Oracy The ability to express oneself in and understand spoken language

In education, considerable emphasis is placed on numeracy and literacy — understanding and working with numbers and reading and writing. But what about the capacity to listen and to speak? Why is so little importance attached to oracy?

Is the ability to hold a good conversation as important as being able to read well?

“Is conversation as important as reading?” or “Is the love of conversation as important as the love of reading?”

Of course, we need both, and in many ways, they are equally important in life, but if that is the case, why is so much emphasis attached to reading and writing – in other words, literacy?

In school, once we have learned the four basics of language: listening, speaking, reading, and writing – the educational focus tends to be on reading and writing.

Listening and speaking are, in general, not taught in schools. They are absorbed and what teaching does take place is often from our parents.

I suspect the focus on literacy and numeracy, more than anything else, is because they are easier to teach than oracy and for the prime purpose of being examined on what we have been taught.

It is far easier to test someone’s knowledge by getting them to answer written or numerical questions than by conversing about what they know.

In other words, being taught to listen, speak well, and hold a conversation in various forms, such as discussion, dialogue, and debate, doesn’t get much of a look-in in our exam-obsessed educational systems.

But think about it – in our adult lives, which is more important? In the home and in the office, which is the more important life skill?

The ability to read, the capacity to write, or the ability to hold a good conversation?

As very young children, when we are learning the basics, doesn’t listening and speaking naturally come first?

Isn’t the ability to hold a good conversation the foundation of literacy? Shouldn’t more focus be placed here?

If literacy is the ability to read and write, then oracy is the ability to listen and speak.

Our research shows that when students learn how to use talk to reason together, they become better at reasoning on their own.

Credit: Neil Mercer

Some schools are taking it seriously, as these videos show.

Remember, talk is the foundation stone of all learning.

Credit: Professor Debra Myhil

So to numeracy and literacy, we need to add oracy.

• Numeracy: the ability to understand and work with numbers.
• Literacy: the ability to read and write.
• Oracy: the ability to express oneself in and understand spoken language.

Defining Oracy

Oracy could be defined simply as:

Oracy is the ability to express oneself in and understand spoken language.

Or as defined here:

Oracy is the ability to articulate ideas, develop understanding and engage with others through spoken language.

Credit: voice21

This is how I define it:

Oracy and Rhetoric

You should not confuse oracy with rhetoric. Although they have much in common, they are significantly different.

Oracy needs to take its place alongside numeracy and literacy.

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• Oracy: the ability to express oneself in and understand spoken language.
• Oracy: Talk is the foundation stone of all learning
• Considerable emphasis is placed on numeracy & literacy – the ability to understand & work with numbers & to read & write. But what about the capacity to listen & to speak? Why is so little importance attached to oracy?

Resources

• Why teach oracy?
• Why Talk Is Important in Classrooms
• Oracy in the Classroom: Strategies for Effective Talk

Posts that link to this post

•  The Oracy Lab An experimental space for exploring the power and possibilities of conversations
•  The Long History of Argument A series of talks by Rory Stewart
•  Rhetoric To influence people through speech or writing
•  What Is the Difference Between Rhetoric and Oracy? Rhetoric is monologue, oracy is dialogue
•  Oracy Is a Core Conversational Leadership Skill Communicating effectively in spoken language
•  Do You Know What Oracy Is? Oracy is the ability to speak persuasively
•  Reviving Oral Exams The value of oral assessments in education

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