Teach-Secondary-Issue-14.5

Let’s talk oracy If we want to see a better standard of speaking in our classrooms, perhaps we just need to show some patience, muses Jennifer Hampton … T wo years ago, I researched the state of oracy in UK schools for an article in this magazine. What I found painted a bleak picture. While there was – and still is – a focus on spoken language in the National Curriculum, there were no longer any national mechanisms to ensure the promotion of talk and build excellent communicators in our classrooms. A 2021 report fromThe Centre of Education and Youth and Oxford University (see tinyurl.com/ ts145-O1) told us that the term ‘spoken language’ was “ barely featured ” in Ofsted’s report recommendations. That same year, the Oracy All Party Parliamentary Group Inquiry’s final report (see tinyurl.com/ts145-O2) stated that the “ Status and provision of oracy education in England today falls significantly short. ” More recently, however, it seems that things are changing… Changing times 2024 saw the publication of a report from the Commission on the Future of Oracy Education in England, entitled ‘We Need To Talk’ (see tinyurl.com/ ts145-O3), which acknowledged the lack of a mutually agreed definition of oracy. Having engaged with a range of stakeholders, the commission finally produced the following definition: “ Articulating ideas, developing understanding and engaging with others through speaking, listening and communication ”. The report further acknowledged how a continuing lack of consensus between practitioners, leaders and academics has presented a barrier for policymakers. With a consensus now in place regarding what oracy actually is, could we be looking at some major changes in the near future? 2023, the year in whichmy original article was published, was dominated by the immediate aftermath of school closures in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. It was also the year that saw Andrew and Christian Tate indicted by Romanian authorities on charges of human trafficking. This was, however, a time before the commencement of Donald Trump’s tumultuous second term as US president, and the huge geopolitical shifts it’s already caused. It was before ReformUKmade its presence felt on the national stage – first by gaining five MPs in the 2024 General Election, and then coming first in the 2025 Local Elections. When I last wrote about oracy in these pages, it was before that year’s October Hamas attacks, and Israel’s subsequent retaliation and ongoing military assault on Gaza. Artificial intelligence wasn’t as readily available at our fingertips as it is now. Considering just howmuch the social and political landscape has changed in such a short time, to what extent are we seeing those changes reflected in education? And could the nature of those developments – the manosphere, Trump, populism, the conflict in Gaza – perhaps affect the value we place on our students’ communication skills? Breadth and depth To an extent, that seems to be what’s happening. The Curriculum and Assessment Review chaired by Professor Becky Francis published its interim findings inMarch 2025 (see tinyurl.com/ ts145-O4), which acknowledged our ‘rapidly changing’ and increasingly ‘AI-enabled’ world. The report talks about how global environmental challenges and current trends in digital information call for “ Heightened media literacy and critical thinking ” – yet many watchers were left disappointed with its failure to mention oracy. It comes close to doing so in places – with references to skills, and the need for “ More applied knowledge in certain areas to support young people to be ready for life and work ” – but there’s nothing in there that specifically addresses if and howwe should be approaching talk within our classrooms. The report’s authors do express concerns around the ‘volume of content’ within the existing knowledge-rich curriculum, trade-offs between breadth and depth. Could a reduction in content across subjects at secondary potentially create space for talk through consolidation? “Coulda reduction in content across subjects at secondary create space for talk?” 50 teachwire.net/secondary