Literacy for the future
Read this article summary on why spoken language skills are key to children's literacy and future learning. Strong speaking habits help build the vocabulary and ideas children need for writing.
Last updated 8 September 2026
Palmer, S. (2003). Literacy for the future. Education Review, 16(2), 70-74.
Background
The author notes the prediction that in a few decades there will be no need for spelling, keyboard skills, etc. because of the development of voice controlled software. In contrast, clearly articulated speech will become much more in demand.
Aims
The writer wants to add to this the importance of speaking and listening skills in the development of ideas for writing. To dictate successfully into their computers, the children will need to have the ability to talk fluently on the subject using written language patterns.
Sample
As this is an opinion article, there is no collection of data.
Method
The author discusses the requirements to include speaking and listening built into the curriculum of England and Wales and the fact that, when under time pressure, teachers tend to drop the requirement to cover these skills which are often seen as more ephemeral and therefore more difficult to teach and report on.
Findings
The author believes that ‘literacy’ is also reflected in speech and that literate people are usually recognized when they ‘talk like a book’. This kind of speech is common in middle-class families and children grow up listening to and learning it. However, children from less advantaged homes need to have teachers who can help them develop those skills. The emphasis on writing across the curriculum has led to the impoverished writing of students as, if they don’t first talk about content or issues, they will not have the vocabulary to use or ideas to write about.
Implications
The author stresses the need to always have well-trained literate primary teachers who can model the ‘literate’ spoken language required to help students overcome any language disadvantage they may have at the beginning of schooling. It is practice in this literate spoken language that will give students the vocabulary and ideas they need for writing – and for the predicted computer-dominated future.
Original article retrieved from EBSCOHost.