Oracy

Pupils engage in a range of speaking and listening activities throughout the writing process to practise, rehearse and edit their writing. Our curriculum allows pupils to engage in different types of activities to hone on their performance oracy and their critical oracy skills.

We believe performance oracy to be an excellent tool for building confidence, developing memory and building empathy. These skills are developed through activities such as: performing poetry for an audience; reading aloud work to the rest of the class for peer assessment and remembering lines from a playscript for a performance.

On the other hand, critical oracy is talk that engages others, different ideas and the outside world.  We develop these skills through discussion, debate, enquiry and role play.  This is also a way for teachers to assess how children have engaged with and understood the text that they are learning since during these activities, the speaking, listening and thinking are done simultaneously.

Examples

SFDS Debate Week

During the Autumn term, all pupils are provided with the opportunity to develop their debating skills. Throughout 'SFDS Debate Week', pupils are provided with unseen debate motions and stimulus evidence sheets. Pupils then have a set amount of time to write their own debate speeches for either the 'Proposition' or the 'Opposition' side of the argument. 

A representative from each Year 5 class is chosen to participate in an Upper School debate competition in the school hall at the end of 'SFDS Debate Week'. The unseen motion is revealed to pupils with only a short amount of time for them to then prepare their speeches. 

"I felt really happy to be chosen to represent Class 12 because I really enjoy debating. Also, to be chosen was an amazing opportunity to develop my confidence and oracy skills. I no longer feel as shy about speaking in front of an audience." Lexie

'We Are Writers' Book: SFDS Poetry Slam

As part of our World Book Day celebrations, every child becomes a published poet in the latest edition of our 'We Are Writers' book. Pupils write their own original poems and get to see their work in a book that they can cherish forever. 

To celebrate the launch of our latest 'We Are Writers' book, pupils explore performance poetry skills. Also, they have the opportunity to represent their class in the school hall during our annual 'SFDS Poetry Slam'.