Oracy: Oracy icons

In order to support embedding oracy in the classroom, insert these icons into your lesson slides, not only will it reduce cognitive load, but it will also make you think about the different strategies you may be using to improve pupils’ oracy. Oracy_icons

Oracy: Exploratory talk (exploratory questions)

UK lesson studies show that over 60% of questions teachers ask are factual rather than procedural, speculative or process-orientated. Over 70% of children’s own responses were also found to be 3 words or fewer. Sinclair and Coulthard (1975) developed the Initiation – Response – Feedback framework. If followed, this framework allows us not only to …

Oracy: Exploratory talk (talking points)

Another way to encourage exploratory talk is using talking points. If we want pupils to talk effectively, we need to give them decent things to talk about! Give some consideration to those topics within your curricula that are particularly interesting ‘talking points’ or those that evoke thought/debate. Another example of a good talking point, might …

Oracy: Exploratory talk (Talking frames)

Talking frames can be used to promote exploratory talk. This includes using a range of prompts or questions to deepen pupils’ dialogue and give them a focus for their discussions. Strategies such as Agree, Build, Challenge question stems can help pupils to challenge one another’s’ thoughts, ‘But, because, so’ is a technique used to encourage …

Oracy: Exploratory talk (sentence stems)

Exploratory talk is when children are given the opportunity to develop, challenge and build upon their knowledge and understanding through sustained dialogue. They learn through talking. Just like when designing a task, good quality talk can require scaffolding. By using sentence stems to support pupils’ responses, the quality of talk is elevated. Below you will …

Oracy: Talk rules

In the 1990s, a study by SLANT outlined for talk to be productive and purposeful, children should be guided by a set of talk rules. If rules for talk are made explicit, visible and spoken (rather than implicit, invisible and unspoken), the talk time will be more productive: pupils are less likely to become off …

Oracy: What makes ‘good talk’

In order for pupils to talk effectively in the classroom, we must explicitly teach them how to talk well. Voice 21 and Cambridge University developed this framework to guide teachers with this process. Good_Talk_Oracy Cambridge It considers: Physical elements e.g. use of voice and body language Linguistic elements e.g. Choice of vocabulary and language used …

Target language cards/chatty mats

Use these cards to reward children for using target language within MFL lessons or just for subject specific vocabulary. Additionally chatty mats can contain regularly used phrases and sentence starters to help students feel more confident in articulating their learning in class. Target Language cards

Talk like an expert – generic

Use this version of talk like an expert to develop students’ oracy and assess their accuracy as well as spelling of key words. Talk like an expert Language for Learning