Oracy
Vision for Oracy:
Following a period of extensive research and analysis of the possible benefits of a comprehensive oracy curriculum in Prospect Hill Junior School; it was decided this would be a key driver within our school curriculum, as evidence has shown:
- Oracy supports learning – including developing creativity and critical thinking in pupils.
- Oracy is vital for social mobility – supporting children’s ability to fulfill their potential in later life.
- Oracy is good for social and emotional learning – helping children who may struggle to work with or play well with others.
- Oracy opens doors to opportunity – extracurricular activities such as debating, youth parliament and volunteering bring a wide variety of benefits and opportunity.
- Oracy is empowering - giving children the skills to develop a ‘voice’ and speak out about things that matter to them.
(NACE – March 2018)
Oracy within the curriculum will:
- Create momentum within Prospect Hill Junior School to raise awareness of the value of oracy
- Build a whole School culture of talk, across the curriculum and beyond the classroom.
- Strengthening classroom practice – ensuring all teachers are confident in using oracy as a core pedagogy and drawing upon evidence-based practical classroom activities.
- Continuously improve our practice using the latest research and evidence on the impact of oracy
Teaching of Oracy:
In order to teach effective oracy skills across the curriculum, we will be using a variety of teaching and learning approaches: to understand the physical, linguistic, cognitive, and social and emotional skills that enable successful discussion, inspiring speech and effective communication.
Key oracy skills are taught throughout the whole curriculum. Objectives are progressive and sequential; teaching the children the skills to confidently and effectively use the spoken language for educational progress, and for life in general.
The school uses a variety of teaching and learning approaches to teach oracy skills across the curriculum, including:
- Providing opportunities for drama and role-play.
- Providing opportunities for children to develop their listening skills through conversation.
- Promoting small group and class discussions on specific topics/areas of the curriculum.
- Providing opportunities to speak in front of a larger audience, for example during an assembly.
- Giving the children the opportunity to speak to unfamiliar people with a real purpose.
- Allowing the children to participate in ‘show and tell’ sessions.
- Playing a range of games with the children to encourage effective use of oracy skills.
- Providing opportunities for the children to become a storyteller for an authentic audience.
- Providing opportunities for the children to present to an audience, chair a discussion and hold class meetings.
- Encouraging the children to talk for a specific purpose, e.g. to persuade or to entertain.
- Encouraging children to work in groups to collaboratively solve a problem.
- Encouraging class and group debates and providing opportunities for children to make speeches in front of an audience.
- Providing opportunities for the children to present on digital platforms.
Recording of Oracy:
Oracy work across the curriculum may be recorded or videoed, either individually or as a collective, which will then be shared during exhibitions, within showcases events or via our social media platforms
