Oracy at Elmwood

What is Oracy?

Oracy is the ability to speak, listen and communicate effectively with others. At Elmwood, we teach children how to express their ideas clearly, listen to different viewpoints, ask questions, explain their thinking and speak confidently to different audiences. Oracy is more than simply talking – it helps children develop their vocabulary, confidence, reasoning and ability to work well with others. We give children regular opportunities to practise these skills across all areas of the curriculum, helping them to find and use their voice.

Our vision:

At Elmwood Juniors, we believe every child has a voice that deserves to be heard. Our vision is to nurture confident, articulate, and respectful speakers and listeners who can express themselves clearly, listen thoughtfully to others, and engage in purposeful talk across all areas of learning.

By the time our pupils leave us, they will be able to:

• Speak confidently in a range of situations and for different audiences
• Listen actively and respond appropriately
• Collaborate and communicate effectively in group discussions
• Use oracy to explore ideas, solve problems, and reflect on their learning
• To be able to respect and celebrate different voices, cultures, and perspectives through debate

Through a strong culture of oracy, we prepare our children not only for the next stage of their education, but for life in a diverse and ever-changing world.

Oracy in the classroom:

At Elmwood, oracy is taught explicitly across the curriculum using the Cambridge Oracy Framework and teachers plan meaningful opportunities for discussion. Our Talk Skills slides, which are included at the start of every lesson, help children understand and practise specific speaking and listening skills, while Rules for Good Talk provide a consistent approach in every classroom. Sentence stems and talk prompts support children to explain, question, build on ideas and share their thinking. Teachers use a range of talk structures, including partner talk, trios, traverse and group roles, to give all children regular opportunities to talk. Exit points also provide opportunities for children to present and celebrate their learning with others. Through these approaches, children develop the confidence, vocabulary and skills to communicate effectively across the curriculum.

What can you do at home?

You can help your child develop their oracy skills at home by talking together every day. Encourage them to share their ideas, explain their thinking and talk about things they are interested in. Ask open questions such as “What do you think?”, “Why?” and “Can you tell me more?” and give them time to answer. Reading together and discussing stories, characters and new words is another great way to build confidence and vocabulary. Encourage your child to listen carefully, take turns and respect different opinions. Every conversation is an opportunity to help your child find their voice and become a confident communicator.