ABSTRACT
This chapter suggests that under-developed oral language skills are a cause of low attainment across the age range, particularly for disadvantaged boys. It reviews evidence showing that interventions to improve language directly impact on attainment. Next, it suggests strategies that schools can use to develop children’s language, with case studies of effective practice. In the early years, schools can try to develop provision for disadvantaged two-year-olds, increase the number of conversation ‘hotspots’ in the environment, train staff in the types of interaction that promote language development, and increase the number of books shared with target children. In all age groups it is important to systematically teach, apply and revisit carefully chosen, generically useful vocabulary. Learning word lists alone is unlikely to be effective; children need scaffolded opportunities for collaborative groupwork, role-play and drama, debate and open-ended class discussion. Short-term, small group language intervention programmes can have a big impact on closing the word gap, as long as the right children are targeted.
