Oregon Educator Licensure Assessments (ORELA) Practice Exam

Which skill is essential for language development in children?

1. Engaging with complex literary texts

2. Listening comprehension skills

3. Writing detailed essays

4. Performing oral presentations

The correct answer is: Listening comprehension skills

Listening comprehension skills are essential for language development in children because they serve as the foundation for understanding spoken language, which is a critical aspect of communication. When children develop strong listening skills, they can better grasp vocabulary, sentence structure, and the nuances of speech, which all contribute to their ability to process and produce language effectively. Through listening, children learn to recognize sounds, words, and phrases, enabling them to understand and respond appropriately in conversations. Additionally, strong listening skills support their ability to follow directions, participate in discussions, and engage in storytelling, all of which are pivotal for further language acquisition. While engaging with literary texts, writing essays, and performing presentations are important components of language use and expression, they build upon the foundational ability to comprehend spoken language that is developed through listening.