Oracy should become the “fourth R”, with equal status to reading, writing and maths, supported by better teacher training, reforms to GCSE English language and investment in expressive arts and extra-curricular activities. , chaired by former ASCL general secretary Geoff Barton, concluded that oracy should be embedded “throughout the primary and secondary national curriculum”, but also more widely throughout each school’s culture. But investment in the subject must also come before any high-stakes assessment, the commission warned, to avoid the risk of testing “perverting the purpose of oracy education”. Labour announced last year that its curriculum review would 鈥渆xplore how to weave oracy into lessons throughout school鈥 if it won power. A DfE spokesperson said today’s findings and recommendations would be considered during its curriculum and assessment review. Geoff Barton Barton said education “should equip young people to ask questions, articulate ideas and formulate powerful arguments”. “However young people express themselves and communicate, we should be providing opportunities for them to deepen their sense of identity and belonging, listen actively and critically, and learn a fundamental principle of a liberal democracy 鈥 being able to disagree agreeably. “Parents want it, the economy demands it, democracy needs it, teachers welcome it and our children deserve it.鈥 1. How to define oracy The report said oracy must be recognised as one of the 鈥榝our Rs鈥, and 鈥渞ecognised, valued, and resourced alongside reading, writing, and arithmetic as a cornerstone of education鈥. An oracy entitlement should be introduced 鈥渢hroughout the primary and secondary national curriculum鈥. This should outline 鈥渢he experiences, skills and knowledge all students should access and engage with to build their repertoire of oracy skills鈥. This would involve adopting a 鈥渂road and expansive definition of oracy”. The commission agreed that oracy could be best defined as: 鈥淎rticulating ideas, developing understanding and engaging with others through speaking, listening and communication.” 2. 鈥楢 whole school consideration鈥 The report said oracy should be a 鈥渨hole school consideration embraced and embedded in the school鈥檚 pastoral, personal development, creative and extracurricular provision and imbuing its routines, ethos and culture鈥. This is because the opportunity of oracy 鈥渆xtends beyond the tangible benefits to academic outcomes and functional skills鈥. Schools should also 鈥渁ct as a civic space, nurturing civic values, promoting a democratic culture, empowering student voice and fostering civic literacy鈥. 3. Revise English language GCSE The review claimed there 鈥渁ppears to be consensus that the English Language GCSE is not fit for purpose鈥攍acking distinction, breadth and a sufficient focus on the disciplinary nature of language鈥. A revised qualification should 鈥渆ngage students in the study of spoken language鈥 and empower students 鈥渨ith greater appreciation of their own language identities and the critical awareness and agility required to navigate the complexities of language in today鈥檚 world鈥. 4. 鈥楻esource and incentivise鈥 expressive arts The report said the expressive arts 鈥渃reate unique, authentic and meaningful contexts for oracy and expression鈥. Schools should therefore be 鈥渞esourced and incentivised to ensure that all students have access to a broad curriculum which includes expressive arts as a matter of social justice鈥. The report also called for increased resources and operational capacity for schools in poorer areas to ensure access to extra-curricular activities that support and promote oracy is not the 鈥減reserve of better resourced students and communities鈥. 5. Upskill all teachers鈥 All teachers should be 鈥渟killed in using dialogue and discussion to enhance learning in educational phases and in subject disciplines as part of initial teacher training and ongoing teacher development鈥. Training and development should be required to include understanding of speech, language and communication needs (SLCN) and 鈥渟trategies to support children with these needs throughout their education鈥. The role of oracy should be a 鈥渒ey component of leadership development in securing quality of education and shaping school culture鈥. 6. 鈥ut use evidence to avoid tokenism But to avoid a 鈥減roliferation of tokenistic practice and ill-informed advice and training, teachers and leaders need to be empowered to make good decisions about how best to implement oracy education鈥. 鈥淭his requires building, curating and disseminating a foundational body of evidence resulting in insights, training opportunities and resources across all subjects and phases.鈥 Research bodies, expert teachers and subject associations should identify the features of 鈥渉igh-quality oracy education鈥, providing 鈥渆xplainers and exemplars of different approaches to effective implementation in diverse settings鈥. 7. Equip teachers to assess oracy The report said teachers needed the 鈥渦nderstanding and tools to undertake regular, formative assessment of oracy鈥. In light of the rise of AI, schools should also introduce 鈥渞egular opportunities to evaluate students鈥 understanding and command of a discipline through oral assessment methods such as vivas, tracked discussion (for example Harkness68), articulation of approaches to problems and verbal analysis and accounts of events鈥. 8. Invest before high stakes tests鈥 The commission warned that without formal assessment, currency and reporting there is a 鈥渞isk that oracy remains sidelined and fails to cut through the competing priorities and pressures schools aim to address鈥. However, this risk 鈥渉as to be balanced with evidence as to how high-stakes assessment and accountability could pervert the purpose of oracy education and detract from an expansive understanding of oracy. Investment in curriculum guidance and exemplification, teacher development, evidence and research, and the mobilisation of existing high-quality practice should therefore 鈥減recede any attempts to introduce new high stakes testing of oracy鈥. 9. Factor oracy into Ofsted, but inspectors need training Oracy education should be 鈥渃onsidered a contributing factor to the quality of education a school provides鈥 within new Ofsted report cards. But inspectors will need training and guidance to 鈥渦nderstand the dimensions and attributes of high-quality oracy education and the variety of ways these can (and cannot) be demonstrated in schools鈥. 10. Recognise other forms of communication The definition of oracy should recognise 鈥渙ther forms of communication which children and young people use to articulate ideas, develop understanding and engage with others to avoid excluding children who communicate through means other than spoken language鈥. To ensure oracy education is inclusive of schools with communication needs or who communicate differently, training and support to tailor their teaching is 鈥渧ital鈥. The oracy components of a revised national curriculum should 鈥渆mphasise the value of different dialects and ways of communicating and avoid placing undue emphasis on 鈥榮tandard English鈥 or 鈥榝luency鈥欌.
Patrick Obikwu 8 October 2024 Reading is fundamental to oracy. Any strategy that does not make reading central to improving oracy will achieve moderate success.