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Teaching oracy skills: Ideas for supporting pupils with SLCN

The new government has already indicated that oracy will be at the heart of its revised curriculum. How can primary schools support pupils with speech, language and communication needs (SLCN) to make progress with their oracy skills?
Oracy education: A teacher engages in discussion with pupils in her primary classroom, encouraging speaking and listening skills - Adobe Stock

When the Oracy Education Commission’s final report called for oracy to be considered the “fourth R” – given equal status to reading, writing and arithmetic – it highlighted the challenges and difficulties faced by thousands of school children.

It is estimated that 1.9 million children (1 in 5) are behind with their talking and/or understanding of words, while children who struggle to talk and understand words are six times more likely to be behind in English and 11 times more likely to be behind in maths at age 11 (Speech & Language UK, 2023).

In its report, We need to talk, published last term, the Oracy Education Commission urged greater emphasis in schools on speaking and listening. It wants to see this made an entitlement in the learning process, allowing children to better engage with, articulate, and understand their learning.

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