Oracy may not always get the same attention as literacy or numeracy, but its importance in shaping confident, articulate individuals cannot be overstated. From group discussions in primary classrooms to debates in secondary schools, oracy equips students with the speaking and listening skills they need to excel academically and socially.
In this article, we’ll unpack what oracy really means, why it matters, and how you can foster these essential skills across all age groups in your school.
What Is Oracy?
Simply put, Oracy is the development and practice of speaking and listening. However, the pedagogical concept of the term is much deeper. It involves effectively communicating, articulating thoughts, and participating in meaningful, balanced discussions while demonstrating relevant body language and linguistic and emotional cues.
Oracy manifests in various ways throughout daily life. However, an oracy-focused school environment aims to foster students’ confidence in active listening, verbal expression, and constructing and conveying coherent arguments—all necessary for a fulfilled professional and personal life.
History of Oracy Education
The concept of oracy has its roots in ancient rhetoric, where the art of persuasion and effective public speaking was highly valued. In modern education, oracy gained prominence in the 1960s when the term was coined by Andrew Wilkinson, a British educationalist. Wilkinson recognised the importance of spoken language in learning and advocated for its inclusion in the curriculum. Since then, oracy has become an integral part of educational frameworks, especially in the UK, where initiatives like the National Oracy Project in the 1980s and more recent efforts by organisations such as Voice 21 have promoted its development in schools.
- Educational Impact: Research indicates that students with strong oracy skills perform better academically. A study by the Education Endowment Foundation found that oracy interventions can boost progress by up to five months in secondary school students.
Employability: Employers highly value communication skills. According to the Confederation of British Industry (CBI), communication is one of the top skills sought by employers, with 94% of employers rating it as crucial for the workplace.
Social Mobility: Effective oracy education can help bridge the gap between socio-economic groups. Studies show that children from disadvantaged backgrounds often start school with poorer language skills, which can affect their educational outcomes. Improving oracy can mitigate this disadvantage and promote social mobility.
Engagement: Classrooms that prioritise oracy see higher levels of student engagement. When students are encouraged to discuss, debate, and articulate their ideas, they are more likely to participate actively in their learning and retain information better.
Mental Health and Wellbeing: Good communication skills are linked to better mental health. Being able to express oneself clearly and understand others can reduce frustration and build better relationships, contributing to overall wellbeing.
The Four Components of Oracy
Since Oracy encompasses many skills, they’re categorised into four components of the discipline (otherwise known as pillars).
Physical
Widely recognised as the foundation of communication, Oracy’s physical component includes non-verbal elements like voice clarity, eye contact, and body language. These skills allow students to engage with their audience (even if that audience is one person) and exude confidence.
Linguistic
When you think of Oracy, you likely thought of the linguistic component of it. It’s a common mistake, but in reality, linguistics (i.e., vocabulary, grammar, and storytelling) is just one of Oracy’s four pillars! It helps students articulate their thoughts and feelings both clearly and creatively. Storytelling projects are a particularly enjoyable way to develop linguistic skills (but more on that later).
Cognitive
This component involves formulating arguments, thinking critically, and organising thoughts. Developing these skills enables students to respond thoughtfully to others and structure their ideas logically.
Social and Emotional
Last but certainly not least, Oracy’s social and emotional pillar revolves around understanding emotions — of those around us and ourselves. Students with these skills will be able to self-regulate, empathise with others, and manage their feelings as they communicate with those around them.
Why Is Oracy Important?
Research has uncovered many benefits of oracy-focused curriculums.
Evidence shows that developing oracy skills improves academic performance across English, maths and science.
But it isn’t just about academic achievement. Oracy’s advantages extend to improved employability and career readiness, self-confidence, resilience, empathy, self-awareness, well-being, happiness, life chances, and civic engagement and empowerment.
Oracy in the Classroom
The implicit teaching of oracy happens all the time in the classroom. But when you’re looking to take an oracy-focused approach, the following tables guides you through the age-dependent specific skills you should work on with your students and strategies to ensure your classroom effectively involves all four pillars of oracy:
Age-Dependent Oracy Skills
| Key Stage | Oracy Skills Taught and Learned |
|---|---|
| Key Stage 1 (Ages 5–7) |
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| Key Stage 2 (Ages 7–11) |
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| Key Stages 3 & 4 (Ages 11–16) |
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Teaching Strategies for Oracy's Four Pillars
| Pillar | Teaching Strategies |
|---|---|
| Physical |
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| Linguistic |
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| Cognitive |
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| Social & Emotional |
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Oracy vs Literacy and Numeracy
Literacy and numeracy have traditionally taken precedence over other curriculum subjects. But as of 2024, educators, researchers, and scientists alike say oracy should take over—or become as essential as literacy and numeracy, at least. Why? due to its importance, as discussed earlier. It forms the basis of our professional and personal lives, so why shouldn’t it be as important as other widely recognised essential disciplines?
Measuring and Assessing Oracy
While assessing oracy is still largely subjective, the Oracy Skills Framework and Glossary defines a list of attributes to look out for when assessing students’ skills. These include linguistic notions like using appropriate vocabulary in the context, physical attributes like pronunciation clarity, and cognitive choices like maintaining focus on the topic.
Improve Your Students Communication Skills With Oracy
Embedding oracy into your teaching and focusing on its four pillars, you can help your students build the confidence, communication skills, and emotional intelligence they need to succeed academically and socially.
Whether through classroom discussions, debates, or storytelling, prioritising oracy will prepare your pupils for the wider world beyond the school gates.
Explore Oracy Champions today!