The big debate: Is the significance of oracy in schools just empty words?

Oracy is the ability to communicate effectively through speaking and listening. Good oracy skills enable students to fluently articulate their ideas, express themselves, and engage with others, supporting their learning and collaboration in the classroom.

However, with many schools putting more emphasis on digital literacy skills and following remote learning practices, students’ speaking and listening skills are being impacted.

In the UK, two-thirds of primary teachers said their students are behind with speaking and understanding. Another report found that while teaching focuses heavily on reading and writing skills, educators give much less attention to developing verbal communication. What’s more, the Commission on the Future of Oracy Education in England recently released a report that recommends oracy have equal status to reading, writing, and arithmetic in schools.

So, should schools make oracy a focus of the curriculum? Let’s explore the debate.

Why oracy still matters in schools

There’s plenty of evidence supporting the benefits of good oracy skills, from helping students think more critically, to opening up possibilities for their future. Here are some of the ways that oracy benefits young learners:

Critical thinking, communication, and confidence

Developing capabilities around verbal communication helps students enhance their critical thinking skills. Research shows that dialogic teaching – which emphasises discussion and dialogue – boosts students’ problem-solving abilities by helping them gain a deeper understanding of issues and reasoning skills.

Working on oracy skills in the classroom also helps your students feel more confident and see themselves more positively. When children can communicate effectively and receive positive feedback, their self-esteem improves.

Research on students in Voice 21 Oracy Schools shows that 35% of pupils emphasise how oracy is a source of confidence for them. The survey also found that while younger students perceive oracy as helping them “learn better at school”, older pupils see benefits of oracy in their social-emotional abilities, agreeing with the statement that “my oracy skills help me get along better with others.”

Preparation for real-world interactions and careers

Equipping your students with good oracy skills also helps them prepare for their future, both in terms of opening up professional opportunities and cultivating positive relationships.

When students learn how to navigate social situations, take turns, listen actively, and respond appropriately, they are setting themselves up to develop deep and meaningful relationships in the future. Many students don’t have the opportunity to engage in thoughtful conversations in their home life, so focusing on oracy in school is a crucial moment to equip them with these capabilities.

Practising oracy in schools also helps prepare learners for real-world interactions, whether ordering food, participating in group activities or asking for directions. These skills are all directly applicable to everyday life, yet many children don’t grow up with the confidence to exhibit them by their teenage years.

Beyond school, the ability to effectively communicate is vital in further education and the world of work. Good oracy skills empower students to be better leaders, team players, and innovators – all traits they can utilise in the modern workplace. This study additionally shows that without good communication skills, young people are less likely to be employed, more likely to have mental health issues and enter the criminal justice system.

Support for other core subjects

Becoming competent in oracy not only helps students be better communicators, but it also spills out into other areas. Dialogic teaching helps students improve their grades across subjects, including maths, science, and English, and helps them better retain subject-specific knowledge.

Meanwhile, children’s early language experience is a powerful predictor of future educational achievement across school curriculums. For this reason, many experts recommend that oracy is implemented at a whole-school level in a variety of subject areas.

Why oracy may not need more space in schools

In a world so dominated by technology and the demand for new, modern skills, some argue that we shouldn’t be giving oracy extra attention over other areas. Let’s explore the counter-argument to giving oracy more space in schools.

Tech-driven communication is more relevant

With the majority of workplace communication taking place via email and chat, some researchers argue that digital communication skills should be prioritised. As work goes increasingly online, organisations may be seeking employees who are skilled in digital literacy and technical skills over effective speaking and listening.

What’s more, tools like AI chatbots and virtual assistants are taking over many functions that rely on interpersonal communication skills, such as customer service and HR roles.

Teachers are already pushed for time with core activities

In this study, teachers say not having enough time is one of the biggest blockers to implementing oracy into the curriculum. Between covering essential subjects like maths, English, and science, equipping students with digital skills, and other activities that promote physical and mental well-being, many schools aren’t able to add in dedicated time to focus on oracy.

Not to mention, in a system where standardised tests focus on reading, writing, and mathematics, the skills that aren’t assessed in high-stakes testing often fall by the wayside to ensure academic results.

Difficulty standardising oracy assessments

Unlike literacy or numeracy, assessing oracy is more subjective and requires evaluators to make judgements around things like clarity, tone, and engagement. There are also no universal metrics to measure the level of a student’s oracy skills, making it hard to benchmark progress across schools or education systems. This puts into question whether it would be fair to assess students on oracy skills.

Empty words or full potential?

Despite the current focus on digital literacies in the education system, we believe that oracy remains a crucial skill for student social-emotional development, self-esteem, and preparation for a bright future.

Rather than the decision being either-or between teaching technical capabilities or oracy skills, we encourage you to recognise how the two areas can complement each other. Equipped with both verbal communication and digital skills, young learners can meet the demands of the modern world––and build self-confidence and meaningful relationships in the process.

Further reading

Make sure all of your students have a voice in the classroom. Read Boosting inclusion in the young learner classroom, Social learning: What it is, and how to encourage students to participate, and Strategies for teaching students how to disagree respectfully.