At Franche Community Primary School, we believe that oracy plays a prominent role in teaching and learning. The ability to listen actively, speak clearly and communicate articulately is a fundamental part of the learning process. Crucially, oracy underpins the development of reading and writing and is key to progress in all subjects.
Oracy can be described as a combination of learning to talk and learning through talk. At Franche Community Primary School, there is a shared understanding of how talk supports learning and children’s social development. We believe that developing oracy provides our pupils with vital life skills and the opportunity to achieve their full potential. Our aim is to encourage confident, fluent speakers who are able to communicate, debate and present to a high standard.
The National Curriculum for English reflected the importance of spoken language in pupils’ development. Oracy is embedded throughout our curriculum, with talk-rich lessons, discussion questions and other opportunities carefully planned to ensure that all children can participate.
Oracy activities include:
- Partner talk
- Group discussions
- Collaborative work and problem solving
- Debate
- Role play
- Drama
- Presentations
There are also opportunities for pupils to develop their oracy skills outside the curriculum, through School Council, productions, assemblies, visitors, educational visits and participation in local events.
We also recognise that well developed speech, language and communication skills enable children to develop healthy social relationships, and good emotional understanding and resilience. These skills will provide children with the fundamentals needed be successful, life long learners and to make positive contributions to the world around them.
As a school, we have adopted The Balanced System™ framework as a whole system approach to improving the speech, language and communication needs of all children in our setting. As part of this we work together with the NHS Speech and Language team, who work within the school as part of our Franche team three days per week.
The Balanced System™ framework identifies five key areas, of which all need to be addressed if systemic change is to be achieved and sustained. Support must be developed across these five key areas at three levels; universal (whole school), targeted (for some learners), and specialist (for a few learners).