The impact of innovative whole-class language strategies on language development

Abstract

As part of a broad improvement strategy, Mahogany Rise Primary School in Victoria focused on developing students' oral language skills, encouraging them to express their feelings, particularly through the Tribes social values program.

A whole-class language strategy was introduced in the first year of schooling, as many of the children starting school were identified as having language delays. The innovative strategy used music CDs and songbooks in a home–school partnership; developed expressive vocabulary in narrative structures; and focused on visualising and verbalising (using a program devised by Nancy Bell), an important skill for verbal memory, language comprehension and verbal expression.

Strategy

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