Using Communication Tasks to Develop Young Learners’ Oracy Skills

This chapter examines how structured communication tasks enhance young learners' ability to express ideas, engage in discussion, and develop critical thinking. Grounded in the Oracy Framework by Voice 21 and Oracy Cambridge, it explores how fostering both exploratory and presentational talk supports cognitive and social development. By embedding oracy into daily teaching, educators create opportunities for pupils to refine their speaking and listening skills while strengthening their ability to reason, collaborate, and articulate thoughts effectively. Practical strategies are provided to help teachers facilitate meaningful classroom dialogue, ensuring that oracy is not an isolated skill but an integral part of learning. These include structured group discussion formats, scaffolding techniques such as Talk Moves and sentence stems, and adaptable lesson activities designed to promote inclusive, purposeful talk. The chapter also underscores the importance of clear discussion guidelines and grouping strategies, such as pairs, trios, and fishbowl arrangements, in fostering equitable participation. In addition, the chapter highlights the role of teacher modelling in shaping pupils' communicative competence, demonstrating how effective questioning and feedback techniques encourage richer discussions. It explores the link between oracy and wider academic achievement, emphasising its impact on literacy, problem-solving, and social interaction. Through reflective practice, educators can integrate oracy seamlessly across subjects, creating a culture where dialogue drives learning. By aligning activities with the Oracy Framework this chapter equips educators with tools to nurture confident, articulate learners. Through these approaches, oracy becomes a vehicle for deeper engagement, critical inquiry, and lifelong communication skills that extend beyond the classroom.