Which oral language development difficulty should a preschool teacher prioritize in a 4-year-old child?

Prioritizing the ability to describe recent events is crucial for a preschool teacher focusing on oral language development in a 4-year-old child. This skill not only reflects a child's vocabulary and ability to articulate thoughts but also demonstrates their understanding of narrative structure. The process of recounting experiences helps children organize their thoughts and use connective language, which is fundamental for effective communication.

When children can describe recent events, they engage in more complex language use, such as recalling details, sequencing occurrences, and expressing emotions related to those events. These skills are foundational for later literacy development, as they promote narrative skills that are essential for storytelling and comprehension. In contrast, the other options, while important, focus on narrower aspects of language development that do not encompass the breadth of skills involved in describing experiences. This makes describing recent events a key area for prioritization in fostering overall language proficiency.