Approaches to oracy

Topic outline

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  Approaches to oracy

  “You are the only second chance for some children to have a rich language experience. If these children are not getting it at school, they are not getting it.” (Mercer, N. How Much of Your Lesson Should Be Teacher Talk?,  April 25, 2018, Tes Podogogy)

  The importance of oracy skills cannot be underestimated.  Talk is the foundation of so much learning, with, ‘ways of talking shape ways of thinking’. In order to address the oral language gap, we need to create a culture of language-rich classrooms where pupils feel safe to voice ideas and where their voices can be heard.  Time needs to be allowed for rich discussion, with all pupils taking part and, for this to be successful, the skills of productive discussion need to be explicitly taught with feedback.

  Below, you will find a range of resources  to support you in designing an effective oracy curriculum.  It is worth exploring the wide range of resources available through the websites of Voice 21, Cambridge Oracy, ICAN and The Communication Trust.
  

  
  

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  Voice 21 Resources

  • Benchmarks report FINAL File

    Exceptionally useful guidance from Voice 21 around oracy in schools, with age-appropriate suggestions. This document supports teachers and leaders to identify strengths and ways to improve oracy at a systemic level and in the classroom, including a self-assessment audit tool for reviewing provision within school.

  • The Oracy Skills Framework and Glossary File

    A useful supporting resource that can be printed as a quick reminder of key points and terminology used in the Voice 21 Oracy Benchmark resources.

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  ICAN Resources

  • speaking up for the covid generation ICAN report File

    A useful report exploring the impact of covid on oracy among school-age children.
  • communication-supportive-environments-for-practitioners File

    Guidance from ICAN around ways to make the school environment more conducive to positive communication for pupils who struggle with speech, language and communication.

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  The development of Oracy skills in school-aged learners

  • CambridgePapersInELT Oracy 2018 ONLINE File

    This is a key report into the importance of oracy in education; the bibliography offers a range of suggestions for further reading for teachers interested in developing their understanding of the evidence around oracy.

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  Dialogic Talk

  • Dialogic Talk in the Classroom File

    Rich discussion focused on developing understanding through talk has been demonstrated to be one of the most effective classroom strategies in supporting students to achieve the highest grades at GCSE. Dialogic talk offers students the opportunity to explore, re-voice and test their knowledge of subject matter and vocabulary.

  • Structures for Group Work File

    This resource briefly explores the importance talk between peers and therefore group work, before providing a range of possible approaches and structures.

  • ESU-Speaking Frankly File

    Speaking Frankly is a collection of essays by teachers, academics and educational thinkers on the importance of oracy in education.