DRUMCONDRA ORAL LANGUAGE
INDICATORS
OBJECTIVES & CHECKLISTS
1
Drumcondra Oral Language Indicators – Junior Infants
The child is able to:
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Express simple personal needs
Follow simple instructions and directions
Communicate with peers during seatwork
Recite some rhymes, poems and songs from memory
Listen attentively to stories and poems read aloud by the teacher
Speak audibly, clearly and with confidence on most occasions
Identify repetition and rhyme in stories and poems
Demonstrate understanding of stories, songs and rhymes through
mime and role-play
 Show an interest in the meanings of new words in stories and
poems by asking questions
 Construct an imaginative story based on a sequence of pictures
2
Junior Infants
Name:
The child is able to:
Express simple personal needs
Follow simple instructions and directions
Communicate with peers during seatwork
Recite some rhymes, poems and songs from memory
Listen attentively to stories and poems read aloud by the teacher
Speak audibly, clearly and with confidence on most occasions
Identify repetition and rhyme in stories and poems
Demonstrate understanding of stories, songs and rhymes through
mime and role-play
Show an interest in the meanings of new words in stories and
poems by asking questions
Date
3
Drumcondra Oral Language Indicators – Senior Infants
The child is able to:
 Recite a range of rhymes, poems and songs from memory, with
some attention to tone of voice and actions
 Speak audible and pronounce familiar words clearly and
confidently on most occasions
 Retell stories heard in class, recalling main characters and events
in appropriate sequence
 Follow instructions, direction or explanations that include two or
three elements
 Listen attentively and expresses personal reactions to stories,
poems and rhymes read aloud by the teacher
 Initiate and sustain a conversation on a familiar topic with the
teacher or with other pupils, demonstrating understanding of class
rules for turn taking
 Demonstrate understanding of characters and events in stories
and poems through mime and role-play, sometimes extending
storylines
 Discuss the meanings of new words in stories, poems and songs,
paying some attention to context clues
 Plan, predict and order future activities and events with reference
to own experiences
 Identify problems in stories and in other texts, and propose
possible solutions
4
Senior Infants
Name
The child is able to:
Date
Recite a range of rhymes, poems and songs from memory, with
some attention to tone of voice and actions
Speak audible and pronounce familiar words clearly and
confidently on most occasions
Retell stories heard in class, recalling main characters and
events in appropriate sequence
Follow instructions, direction or explanations that include two or
three elements
Listen attentively and expresses personal reactions to stories,
poems and rhymes read aloud by the teacher
Initiate and sustain a conversation on a familiar topic with the
teacher or with other pupils, demonstrating understanding of
class rules for turn taking
Demonstrate understanding of characters and events in stories
and poems through mime and role-play, sometimes extending
storylines
Discuss the meanings of new words in stories, poems and songs,
paying some attention to context clues
Plan, predict and order future activities and events with reference
to own experiences
Identify problems in stories and in other texts, and propose
possible solutions
5
Drumcondra Oral Language Indicators – First Class
The child is able to:
 Retell a story heard in class, attending to the main events and
preserving their sequence
 Explain familiar procedures, or give instructions to peers, showing
awareness of the steps involved
 Listen attentively to group and class discussions, contributing at
appropriate times
 Describe an experience, event or situation to the class with
confidence, focusing on the topic and including key information
 Express the emotions and reactions of characters in stories and
poems through mime and role-play
 Suggest alternative words to describe objects, experiences or
events
 Identify problems in stories and in other texts, and justifies possible
solutions
 Identify a speaker’s topic and initiates questions seeking
explanations or more information, while demonstrating awareness
of class rules on turn-taking
 Use some complex sentences which include phrases and clauses
to describe events, experiences and objects
6
First Class
Name
The child is able to:
Retell a story heard in class, attending to the main events and
preserving their sequence
Explain familiar procedures, or give instructions to peers, showing
awareness of the steps involved
Listen attentively to group and class discussions, contributing at
appropriate times
Describe an experience, event or situation to the class with
confidence, focusing on the topic and including key information
Express the emotions and reactions of characters in stories and
poems through mime and role-play
Suggest alternative words to describe objects, experiences or
events
Identify problems in stories and in other texts, and justifies
possible solutions
Identify a speaker’s topic and initiates questions seeking
explanations or more information, while demonstrating awareness
of class rules on turn-taking
Use some complex sentences which include phrases and clauses
to describe events, experiences and objects
Date
7
Drumcondra Oral Language Indicators – Second Class
The child is able to:
 Recite a repertoire of favourite poems and rhymes from memory,
giving attention to phrasing and expression
 Give a short description or report of an event, attending to key
information and relevant details
 Identify a speaker’s topic, and initiates questions seeking
explanations or more information
 In talk, interpret the themes and major ideas in stories and
informational texts, drawing on personal knowledge and
experiences
 Interpret and express the feelings and reactions of characters in
stories and informational texts, drawing on personal knowledge
and experiences
 Identify similarities across stories in terms of setting, characters,
problems presented, attempts to solve problems, and resolutions
 As a member of a group, initiate and sustain a conversation on a
specific topic with confidence, recognising the needs of listeners
 Suggest alternative words and phrases to describe objects,
experiences or events
 Attempt to persuade others to a point of view or action, presenting
a few reasons
8
Second Class
Name
The child is able to:
Date
Recite a repertoire of favourite poems and rhymes from memory,
giving attention to phrasing and expression
Give a short description or report of an event, attending to key
information and relevant details
Identify a speaker’s topic, and initiates questions seeking
explanations or more information
In talk, interpret the themes and major ideas in stories and
informational texts, drawing on personal knowledge and
experiences
Interpret and express the feelings and reactions of characters in
stories and informational texts, drawing on personal knowledge
and experiences
Identify similarities across stories in terms of setting, characters,
problems presented, attempts to solve problems, and resolutions
As a member of a group, initiate and sustain a conversation on a
specific topic with confidence, recognising the needs of listeners
Suggest alternative words and phrases to describe objects,
experiences or events
Attempt to persuade others to a point of view or action, presenting
a few reasons
9
Drumcondra Profile Indicators – Third Class
The child is able to:
 Listen to longer stories and predicts future events and likely
outcomes
 Talk clearly, audibly and with confidence to different audiences in
the school environment (individuals, groups, own class)
 Conduct a short interview with another pupil or adult to obtain
information about a topic
 Listen to stories and poems and identifies and comments on
humour
 Listen to and summarises short stories or informational texts by
recalling several important points
 Deliver a prepared report to the class on a project topic, using
appropriate vocabulary and giving relevant information
 Persuade or argue a point of view in real or imaginary situations
 Support a personal view of a poem with reference to content,
format and language
10
Third Class
Name
The child is able to:
Date
 Listen to longer stories and predicts future events and likely
outcomes
 Talk clearly, audibly and with confidence to different
audiences in the school environment (individuals, groups,
own class)
 Conduct a short interview with another pupil or adult to
obtain information about a topic
 Listen to stories and poems and identifies and comments
on humour
 Listen to and summarises short stories or informational
texts by recalling several important points
 Deliver a prepared report to the class on a project topic,
using appropriate vocabulary and giving relevant
information
 Persuade or argue a point of view in real or imaginary
situations
 Support a personal view of a poem with reference to
content, format and language
11
Drumcondra Profile Indicators – Fourth Class
The child is able to:
 Participate in class discussions by sharing relevant background
(prior) knowledge about a topic
 Identify and comment on humour in stories and poems read aloud
by other pupils or by the teacher
 Present a point of view to the class, offering some reasons or
arguments
 Predict and justify future events and likely outcomes at appropriate
points in book-length stories read aloud by the teacher
 Prepare for and conduct an interview with another pupil or adult to
obtain information about a topic
 Talk clearly and audibly to different audiences (e.g., group, own
class, other class), varying pace of delivery as appropriate
 Deliver a prepared report to the class on a project topic, using
appropriate vocabulary and giving relevant, organised information
 Listen to and compare two poems on the same theme or by the
same author, and support a personal interpretation
12
Fourth Class
Name
The child is able to:
Date
 Participate in class discussions by sharing relevant
background (prior) knowledge about a topic
 Identify and comment on humour in stories and poems
read aloud by other pupils or by the teacher
 Present a point of view to the class, offering some
reasons or arguments
 Predict and justify future events and likely outcomes at
appropriate points in book-length stories read aloud by the
teacher
 Prepare for and conduct an interview with another pupil or
adult to obtain information about a topic
 Talk clearly and audibly to different audiences (e.g.,
group, own class, other class), varying pace of delivery as
appropriate
 Deliver a prepared report to the class on a project topic,
using appropriate vocabulary and giving relevant,
organised information
 Listen to and compare two poems on the same theme or
by the same author, and support a personal interpretation
13
Drumcondra Oral Language Indicators – Fifth Class
The child is able to:
 Identify the main idea in a short, spoken report, and summarise it
for others
 Identify and understand the functions of nouns, verbs, adjectives
and adverbs
 Present an organised, interesting report to the class about a
project topic, using illustrations as appropriate
 Identify a range of non-verbal cues in photographs and on
television/dvd and comment on their purposes and
appropriateness
 Tell stories confidently, using techniques that make them
interesting
 Identify and comment on some elements of specific stories that
make them interesting or effective
 Present constructive counter-arguments on a given theme to refute
arguments presented by others, while demonstrating tolerance
towards their views
 Contrast a personal interpretation of a story or poem with another’s
interpretation, evaluating the validity of both
 Recognise and discuss the effectiveness of similes, metaphors
and idioms in stories and poems read aloud by the teacher
14
Fifth Class
Name
The child is able to:
Identify the main idea in a short, spoken report, and summarise
it for others
Identify and understand the functions of nouns, verbs,
adjectives and adverbs
Present an organised, interesting report to the class about a
project topic, using illustrations as appropriate
Identify a range of non-verbal cues in photographs and on
television/dvd and comment on their purposes and
appropriateness
Tell stories confidently, using techniques that make them
interesting
Identify and comment on some elements of specific stories that
make them interesting or effective
Present constructive counter-arguments on a given theme to
refute arguments presented by others, while demonstrating
tolerance towards their views
Contrast a personal interpretation of a story or poem with
another’s interpretation, evaluating the validity of both
Recognise and discuss the effectiveness of similes, metaphors
and idioms in stories and poems read aloud by the teacher
Date
15
Drumcondra Oral Language Indicators – Sixth Class
The child is able to:
 Identify the main idea and supporting details in a short, spoken
report, and summarise it for others
 Present an organised, interesting report to the class about a topic,
using gestures and illustrations as appropriate
 Tell stories with a keen awareness of plot and character, using
techniques that make them interesting
 Identify elements of persuasion and appeal in radio and television
advertisements, commenting on their purpose and impact
 Listen and respond constructively to alternative ideas or
viewpoints, and express ideas and opinions without dominating a
discussion
 Select two or more poems related to a theme or topic, and justify
selection, referring to content, language and rhyme
 Evaluate own knowledge about a topic or process, stating what is
known and identifying aspects that are not known
 Identify criteria for evaluating spoken texts (e.g., prepared speech,
argument, report) and use these to evaluate own contributions and
those of others
 Recognise and comment on the effects on language of local idiom,
accent and dialect in different formal and informal situations
16
Sixth Class
Name
The child is able to:
Identify the main idea and supporting details in a short, spoken
report, and summarise it for others
Present an organised, interesting report to the class about a
topic, using gestures and illustrations as appropriate
Tell stories with a keen awareness of plot and character, using
techniques that make them interesting
Identify elements of persuasion and appeal in radio and
television advertisements, commenting on their purpose and
impact
Listen and respond constructively to alternative ideas or
viewpoints, and express ideas and opinions without dominating
a discussion
Select two or more poems related to a theme or topic, and
justify selection, referring to content, language and rhyme
Evaluate own knowledge about a topic or process, stating what
is known and identifying aspects that are not known
Identify criteria for evaluating spoken texts (e.g., prepared
speech, argument, report) and use these to evaluate own
contributions and those of others
Recognise and comment on the effects on language of local
idiom, accent and dialect in different formal and informal
situations
17