Oracy

Cognition
Pupils’ cognitive development is a social as well as a biological process,
and spoken language plays a critical role in this development. 76,77,78
“It’s the true foundation of
learning” Professor Frank Hardman
xvi
Recent research in the cognitive sciences suggests that: 79
• Knowledge is constructed and developed through social interaction
• Spoken language helps us construct meaning of the world around
us, and of abstract ideas and concepts
Neuroscientific research adds to the evidence base in this area.
Between infancy and adulthood the brain quadruples in size and
this is largely driven by ‘synaptogenesis’, the process whereby new
connections form in the brain. 80 Talk fuels these processes and
therefore plays a crucial role both in developing pupils’ ability to
think, but also in building the brain itself. 81 Goswami argues that
language (and particularly spoken language) plays a critical role
in supporting memory development in children. 82
“We learn to think through
oral language, [so oracy is
about] advancing individual
capacity for productive,
rational and reflective
thinking” Professor Frank Hardman
xvii
“Talk allows you to construct and
then reconstruct ideas, which is the
major way in which we learn”
Professor Maurice Galton xix
“Verbalising ideas and
concepts is a way to
understanding them as well”
Duncan Partridge, Director of
Education, ESU xviii
A smaller proportion of teachers in our sample highlight the
cognitive benefits of oracy compared to linguistic or social
benefits. Many of the secondary and FE teachers we spoke to
recognise oracy’s importance in supporting cognition, but feel
some colleagues may focus their attention on pupils’ reading
and writing in order to achieve this, to the detriment of their
oral development.
“The best is when we’re in
projects and we’re in groups
and one person says something
and another person can maybe
improve it”
Zara, year 6 pupil,
Eastwood Primary School
Several teachers feel talk is fundamental to quality
metacognition, which involves pupils planning, monitoring
and evaluating their learning. The educational benefits of
metacognition are well established, and can help pupils
make on average eight additional months’ progress. 83
Talk is a critical part of this process.
It is also important to ‘talk about talk’ specifically, as this
helps teachers and pupils improve the quality of oracy
in their classrooms.
“[Make] sure that the purpose of talk is really aligned
with that reflection that you then do on the talk, and …
that pupils are really aware of what the purpose of the
talk is and how that will affect the way that they talk
as well”
Amy Gaunt, Head of Oracy Primary, School 21
“Particularly when you’re going into the
higher areas of what are traditionally seen
as more sciencey subjects, I really like –
particularly in areas like quantum physics or
even relativity – seeing that there are no real
answers, and being able to try and explain
that using words rather than using figures.
Because in certain areas in physics and
certain areas in maths you can’t explain it
using real numbers, and you can’t explain
it using formulae, so that area of speaking
and listening really excites me”
Daniel, year 13 student, King Edward VI School
xvi
Key informant interview.
xvii
Key informant interview.
xviii
Key informant interview.
xiv
Key informant interview.
33