How to Build a Systematic Approach to Oracy in Your School

Most schools know that talk matters.
The challenge is to make it something students genuinely learn, rather than something that happens around them.

Across classrooms, students take part in discussions, answer questions, and present ideas. Yet the skills behind effective talk are rarely broken down, taught explicitly, or developed in a clear progression. The Curriculum Review of November 2025 highlights the same issue: plenty of opportunities, not much structure or clarity about what good speaking and listening look like over time.

This webinar is designed to show what changes when a school treats oracy as a system rather than a series of opportunities for talk.

You will see what it looks like to move along the Oracy Spectrum: from ad hoc talk to partially structured practice to a genuinely systematic approach where students learn to talk and learn through talk with purpose and precision.

Tongue Fu Talking® is used as the live example: a fully developed and fully resourced oracy system that shows what coherent, teachable progression looks like from EYFS to KS3.

There is no pressure to adopt it. The aim is to help you see what a complete system looks like, so you can strengthen your own provision with confidence.

What is Oracy?

• Defining key terms: learning through talk and learning to talk
• Why spoken language underpins learning in every subject
• Understanding the role of oracy beyond ‘just talking in class’

Why Oracy Matters: The Research & Evidence

• How explicit oracy instruction leads to higher attainment and greater confidence
• The impact of oracy on reasoning, problem-solving, and critical thinking
• Why a structured, whole-school system is essential for equity

Developing an Oracy System

• Creating a progressive, whole-school approach to oracy
• Key disciplines and practices for developing confident, effective communicators
• Embedding oracy across the curriculum – making it an integral part of teaching

Practical Teaching Strategies for Oracy

• How to teach oracy explicitly – classroom techniques and lesson ideas
• Examples of oracy-rich activities across different subjects
• How to ensure all pupils have exposure to systematic teaching of oracy skills 

The Role of Listening in Oracy

• Why listening is often overlooked and how to teach active, responsive listening
• Practical exercises to develop listening skills in the classroom
• Embedding listening as a vital part of classroom dialogue

Types of Talk & Their Role in Learning

• Exploratory Talk – using structured discussion to deepen understanding
• Presentational Talk – developing confidence in public speaking
• Debating Framework – teaching structured debate for critical thinking

The Role of Technology & AI in Oracy

• Opportunities and challenges of using AI and technology for spoken language development
• How to integrate digital tools to support oracy in the classroom

Getting Started & Next Steps

• How to implement an oracy system in your school
• Planning next steps for embedding oracy in teaching and learning.

Leaders and teachers from:

• EYFS
• Key Stage 1
• Key Stage 2
• Key Stage 3

• Because every classroom has talk, but few have a system behind it.
• Because students cannot meet the spoken-language expectations of the curriculum if those skills are never broken down and taught.
• Because leaving oracy to chance benefits a small group and sidelines the rest.
• Because seeing a complete oracy system in practice makes it far easier to build or refine your own.

This session offers a practical view of what systematic spoken-language development can look like when it is done well.