Talking about talk: reviewing oracy in English primary education

Abstract

This paper provides a review of oracy in primary education (5–11) in England. It discusses the nature of talk, acknowledging it as integral to the learning and teaching process and traces the history and development of the place of oracy within the curriculum. The article provides a critique of related policy initiatives including various iterations of the English National Curriculum and its associated publications and explores the impact of research and policy on practice. It acknowledges that changes in educational policy have meant talk in the classroom has been both promoted and side-lined and concludes that as a result of fluctuating policy teachers’ confidence in this aspect has been low and their practice inconsistent. The paper recommends that policymakers engage with research into oracy and that continuing professional development programmes be set up to strengthen teachers’ ‘Knowledge About Language’ and thereby develop both their understanding and confidence.