In today’s classrooms, the ability to communicate effectively is more crucial than ever—not just for academic success, but for personal confidence, social development, and future employability. is Structured talk is the foundation of pupil engagement, enabling learners to articulate ideas, reason critically, and collaborate meaningfully. Yet it remains one of the most underdeveloped areas of the curriculum.
This INSET offers a powerful opportunity for educators to embed structured talk and dialogic teaching into everyday practice. Drawing on the Voice 21 framework and the latest research, the course provides practical strategies to create inclusive, talk-rich classrooms where every pupil has a voice. Book now to unlock the potential of oracy and transform engagement across your school.
Why is Structured talk so Important in our Classrooms?
Structured talk is a powerful tool for deepening pupil engagement and learning. When classroom dialogue is intentionally planned and scaffolded, it enables all learners to participate meaningfully, express their thinking, and build on the ideas of others. This not only improves communication skills but also strengthens cognitive development, reasoning, and subject understanding. Structured talk routines—such as using sentence stems, talk roles, and exploratory questioning—create inclusive environments where pupils feel safe to contribute, challenge, and reflect. By embedding these approaches across the curriculum, teachers can foster a culture of purposeful dialogue that supports both academic progress and personal growth.
🎯 INSET Aims
- To explore the role of oracy in improving pupil engagement, confidence, and attainment.
- To equip staff with practical strategies for embedding structured talk and dialogic teaching across the curriculum.
- To support inclusive classroom practice through purposeful dialogue.
🧩 INSET Outline
Why Oracy Matters
- The case for oracy: links to cognitive development, social mobility, and academic success.
- Ofsted’s emphasis on communication and inclusion.
- Voice 21 framework: physical, linguistic, cognitive, and social dimensions of oracy.
Structured talk in Practice: What Does It Look Like?
- Examples of oracy-rich classrooms across phases and subjects.
- Structured talk routines: talk partners, group roles, sentence stems.
- Dialogic teaching: exploratory talk, Socratic questioning, accountable talk.
Planning for Structured talk Opportunities in lessons
- Embedding oracy in lesson design and curriculum planning.
- Creating opportunities for purposeful talk: debates, presentations, storytelling.
- Scaffolding for SEND and EAL learners.
Assessing Oracy
- Using rubrics and formative assessment tools.
- Pupil self-assessment and peer feedback.
- Capturing progress over time: portfolios, audio recordings, observation.
Implementation and Impact
- Action planning: how to embed oracy in departments and whole-school strategy.
- Monitoring impact: pupil voice, engagement data, work scrutiny.
- Linking to school priorities: inclusion, literacy, behaviour for learning.
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