The principles of establishing effective oracy practice 

Oracy is a vital life skill that extends beyond academic learning. It plays a fundamental role in shaping a young person’s self-confidence, cognitive development, social relationships, and future opportunities. The UK Government has pledged to place oracy at the heart of its revised curriculum, ensuring that it becomes recognised as central to learning. Establishing effective oracy practice requires a holistic, structured, and research-informed approach.  

Although speaking, listening, and communication are statutory elements of the curriculum, they are often overshadowed by other priorities. If oracy is to be taken seriously, schools must commit to dedicating protected time within the timetable for explicit oracy instruction. These oracy lessons need to focus on core talk skills, modes of speaking, conversational structures, and be carried out effectively alongside the school’s expectations and rules for talk. In doing so, pupils not only improve their communication skills but also develop a deeper understanding of talk’s social and cultural functions. These structured oracy lessons create space for children to experience a wide range of talk contexts and reflect on the nature and purpose of spoken communication within each. 

Of course, proficient oracy encompasses talk and communication for a range of purposes, importantly, to develop learning as well as being able to deliver the knowledge gained for the purpose of explanation or exploration. There is also the idea of recognising the diversity of talk linked to context which gives the communicator greater skill in impacting on their audience.  

Considering the vast skills required to master oracy, schools need to ensure they have an effective oracy framework on which to build their curriculum. It should endeavour to include practice that develops the three strands of oracy: Learning to talk, talking to learn, and learning about talk.  

Learning to Talk 

Learning to talk encompasses the deliberate teaching of talk as a subject in its own right. Just as we teach reading, writing, and numeracy, we must explicitly teach pupils how to speak and listen effectively. This means incorporating vocabulary development, sentence structures, discussion protocols, and turn-taking strategies into daily classroom routines. Teachers play an essential role in scaffolding pupils’ speech and modelling effective spoken communication across subjects. 

A broad and rich curriculum should provide opportunities for students to take part in presentations, group debates, or exploratory discussions, through which they will learn how to structure arguments, use persuasive language, and adapt tone and register. Pupils need opportunities to rehearse, receive feedback, and improve their performance, thus reinforcing oracy as both an outcome and process of learning.  

Talking to Learn 

Effective learning is undertaken best through exploratory talk. In this sense, talk becomes not just a product but a key tool for deeper understanding. Prioritising high-quality classroom talk enhances learning outcomes across all subjects. Through structured discussions, exploration, and peer collaboration, pupils can test ideas, clarify misconceptions, and engage with complex content. 

Effective oracy practice involves modelling dialogic techniques such as open-ended questioning, wait time, and inviting students to build on each other’s contributions. Establishing clear ground rules for talk – such as listening respectfully, using evidence to support points, and taking turns – helps cultivate a safe and inclusive environment for sharing ideas. Over time, students develop critical thinking, empathy, and resilience, all of which are transferable across learning contexts.  

Learning about Talk 

The third strand to oracy provision, learning about talk, encourages pupils to reflect on the social, cultural, and linguistic dimensions of spoken language. While there was once a narrow focus on Received Pronunciation and standardised speech, modern oracy pedagogy celebrates linguistic diversity and promotes an understanding of how language use varies across contexts. 

In her blog for Oracy Cambridge, Barbara Bleiman identified several crucial areas for learning about talk which include understanding register and Standard English but also the importance of reflecting on how language is shaped by contexts, including gender, geography and race. By exploring these and other topics, pupils become aware of how language works in various contexts and learn to adapt their speech accordingly. This is known as “code-switching” – a key component of what linguist Dell Hymes (1967) called ‘communicative competence’. Through discussion, reflection, and guided analysis of real-world speech examples, students gain the skills to navigate varied communicative contexts with confidence and respect.  

Final Thoughts 

Proficiency in oracy equips pupils with the skills to express themselves clearly, think critically, and connect meaningfully with others. Schools that embed oracy into their ethos, pedagogy, and assessment practices are investing in the long-term success and wellbeing of their students. 

By dedicating time for explicit oracy instruction, integrating purposeful talk into all subjects, and helping pupils understand the social dimensions of language, schools can transform oracy from a peripheral skill to a central pillar of learning. This cultural shift in education promises not only improved academic outcomes but also a more inclusive, engaged, and communicative generation of learners.