The Invisible Threads: How Oral Language, Literacy, and Wellbeing Shape the Early Years

Lauren Severs
Jul 28
5 min read

How Oral Language, Literacy, and Wellbeing Shape the Early Years: A Blog by Lauren Severs July 2026

Walk into any vibrant Early Childhood Education (ECE) setting in Aotearoa NZ, and

you’ll hear a beautiful, chaotic symphony. A toddler shouts in triumph as their block

tower finally stands tall; a small group negotiates who gets the firefighter’s hat in

dramatic play; an infant rests quietly against the shoulder of a kaiako while listening

to a soothing lullaby.

To the casual observer, this is simple daily play and care routines. But beneath the

surface, a profound and delicate architecture is being built. Oral language, early

literacy, and wellbeing (hauora) do not sit in tidy, separate boxes. They are woven

together like the fibres of a whāriki, each strand strengthening the others, reinforcing

the entire structure.

When a child struggles to communicate, their emotional, social, and physical worlds

can begin to unravel. However, when language flourishes, wellbeing follows. By viewing early learning through Te Whare Tapa Whā, we can clearly see how language and literacy uphold and safeguard the holistic wellbeing of tamariki.

Te Whare Tapa Whā - Pulled from MentalHealth.org.nz

The Four Pillars of Hauora Through a Linguistic Lens

Hauora is often compared to the four walls of a wharenui - Taha Hinengaro (mental

and emotional), Taha Whānau (social), Taha Wairua (spiritual), and Taha Tinana

(physical). If one wall weakens, the whole structure becomes unstable. Oral

language and early literacy underpin each wall in powerful, interconnected ways.

Taha Hinengaro: From Frustration to Expression

Imagine navigating overwhelming emotions such as anger, jealousy, fear without the

words to explain what’s happening inside you. For infants and toddlers, this is daily

reality.

Language is the vehicle for emotional regulation. When a kaiako (teacher) says, “I

can see you are feeling deeply frustrated because that tower fell down,” they hand

the child a tool of immense cognitive power. Naming emotions transforms chaotic

sensations into something understandable and manageable.

According to ERO, a direct correlation exists between communication delays and

behavioural frustration. Without the ability to use language, children often resort to

behaviours such as hitting, biting, or withdrawing to communicate, express

boundaries or resolve conflict.

Early literacy supports Taha Hinengaro by offering children a safe space to work

through feelings. Stories about fear, sharing, or sadness give children external

frameworks to process internal experiences. Reading becomes a tool for emotional

grounding and nurturing resilience, as much as it builds literacy skills.

Taha Whānau: The Serve-and-Return of Belonging

Human beings are wired for connection. For young children, Taha Whānau is the

engine of development. Our brains grow through “serve-and-return” interactions -an

infant coos (serve), an adult responds with words, eye contact, and touch (return).

This rhythmic dialogue builds trust, attachment, and social competence. In ECE

settings, oral language is how children negotiate rules, share ideas, express

empathy, and collaborate.

Shared literacy experiences like singing waiata, reading picture books together, and

gasping at a plot twist all create collective belonging. Children learn that their voice

matters and that they are part of a supportive community.

Taha Wairua: Anchoring Identity and Spirit

Taha Wairua is about identity, heritage, and knowing where you belong. Language is not simply communication, but a vessel carrying our culture, values and the voices of our ancestors.

When a child’s home language is celebrated - English, te reo Māori, Samoan, Hindi, Mandarin etc, their whakamana (spiritual self-worth) grows.

Introducing pūrākau, karakia, and waiata anchors children in the cultural soil of Aotearoa.

Literacy also mirrors identity. When children see their skin tones, whānau structures,

and cultural narratives reflected in books, they receive a powerful message: You

matter. Your people matter. You belong here.

Taha Tinana: The Physical Foundations of Literacy

At first glance, language and literacy seem separate from physical development. But

research challenges this assumption. Infants and toddlers learn holistically -through

movement, touch, and sensory exploration.

Manipulating board books, turning pages and tracking illustrations with their eyes,

are all actions that build fine-motor and visual-spatial skills, essential for later reading

and writing.

The University of Canterbury’s Child Well-being Research Institute highlights that

early communication skills are the strongest predictors of long-term health literacy.

Children who develop strong oral language become adults who can navigate

healthcare systems, interpret safety information, and advocate for their wellbeing.

Practical Strategies to Nurture Language, Literacy, and Hauora Together

Understanding theory is powerful, but what does this look like in practice? The key is

moving away from flashcards or rote tasks, and embracing intentional, play-based

strategies that nourish both mind and heart.

Below are four integrated strategies aligned with the four walls of the hauora

framework.

A warm, inviting early childhood book corner designed as a calm-down sanctuary. The space features wooden shelves, soft cushions, a fluffy rug, blankets, low warm lighting, and baskets of sensory tools. On the walls are posters showing faces and feeling words in English, te reo Māori, Mandarin, and Hindi, along with calming messages and self-regulation prompts. A display rack holds children’s books about emotions, breathing, worry, and feeling safe. The overall space feels soothing, nurturing, and designed for co-regulation and gentle conversation. — Literacy as expression and regulation.

The Calm Cozy Book Corner (Taha Hinengaro)
Reimagine the book corner as a sanctuary for supporting emotional co-regulation
and conversation rather than just a quiet reading zone.

Setup: Soft cushions, warm lighting, sensory tools, and books about feelings
and self-regulation.

Action: Invite overwhelmed children to this space, offering calm connection
and co-regulation. Be present with them, turn pages slowly and mindfully, allowing the story to soothe their nervous system.

Impact: Books become emotional safe havens. Children learn that language can comfort, calm, and help them make sense of big feelings.

Dialogic Reading Using the PEER Strategy (Taha Whānau)
Instead of reading to children, read with them. By using the PEER approach, books
become a springboard for meaningful conversation, strengthening relationships andbuilding confidence:
- P – Prompt: “What do you think the truck is doing?”
- E – Evaluate: “Yes, it is a huge dump truck!”
- E – Expand: “And it’s carrying a massive load of heavy gravel up that steep hill.”
- R – Repeat: “Can you say ‘gravel’?”
Honouring Whānau and Cultural Identity (Taha Wairua)
Ground literacy in children’s personal worlds. Do children see their faces, languages,
and whānau reflected in your literacy materials?

Action: Create “Whānau Books” or pēpeha displays with photos of whānau, pets, marae, maunga, and favourite places.

In Play: Place these books on low shelves. Children will proudly share them
with peers and teachers.

Impact: Tamariki are motivated to talk about what they love. Descriptive
language flows naturally, and identity is affirmed.
Sensory Mark-Making and Active Phonological Play (Taha Tinana)
Writing begins with the whole body and children need whole-body mark-making
opportunities before fine-motor writing.

Action: Provide shaving foam, sand, gloop, finger paint, and large canvases.
Encourage sweeping arm movements, circles, lines, and patterns.

Verbal Layer: “Those looping motions are huge! The foam feels slick and smooth, doesn’t it?”

Impact: Children build core strength, shoulder stability, and bilateral coordination - the physical foundations of writing, while expanding vocabulary through embodied experience.

The Ultimate Goal of Early Communication

Our goal in ECE is not to produce four-year-olds who can memorise sight words or

complete phonics worksheets. It is far more beautiful.

As Te Whāriki reminds us, we are striving to grow competent, confident

communicators who are healthy in body, mind, and spirit. When we recognise that

language, literacy, and hauora are intertwined, we design spaces that honour the

whole child. Every time we listen deeply, sit with an upset toddler, or sing a waiata

together, we strengthen the invisible threads that support lifelong wellbeing. We are

giving tamariki the linguistic keys to unlock their thoughts, label their emotions,

express their uniqueness, protect their wellbeing, and step confidently into their

future.