The new national curriculum proposals highlight the importance of focusing on spoken language, the Ofsted framework now includes pupils’ communication skills in key judgements, and the teacher professional standards demand that all teachers are able to promote “articulacy”. I am delighted – the message about the central importance of communication skills has got through at last.
Weaker communication skills predict poor life chances. Vocabulary at age five, for example, is one of the strongest predictors of how many GCSEs a child will get at 16. Weaker communication skills are also closely linked to social disadvantage; children from less well-off homes start school on average 16 months behind their better-off peers in their language.
Register now, read forever
Thank you for visiting Headteacher Update and reading some of our content for professionals in primary education. Register now for free to get unlimited access to all content.
What's included:
-
Unlimited access to news, best practice articles and podcasts
-
New content and e-bulletins delivered straight to your inbox every Monday
Already have an account? Sign in here