The Alchemy of Sound: The Power of Spoken Language in a Very Visual World

In our highly visual world, spoken language is often neglected as a tool that can contribute much to students’ linguistic competence. By privileging textual literacy over oral literacy, schools may be neglecting a dimension of language that students could greatly profit from, especially in a world where spoken language, oral tradition, and narrative are commanding increased attention. The author was given an opportunity to teach a university-level class focusing on the sound of language as it relates to listening/reading and speaking/writing. The semester-long class, whose goal was increased awareness of and appreciation for the value of spoken language, included work with audiobooks, oral interpretation, and speech as it relates to writing. The author provides some theoretical context for her approach, reports on what she observed while teaching the class, and includes how students themselves responded to the emphasis on spoken language as a means to improved literacy.