As educators, we understand that strong speaking and listening skills are fundamental to our students' success, both in and beyond the classroom. However, when we consider oracy, particularly in secondary schools, we need to think carefully about how we can best support all of our students while working effectively with their families.
The key to successful oracy lies in recognising and celebrating the rich diversity of communication styles that already exist within our wider school communities. Every family has their own valuable traditions of sharing knowledge and expressing ideas.
Some students may come from homes where story-telling is a cherished tradition, while others might be more familiar with debates or collaborative problem-solving. These different approaches to communication are all valuable in strengthening life-skills.
When working with parents, it is essential to approach them as partners and experts in their child's communication development. Rather than prescribing how families should communicate at home, we should engage in meaningful dialogue about how communication happens in different contexts.
Parents often have valuable insights into how their children express themselves at home and this knowledge can help us create more inclusive and effective learning environments.
By creating spaces where all students feel confident in expressing themselves, we can help them to develop versatility in their communication skills, enabling them to engage effectively in different situations while maintaining their authentic voice.
The library can play a particularly valuable role in this process. As a neutral space that bridges academic and recreational interests, it offers unique opportunities for students to practise different forms of communication.
Book discussions, peer recommendations, and collaborative projects can provide a variety of contexts for developing communication skills without the pressure of formal assessment.
When implementing oracy, it is crucial to avoid making assumptions about students' home language environments. Instead of trying to “fix” or “correct” students' ways of speaking, we should focus on adding to their existing communication repertoire (Cushing, 2023).
This might mean helping a confident informal speaker develop more formal skills for a presentation or perhaps supporting a very articulate student or neurodiverse student in developing a more relaxed conversational style.
As librarians we can create opportunities for student voice rather than imposing rigid speaking patterns. This means recognising that effective communication can take many forms, from traditional public speaking to digital story-telling, from quiet one-to-one conversations to dynamic group discussions.
Oracy isn't just about teaching speaking and listening skills – it's about empowering students to find and use their voices effectively in an increasingly complex world, and by collaborating with parents and carers we can ensure this happens. But how? Let’s explore 13 ideas.
1, Family debate nights
Picture this: a fun, informal event where families come together to learn the basics of debate. Teach them simple structures and techniques and then encourage parents to keep the debates going at home. It’s a great way to get everyone talking and thinking critically.
2, Speak Up Book Club
For our avid readers, create a Speak Up Book Club. This isn't your average book club – it is a joint venture for parents and students. Focus on books that really get people talking and provide conversation starters and discussion guides. It is a fantastic way to blend reading and speaking skills.
3, Talk time homework
Here is a twist on traditional homework. Instead of setting silent reading, we create tasks that require verbal interaction with family members. Provide prompts and guidelines to ensure productive conversations and ask students to reflect on these interactions. It is homework that gets families talking but is still focused on the book they are reading.
4, TED-style workshops
To encourage public speaking, how about organising a TED-style talk workshop? Begin by hosting sessions to teach both students and parents the art of giving engaging presentations, covering everything from structure to body language and vocal techniques. The grand finale could be A "Family TED Talk" event where everyone gets to show off their skills.
5, Word of the Week
Let's not forget about expanding vocabularies. Choose sophisticated words, provide example sentences and usage tips and encourage families to weave these words into their daily conversations. It's a fun way to build language skills together.
6, Story-telling kits for home use
These kits would be packed with prompts, props, and guidelines for spinning creative tales. Include tips for parents on developing narrative and even organise story-sharing events where families can showcase their tales. It’s like a mini-literature festival right in our school. Using apps such as Book Creator you can turn the results into real digital or print books which could even be sold to raise funds.
7, Podcast Club
Curate a list of age-appropriate, thought-provoking podcasts and provide discussion questions for families. Teach basic podcasting skills and encourage students to create their own shows. Who knows – you might discover the next big podcast star.
8, Language ambassadors
To celebrate diversity, pair students from different linguistic backgrounds, encouraging cultural exchange and language learning. Involve parents in sharing their language and culture too. It's a wonderful way to broaden horizons, improve communication skills, and encourage global citizenship.
9, Family interview night
Teach students interview techniques and active listening skills and then provide prompts for family members to interview each other. It is a great opportunity for sharing family stories and histories – and who doesn't love a good family tale?
10, Oracy journals
Students can reflect on their speaking experiences. Provide prompts for family discussions about these reflections. Encourage parents to share their own communication challenges and successes. This technique can help break-down barriers and fears that parents may experience when asked to visit the school.
11, Speakers' Corner in the library
Designate a space for impromptu speeches in your library. Provide topic cards and speaking tips and encourage families to practise public speaking together. In my own library I created a club called “Fourth Plinth” (as in Trafalgar Square) for this purpose. It worked well with some amazing talks about hobbies and interests from all ages.
12, Promote reading for pleasure
We know from research (Hawksworth, 2023, Quigley & Coleman, 2019) that reading for pleasure can boost oracy development. Organise family reading sessions in the library, provide guidance on choosing conversation-sparking books, and teach parents about dialogic reading (Alexander, 2018). Maybe instigate a Family Reading Challenge with rewards for the most books read and discussions had.
13, Thunks for critical thinking and discussion
Thunks are thought-provoking questions with no right or wrong answers, a term coined by Ian Gilbert (2007). They're brilliant for developing critical thinking and oracy skills. For example: “If I borrow a million pounds, does that make me a millionaire?” We can provide examples suitable for different age groups and teach parents how to use Thunks to stimulate family discussions. Share a Thunk each week via email or social media or create a poster in the library with room for students to add comments.
Final thoughts
The development of strong communication skills is not solely the responsibility of the school but a shared endeavour that extends into the home environment. Research consistently supports the efficacy of such collaborative approaches.
Alexander (2020) emphasises the critical role of dialogic teaching in developing students' oracy skills, while Mercer et al (2019) highlight the importance of creating a "culture of talk" that spans both school and home contexts. These findings reinforce the value of the strategies I've discussed.
It is important to note that these strategies are not one-size-fits-all. You will need to adapt and tailor these ideas to your specific school contexts, student demographics and available resources.
The long-term benefits of cultivating strong oracy skills cannot be overstated. Students who develop effective communication abilities are better prepared for academic success and the workplace. They are equipped with the tools to articulate their thoughts clearly, engage in constructive dialogue, and navigate complex social and professional situations with confidence.
By giving opportunities to practise these skills in a safe environment, we are empowering our students to become articulate, thoughtful, and engaged citizens who can contribute meaningfully to society.
Remember that every conversation we engage in, every debate we encourage and every story we help our students to tell contributes to their growth as communicators.
- Sarah Pavey has worked as a school librarian for more than 20 years and is founder of the education training company and consultancy SP4IL. Sarah is a Fellow of CILIP and the Royal Society of Arts and is part of an Erasmus project team researching digital and information literacy in Europe. She is the author of The Networked Librarian (Facet Publishing).
Further information & resources
- Alexander: Developing dialogic teaching: Genesis, process, trial, Research Papers in Education (33,5), 2018: https://doi.org/10.1080/02671522.2018.1481140
- Alexander: A Dialogic Teaching Companion, Routledge, 2020.
- Cushing: Word rich or word poor? Deficit discourses, raciolinguistic ideologies and the resurgence of the ‘word gap’ in England’s education policy, Critical Inquiry in Language Studies (20,4), 2023: https://doi.org/10.1080/15427587.2022.2102014
- Gilbert: The Little Book of Thunks: 260 questions to make your brain go ouch! Crown House Publishing, 2007.
- Hawksworth: An exploration of the impact of oracy intervention on the quality of key stage four students’ classroom talk and students’ confidence levels when talking in the classroom (Doctoral dissertation, University of Oxford), 2023: https://ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:2b272601-c944-4680-93bf-b04a8676cd0e
- Mercer, Wegerif & Major (eds): The Routledge International Handbook of Research on Dialogic Education, Routledge, 2019.
- Quigley & Coleman: Improving literacy in secondary schools, Education Endowment Foundation, 2019: https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED612217.pdf