Oracy

Executive Summary
What does this report do?
This report shines a light on the current state of oracy in
schools across the UK. It synthesises existing research
on oracy, and explores teachers’ understanding of
what oracy is, why they feel it matters, how oracy is
supported in classrooms and schools, and the main
barriers to oracy. It then sets out recommendations for
enhancing the quality and consistency of oracy in our
schools.
“[Talk is] the most powerful tool of
communication in the classroom
and it’s fundamentally central to
the acts of teaching and learning”
Professor Frank Hardman i
It is ‘very important’ I help my pupils develop the following skills 906
100%
80%
60%
75%
63%
68%
73%
40%
20%
0%
Reading Numeracy Oracy Writing
What have we found?
1. Teachers across the UK feel oracy is critically important, and are even more likely to say it is
‘very important’ they develop pupils’ skills in oracy (see graph above) than in numeracy.
2. Teachers believe oracy matters because it is the bedrock of pupils’ ability to use language
and communicate. They also highlight its social and emotional benefits. Despite employers
placing huge importance on oral communication, teachers are less likely to emphasise its
cognitive, civic and economic potential, suggesting oracy has untapped potential to support
pupils’ job prospects.
3. Many teachers say they frequently use a range of strategies to develop pupils’ oracy, but
worry that support for oracy across different lessons, classrooms and schools is currently
patchy.
4. Schools do not consistently provide meaningful opportunities for pupils to develop oracy
outside the classroom. Pupils’ opportunities tend to be limited to speaking in assemblies, and
few schools evaluate the quality of pupils’ verbal contributions in lessons, or communicate
with parents about the quality of these contributions. This is concerning given high quality
talk should underpin good teaching and learning.
5. The greatest barrier standing in the way of quality and consistent oracy in all lessons is a
lack of time, but other constraints include:
• Teachers’ anxiety that shy and under-confident pupils might struggle, or that pupils’
behaviour will get worse
• Teachers prioritising other tasks and, in particular, pupils’ writing
• Teachers’ lack of confidence and expertise, exacerbated by a paucity of training
• Teachers’ perception that oracy is only occasionally relevant when teaching, or
relevant only in certain subjects such as English
• A lack of active support from school leadership
i
Professor of Education at the University of York (key Informant interview).
5