Comprehension of oral language
The comprehension of oral language involves making sense of what is heard through an
understanding of words, sentence structure and grammar, and intent or implied meaning.
To comprehend another person’s intended meaning or intent requires an understanding of
verbal and nonverbal cues (eg facial expressions, tone of voice and gesture) and context.
Students who experience difficulties comprehending oral language may have difficulties with:
• listening behaviours (sitting still, looking, waiting)
• selectively attending to information amidst competing noise or stimuli
• processing information at speed (with fluency)
• relating new information with existing knowledge to make meaning
• remembering information (auditory memory)
• understanding words and multiple meanings (vocabulary)
• comprehending complex or large amounts of information
• understanding abstract language, concepts or ideas
• gaining meaning from additional cues, ie context, facial expression, body language,
gestures or tone
• sustaining efforts to understand.
Note:
For students who experience difficulties comprehending oral
language, it is important to rule out hearing impairment.
Expressive language
Expressive language involves the ability to construct and convey meaning relevant to a
particular context to achieve a specific purpose, using appropriate word order.
Students who experience difficulties with expressive language may have difficulties with:
• selecting appropriate words to convey intended meaning (vocabulary)
• sequencing information/ideas
• using grammar/morphology accurately to indicate tense, number, reference or position
• combining sentences to give additional related information (compound and complex
sentences)
• constructing complex sentences to convey a variety of relationships, eg time, place,
manner, reason and condition
• using additional verbal (eg emphasis, intonation) and nonverbal (eg gesture and facial
expression) cues to enhance meaning.
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Support Materials for Students with Special Education Needs
English K–6
Speaking and listening
INTRODUCTION
