“Oracy was central to improving outcomes for all children at our school. JMC’s impact in the short term and over time reflected the quality of their comprehensive and achievable programme. It improved confidence in both staff and pupils and created a culture of communication across school”
Angela Smith, CEO YCPD and former head teacher at Shipley CE Primary School, Bradford
The growth of interest in dialogic teaching and oracy as a pedagogical approach is gaining momentum. Its enormous impact on learning is now recognised to the extent that it is beginning to creep into policy.
The latest OFSTED guidance OFSTED Handbook April 24 references the way learning is facilitated so that it is deeply understood, connected and remembered. There is also reference to teacher talk and the general building of vocabulary to develop understanding.
A strategically planned oracy approach builds a perfect answer to many barriers to learning, and barriers to connection. It does this both as a skill set in its own right and in the context of all other curriculum content. It can, in fact be threaded through the entire ethos of the school.
What Is Oracy – and how is it different to general talk?
Oracy, or dialogic teaching is two-fold.
Learning to speak – Speaking to learn.
It encapsulates all the learning around speaking audibly, clearly and with focused listening to build on other people’s ideas etc. It is also a key way to build deep learning, clarity of understanding and structured thought processes which make learning more memorable. This approach, whether in discrete sessions or in curriculum context, puts talk at the centre of all learning, with built in, strategically planned oracy opportunities as the norm.
Putting the oracy pedagogy at the heart of all we do as educators requires careful planning, CPD for everyone involved, and a dedicated support system to ensure continuity of approach, motivation and sustainability. It is the planned, systematic and focussed approach which makes it different – and makes the difference. The evidence of impact from the Education Endowment Foundation Oral Language Interventions is vast – though not only as an intervention, but as a whole setting approach.
Oracy/dialogic teaching is relevant in all learning – not just in English. When learners have the opportunity to talk through a method, a theory, a situation and are taught the structures with which to do so, their learning is developed much more effectively. This is true for all learners, and provides an incredibly inclusive tool for working towards equity.
INSET Aims:
1 – To clarify the basic premise of high quality oracy teaching
2 – Show how it links to key elements of research and statutory documents
3 – To share key strategic resources and tools to start and develop the journey in your setting
4 – Show how progress can be planned for, assessed and quality assured
This course will guide you through the basics, motivate you to get started and help you plan how to embed this sustainably, into your own professional practice and/or your setting.
INSET Outline
The Oracy Pedagogy
- Explain key features of dialogic teaching
- Highlight seminal pieces of research and key researchers
- Consider its place in statutory curriculum documents
The Oracy Curriculum
- Key starting points
- Planning and resourcing
- Integrating oracy into your setting
- Continuity and consistency
Strategy and impact
- Oracy and the School Development Plan
- Motivating and sustaining
- Assessing impact – measuring progress
- Effective monitoring
CPD options available
- Oracy for learning EYFS/KS1
- Oracy for learning in KS2
- Oracy for learning in Secondary Schools
Sessions are available as live webinars or in person CPD.
Please get in touch to discuss your needs.
