideas in spoken communication. Students learn to participate in conversations, respond to questions and texts, and communicate clearly using simple sentence structures. They also develop awareness of how communication is supported by non-verbal cues such as gestures, facial expressions, and tone. Together, these skills support clear expression and understanding in a range of classroom interactions.
As students progress through Kindergarten, they:
- A1.1: listen and respond
- A1.2: use language conventions and non-verbal communication
What’s new in the 2026 Curriculum?
The 2026 Kindergarten curriculum places a more intentional and explicit focus on vocabulary development. Within Overall Expectation A1, word learning, along with grammar and sentence structure, is taught systematically as part of early reading instruction, clearly positioning vocabulary alongside phonemic awareness, alphabetic knowledge, phonics, and fluency as foundational skills.
Transitioning to oral language in Grade 1
Strong oral language supports students in expressing ideas clearly and understanding others, which is essential for participating in discussions and demonstrating comprehension in Grade 1 across subjects.
Teaching oral language
Effective instruction in oral language involves creating structured opportunities for students to listen, respond, and communicate throughout the day. Educators model clear sentence structures, support students in extending their responses, and provide prompts that encourage more precise language use. Activities such as read-aloud discussions, partner talk, and guided conversations help students practise listening and responding in meaningful contexts.
Instruction also includes explicit attention to how sentences work. Educators support students in forming complete ideas by modelling and co-constructing simple sentences, helping them expand from single words or short phrases into more complete responses. Non-verbal communication is also supported by drawing attention to how meaning can be conveyed through expression, gesture, and tone.
Assessing oral language
Assessment of oral language is primarily observational and embedded in daily classroom interactions. Educators gather evidence by noticing how students listen, respond, and participate in conversations, as well as how they use sentence structures and non-verbal communication to express meaning.
This may include observing how students:
- respond to questions and prompts
- participate in conversations with peers and educators
- express ideas using simple, complete sentences
- use gestures, facial expressions, and tone to support communication
Some early literacy screeners used for Year 2 have Year 1 materials that include language components including listening comprehension and vocabulary-oral language.