If you’ve ever tried to explain oracy to someone and found yourself saying, “Well… it’s something to do with talking,” you’re not alone. It is about talking, but it’s also much more than that. Oracy is the ability to articulate ideas, develop understanding and engage with others through speaking, listening and communication. It includes spoken language, of course, but also sign language, gesture, facial expression, body language and forms of Alternative and Augmentative Communication (AAC) which your pupils may use to express themselves. In the same way literacy and numeracy give pupils the tools to read, write and work with numbers, oracy gives them the tools to communicate, collaborate and think together, building and sharing their ideas.
A helpful way to think about oracy is through three strands:
- Learning how to talk.
- Learning about talk.
- Learning through talk.
Most of us already recognise that spoken language is a powerful vehicle for learning across the curriculum, but this renewed focus takes us a step further. It highlights that oracy isn’t just a means to an end – it’s a skill set in its own right, which deserves deliberate attention and development.
Putting oracy at the heart of the curriculum means these skills aren’t reserved for English lessons or the occasional presentation. They become part of every subject, every day. Talk isn’t just a warm‑up before the “real” task – it is the task.
What Oracy Looks Like in Practice
A classroom that values oracy starts with clear, shared ground rules. These help pupils understand what good listening looks like, how to take turns and how to support one another’s contributions. With that foundation in place, talk becomes a powerful learning tool.
Dialogic teaching plays a big part here: asking open questions, encouraging pupils to explore ideas aloud, and inviting them to build on or challenge each other’s thinking. Group talk becomes more than a quick chat – it’s a genuine exchange where pupils expand, explain and connect ideas.
It’s helpful to distinguish between talk for learning and talk for performance. Talk for learning is exploratory and imperfect – pupils are working things out as they go. Talk for performance is more polished and structured. Both matter, but they serve different purposes. Pupils benefit from knowing which mode they’re working in, and classroom staff should adjust their support and feedback to suit the goal of the task.
Supporting Pupils with SLCN
Many of the approaches that help pupils with speech, language and communication needs are simply good practice for everyone. Small adjustments can make a big difference to how confidently pupils join in with talk-based activities. Helpful strategies include:
- Allowing generous pause time – pupils with SLCN will benefit from this extra time to process, think and plan their response. There’s evidence that 12 seconds is a great ‘sweet spot’ for balancing processing time with maintaining engagement.
- Making ground rules explicit – clear expectations around listening, turn taking and thinking time help pupils feel secure and prepared. Explaining these rules means that these practices become accepted and expected.
- Clarifying vocabulary and rephrasing complex sentences – breaking ideas down without diluting the content keeps discussions accessible and inclusive.
- Checking in and teaching pupils how to ask for clarification – this builds confidence, reduces anxiety and helps pupils stay engaged in the conversation. Create a supportive environment where it’s safe to ask for help.
- Providing structure – Assigning roles, setting clear rules for good listening, and using tools like sentence stems gives pupils a framework that supports successful participation.
One of the real strengths of oracy-rich classrooms is that you can hear pupils’ thinking as it unfolds. Misconceptions surface more quickly, and you can address them in the moment, making talk a powerful tool for responsive teaching.
Oracy isn’t an add on or a “nice to have”, instead it’s a foundation for learning, connection and confidence. If we create classrooms where every pupil has the tools to express themselves, we open the door to deeper understanding and a richer learning experience for everyone. As you explore oracy in your own setting, the most important thing is to keep talk purposeful, inclusive and woven into everyday practice.