Oracy at BPS
As defined by Voice 21 (https://voice21.org/what-is-oracy/) Oracy is “articulating ideas, developing understanding and engaging with others through speaking, listening and communication”. This definition highlights that oracy is not just about speaking clearly, but about thinking, understanding, and interacting effectively through spoken language.
At BPS we are committed to helping children learn to speak and listen well, both in English and Spanish, by promoting classroom talk through structured discussions where they can reason, justify, explain and build on their own and each other’s views. Just as literacy is about reading and writing, and numeracy is about maths, oracy is about communicating clearly, confidently and respectfully.
We would like our children to develop strong speaking and listening skills in and out of the classroom so they can:
- Explain their ideas, thoughts, feelings, opinions clearly
- Listen carefully to others in different contexts
- Take part in peer discussions
- Build confidence when speaking in small and bigger groups
- Develop vocabulary
- Succeed across all subjects
In our school, we build oracy into everyday learning following clear ‘Talk Rules’, and the way we do this might include:
- Talk partners and group discussions
- Class debates and presentations
- Storytelling, drama and role‑play
- Circle time or reflective discussion
- Encouraging full‑sentence answers
- Teaching key phrases, such as “I agree because…” or “I would like to add…”
Working Together
Oracy is a lifelong skill that helps children grow into confident, articulate young people. By practising speaking and listening at home and at school, we can give every child the tools they need to communicate effectively now and in the future. We encourage parents to support Oracy at home through simple everyday activities that can make a big difference, for instance:
- Encouraging children to explain their thinking
- Taking turns in conversation without interrupting
- Asking open questions like “What do you think will happen next?”, “I wonder ...”
- Playing games that involve speaking and listening
- Reading together and talking about the story
- Letting children share ideas to build confidence