Oracy Home Challenges

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

How to help your child improve their Oracy at home.

7 ways to promote oracy at home:

1. Read aloud to your child

‘Reading aloud to your child, well beyond the age they can read for themselves, combines the benefits of talking, listening and storytelling within one activity that helps children build their vocabulary, learn to express their thoughts, and understand the structure of language.'

2. Record a video diary

Many children aspire to become vloggers or YouTube stars, so encourage them to start a video diary, either to chart their everyday life or to record special occasions like birthdays and holidays. For safety’s sake, keep these within the family rather than sharing them online.

3. Play word games

Games like '20 Questions', 'Guess Who?' and 'I Spy' are great for helping children use descriptive language and think critically about what they’re saying.

4. Talk about their day

Ask your child, ‘What did you do today?’ and they’ll often claim they can’t remember, so find different ways to talk about what they’ve been up to, such as "Who did you play with today?", "What type of writing did you do today?"

Eating your evening meal as a family is a good way to encourage conversation, while older children are often more chatty in the car, where they feel less like they’re being interrogated.

5. Phone a friend (or relative)

Encouraging them to speak to different family members on the phone or on a video call will build confidence.

6. Go on a nature walk

This is a great pre-phonics activity for young children, who can be encouraged to listen carefully to the sounds they hear – from traffic to birdsong – and describe them. They can also describe the natural sights they see, such as trees, animals and birds and the sky.

7. Sign them up for a club

Joining extra-curricular clubs is a good opportunity for your child to converse with different people outside the home or school environment. Many of them also involve taking instructions (such as being coached in sporting techniques or to complete science or art projects), and introduce them to different vocabulary relating to their new hobby.