Research has demonstrated that valid and reliable screening tools for oral language can identify oral language weaknesses in children as young as 3.5 years of age (Larson, 2016; Sansavini, 2021). However, universal screening typically does not begin until kindergarten entry, and most of these tools assess letter-sound relationships, letter naming, phonological awareness, and oral reading fluency; they do not screen for oral language. This lack of screening for oral language persists even though oral language is embedded in federal literacy legislation through the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) and is a component of both Early Learning Standards and English Language Arts Standards.
If oral language does not develop appropriately, then multi-tiered systems of support cannot begin with print; they must begin with language. This is underscored by evidence that approximately 95% of the variance in the listening comprehension component of the simple view of reading is explained by differences in oral language skills (Lervåg et al., 2018). Research on early identification and intervention for oral language is equally compelling. Most children who later became poor readers showed oral language weaknesses from kindergarten to second grade (Catts et al., 2012). These weaknesses often go unaddressed because schools rarely measure oral language systematically; when students are identified and supported early, the negative effects on later reading can be prevented or reduced (Lyon et al., 2001; Truckenmiller, 2024).
- Support educators as they discern what is and what is not in alignment with the science of reading
- Assist people in becoming informed consumers of instructional materials, professional development, and resources
- Impact publishers’ and policymakers’ decisions as they develop materials and policy guidelines
Resources
A Review of Screeners to Identify Risk of Developmental Language Disorder
What's Language Got to Do With It?
Understanding Word Reading Difficulties in Children With SLI
Increasing Pre-Kindergarten Early Literacy Skills in Children With Developmental Disabilities and Delays
The Reading League Compass Pediatrician Page
Oral Language Resources From the Florida Department of Education and the Florida Center for Reading Research (FCRR)
These resources provide practical, evidence-based activities and guidance for developing oral language, vocabulary, and listening comprehension in Pre-K classrooms. Educators will find strategies to incorporate into daily routines, play, and interactive learning experiences.
Resources
Florida Center for Reading Research Pre-K Activities
FCRR Academy Mini Courses: Preparing Young Children for School Series
Strive for Five Conversations
Strive-for-Five Conversations presents an evidence-based framework for strengthening young children’s oral language through responsive, extended conversations. By intentionally engaging children in at least five conversational turns, educators build vocabulary, language complexity, critical thinking, and communication skills while following children’s interests and ideas. Aligned with the science of reading, this practical approach helps busy teachers intentionally accelerate oral language development—the foundation for later reading comprehension and literacy success.
Resources
Using Strive‐for‐Five Conversations to Strengthen Language Comprehension in Preschool through Grade
Strive for Five
Practical Insights for Families on Supporting Language and Literacy | Harvard Graduate School of Education
Narrative Language Measures
The Narrative Language Measures (NLM) Listening subtest is a free online tool that assesses children’s ability to comprehend and produce complex language by telling or retelling stories, incorporating listening, cognition, memory, and language. Research for the NLM Listening subtest reflects that it accurately measures and predicts oral language and reading outcomes for preschool through third-grade students.
Resources
Narrative Language Measures
LanguageScreen and Nuffield Early Language Intervention
LanguageScreen is an app-based screening tool designed to screen and monitor oral language development in children ages 3.5–11. The Nuffield Early Language Intervention (NELI) is one of the most extensively researched oral language interventions available for young children, having received the Education Endowment Foundation’s (EEF) highest evidence security ratings (EEF, 2020). Designed for children ages 4–5 with weaker oral language skills, NELI provides targeted small-group and individual instruction focused on vocabulary, listening comprehension, and narrative language development. Delivered over 20 weeks by trained school staff, the program includes screening tools (LanguageScreen) to identify children who may need additional support.
In the largest independent trial, EEF found that children who received NELI made the equivalent of three additional months of progress in oral language, with children learning English as an additional language making the same three months of additional progress (EEF, 2020). An earlier trial of a longer, 30-week version found up to four months of additional progress (EEF, 2016). Evaluations of the national scale-up reported larger gains for children from disadvantaged backgrounds (EEF, 2023).
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The U.S. version of NELI is called TEL Ted, and it helps students in PreK–Grade 1 to build strong oral language skills through whole-class, small-group, and individual sessions, focusing on developing children’s vocabulary, listening, and narrative skills.
Resources
NELI Program Overview and Resources
NELI Evidence and Development
Language Environment Analysis
Language ENvironment Analysis (LENA) is a research-based system and professional learning model designed to increase the quality and quantity of adult-child interactions during the early years. Using technology that measures conversational turns between children and adults, LENA helps educators and caregivers create richer language environments and monitor children’s opportunities to engage in meaningful back-and-forth conversations. Research has consistently linked conversational turns to stronger vocabulary, language development, literacy skills, social-emotional growth, and kindergarten readiness. Evaluations of the LENA Grow program have found accelerated gains in children’s language and early literacy skills, increased teacher-child interactions, improved classroom quality, and stronger outcomes for dual language learners. LENA’s work reinforces a central finding of early literacy research: Responsive conversations are one of the most powerful ways to support children’s language and literacy development.