Teach-Primary-Issue-19.7

Grace Barron Amplifying female voices in the classroommeans more than encouraging them to speak; it’s about respecting different ways of communicating Why our schools need more girl talk VO I C E S S tudent voice is vital to a thriving school culture. Without it, schools lose opportunities for engagement, wellbeing and pupil success. When children’s voices go unheard, their ideas, perspectives, and potential are lost. But whose voices are we hearing? Are we truly valuing every voice, or simply the loudest, the most confident? All too often, girls’ contributions are interrupted, overlooked, or filtered through unconscious bias. But by paying attention to whose voices are heard, teachers can create learning environments where talk empowers, confidence grows, and learning deepens for everyone. Research has long shown that classroom talk is not equal. Boys are given more chances to speak, asked more complex questions and praised for their ideas, while girls are often asked closed questions, and praised for being quiet. Sadker, Sadker and Zittleman (2009) found that teachers are more likely to interrupt girls and spend more time prompting boys to seek deeper answers ( tinyurl.com/tp-SadkerBias ) . Over time, these patterns influence how pupils see themselves. Some come to expect their ideas will be heard, while others learn to hold back. Wilson (1991) found that at school, girls often gained approval through ‘ quiet diligence ’ whilst, later in life, what is demanded of them is often the opposite. Behaviours rewarded in school may leave girls less prepared for interviews, leadership, or civic participation ( tinyurl. com/tp-WilsonM91 ). This is why the primary years are crucial. Children learn gendered norms for behaviour and language early. Labels like ‘bossy’ or expectations that boys are ‘confident’ while girls are ‘quiet’ are quickly absorbed in classrooms. If girls internalise that their voice is less valued at this stage, those patterns are harder to unpick later. These patterns define the status quo: the voices we hear most shape classroom culture, and those left unheard risk exclusion from shaping knowledge. If girls’ perspectives are missing, learning becomes narrower and less representative. Beyond school, silence can mean surrendering influence. Recognising who dominates discussion, and whose voices are absent, is the first step to building classrooms where every child can claim their voice – and their power. Amplifying girls’ authentic voices requires more than creating space. We can support all children by explicitly showing them how to participate in discussion, giving them language, strategies, and opportunities to practise speaking and listening in a safe environment. Practical strategies might include: • Use sentence starters to clarify or hold space in conversation. For example, “ Can I finish what I was saying? ” or “ What I meant was… ” • Ask open-ended, authentic, questions that encourage reasoning and explanation, and allow thinking time so responses do not always favour the quickest hand up. Challenge girls to reason aloud and show them that their ideas matter. • Encourage all children to listen actively (being quiet is not the same as listening!). Praise both contributions and the ability to reflect on when to speak and when to listen. Involving children in reflecting on whose voices they notice builds awareness and supports the idea that every voice matters and that listening is as valuable as speaking. • Encourage confident body language and volume, while recognising that quieter delivery does not mean weaker ideas. Provide opportunities to practise speaking with different volume and pace in low-stakes groupings. • Structured routines such as turn-taking, rehearsal before feedback, or assigning a ‘discussion chair’ to ensure every child contributes can be helpful. Classrooms where girls’ voices are heard build confidence, agency and resilience. Beyond school, the skills learned in primary carry into later life. When children understand that voice is linked to power, they are better prepared for leadership, democracy and community life. Making space for girls’ voices is not an ‘extra’. It is central to building richer, fairer learning environments, and to teaching every child that their voice matters. TP Grace Barron has a background in teaching and school leadership, and advocates for oracy as a driver of equity and excellence. linkedin.com/in/grace-barron-a94080130/ www.teachwire.net | 13