Oracy

Oracy is articulating ideas, developing understanding and engaging with others through speaking, listening and communication. The term was coined by Andrew M. Wilkinson, a British researcher and educator, in 1965. This word is formed by analogy to literacy and numeracy. The purpose is to draw attention to the neglect of speech and listening in education.

Concept

According to Andrew Wilkinson, oracy in educational theory is the fluent, confident, and correct use of the standard spoken form of one's native language. It also established a standard where students' abilities are developed within an integrated program of speaking and listening, reading and writing. Recent studies also equate oracy with the notion of "talking to learn" within the perspective that knowledge is constructed by the individual knower, through an interaction between what is already known and new experience. An example of oracy-based education initiative was the UK's National Oracy Project, which recognizes the role played by classroom talk and puts equal treatment between spoken and written modes.

References

  1. ↑ Anon (2026). "What is oracy?". voice21.org. Archived from the original on 2023-06-10.
  2. ↑ Wilkinson, Andrew (1965). "THE CONCEPT OF ORACY*". English in Education. 2 (A2): 3–5. doi:10.1111/j.1754-8845.1965.tb01326.x.
  3. ↑ Michael Rosen (2026-05-17). "Oracy". Word of Mouth (Podcast). BBC. Event occurs at 05:04.
  4. 1 2 Wilkinson, Andrew M (1987). "Aspects of Communication and the Plowden Report". educationengland.org.uk. Archived from the original on 2010-04-04.
  5. 1 2 MacLure, Maggie; Phillips, Terry; Wilkinson, Andrew (1988). Oracy Matters: The Development of Talking and Listening in Education. Open University Press. ISBN 0-335-15855-2.
  6. ↑ Mercer, Neil (2025). Oracy: The Transformative Power of Finding Your Voice. The Bodley Head. ISBN 1847928560. OCLC 1524000763.
  7. ↑ Simich-Dudgeon, Carmen; DiCerbo, Patricia Anne (1988). "Classroom Strategies for Encouraging Collaborative Discussion". Archived from the original on 2004-05-15.
  8. ↑ Verma, Mahendra K.; Corrigan, Karen P.; Firth, Sally (1995). Working with Bilingual Children: Good Practice in the Primary Classroom. Clevedon, Avon: Multilingual Matters Ltd. p. 155. ISBN 1853592943.
  9. ↑ Lofty, John Sylvester (2006). Quiet Wisdom: Teachers in the United States and England Talk about Standards, Practice, and Professionalism. New York: Peter Lang. p. 27. ISBN 0820470511.
  10. ↑ Edwards, A.; Westgate, D. P. G. (2005). Investigating Classroom Talk, Second edition. London: The Falmer Press. p. 6. ISBN 0203975715.
  11. ↑ Alexander, Robin John (2013). "Improving Oracy and Classroom Talk" (PDF). whiterose.ac.uk. White Rose University Consortium. Retrieved April 13, 2019.