In this chapter Classics teachers Katrina Kelly and Arlene Holmes-Henderson are joined by Amanada Moorghen and Rebekah Simon-Caffyn of Voice 21 to share new data on how teaching oracy can influence confidence in pupils. In ‘Confidence and Outcomes for Students and Teachers: what does the evidence say?’ they analyse qualitative feedback from over 5000 students and 293 teachers in primary and secondary schools. Confidence has been regularly identified as a primary benefit of a high-quality oracy education, they observe, but very little is known about what aspects of confidence are affected, and the impact of this on students. Their chapter breaks ‘confidence’ down into its component parts and explores what the data from their study shows. They find clear links between the practice of oracy and increased student confidence and outcomes in both speaking and listening across a variety of other contexts and skills, and offer a series of practical proposals for schools.

In Chapter 11, Alan Howe, one of the leading figures in the history of British oracy education, offers a personal history of the implementation of oracy over the last four decades. His essay "From Elocution to Empowerment " starts with Andrew Wilkinson’s 1965 work, before discussing what he calls the five ages of oracy: the Prescriptive Age, Corrective Age, Expressive Age, Participative Age, and Reductive Era. Howe argues that these ages represent shifts in perception and emphasis, from correcting speech to celebrating natural language development and encouraging political engagement. By building carefully on this history, he makes the case that oracy can become a major force for empowerment and social change.

In this chpater, the Classics Professor Arlene Holmes-Henderson and headteacher Sarah Lambert offer a survey of oracy education policies and practices outside the UK, focusing on initiatives such as the ESU International, Voice 21’s International Oracy Leaders, Oracy Italy, and Oracy Dubai. It then delves into the role of organizations like the English Speaking Union (ESU) in promoting effective communication skills globally, particularly through programs like the International Public Speaking Competition (IPSC). The chapter highlights the case study of Oracy Dubai at Dubai College, illustrating how oracy has been embedded as a whole-school priority. It discusses the challenges faced by teachers, students, and parents in embracing oracy education, including time constraints, curriculum demands, and language barriers. Recommendations are provided for cultivating connections with local schools, providing training and resources for staff, and involving young people in shaping oracy strategies.

In "What can be learnt from global traditions of oracy?" the prominent anthropologist Karin Barber explores the intertwined nature of orality and literacy across cultures. Despite the high value placed on literacy, she observes, orality remains a vibrant skill and creative domain in many societies. Recent studies emphasize the coexistence and mutual influence of oral and written traditions, demonstrated through examples like Italian commedia dell’arte and Afghan refugee poets. The chapter focuses first on the Yorùbá culture of Nigeria, where oral traditions shape individual identities and social interactions alongside a vibrant written literature. Further examples from Kenya and the Basque country highlight how informal oral genres integrate into education, fostering creativity, language skills, and cultural preservation. Overall, the chapter underscores oracy’s educational value and cultural significance across contexts, offering insights applicable to promoting oracy skills in the UK.

In this chapter, Debbie Newman, CEO of the education charity the Noisy Classroom, highlights the often overlooked role of listening in oracy. Despite oracy frameworks’ focus on speaking, listening remains undervalued. Drawing from experiences throughout her career, Newman underscores varied talk cultures among schools, from concerns about articulation to speaking reluctance. Arguing for a balanced approach, she stresses listening’s importance alongside speaking in academic, social, and professional contexts. To her this does not mean superficial "listening behaviours" but instead the broader understanding of listening as a cognitive skill. Newman explores how schools cultivate listening, citing examples from Modern Foreign Languages and drama departments, as well as through debate and discussion techniques. By championing listening skills, Newman contends, schools can enhance students’ abilities, fostering empathy and critical thinking for success in academic and real-world settings.

In this chapter, Qamar Shafiq, an experienced teacher of English from Staffordshire, assesses the practical implications of critiques of oracy education for ethnic minority pupils. He urges nuanced perspectives and practical strategies for academic success across backgrounds. He challenges low expectations, advocating fluency in standard English for societal integration and equal opportunities. Drawing from personal experiences as someone whose first language was not English, he stresses educators’ role in enhancing linguistic skills while respecting cultural diversity. Shafiq promotes a balanced approach supporting both oracy and standard English proficiency, rejecting hindering radical ideologies. Ultimately, he asserts the pragmatic case that marginalized groups require a solid foundation in oracy and standard English for success in education and beyond.

In Chapter 9 Harriet Piercy, Head of English at Haggerston School in London, turns her attention to the Unites States. Drawing on her experience as a Fulbright scholar Nashville, Tennessee, Piercy explores the challenges of promoting spoken language in English classrooms, citing time constraints and exam pressures as significant obstacles. She compares the oracy practices in the US, where policies like the Common Core State Standards prioritize speaking and listening skills, to the UK’s less-defined approach. She discusses how US classrooms vary in their implementation of oracy teaching despite clear guidelines, emphasizing the importance of professional development and pedagogical approaches. Additionally, she examines the role of assessment in shaping classroom practices, noting the absence of formal speaking and listening assessments in Tennessee. Piercy concludes by advocating for inclusive oracy practices across schools, highlighting the need for sustained investment and shared understanding among educators.

In this chapter, Neil Mercer engages with some of the criticisms of oracy education. He looks back over his career as a key figure in the oracy debate and re-affirms his current understanding of oracy education. Engaging productively with the observations of Cushing, Cameron and others in this book, he re-asserts oracy’s importance for social equality and democracy, and its role in empowering young people for diverse communication scenarios. Unity among educators in pursuit of inclusive practices, he argues, will be crucial in ensuring equitable opportunities for all students.

In this chapter, evidence from past social movements highlights oracy education’s role in empowering marginalized communities in 19th-century Britain. Critics argue that oracy education diverts attention from socio-economic issues, exerting coercive control over the powerless. However, grassroots oracy within movements like Chartism and Suffragettes challenges these notions. The struggle for articulacy, I show, underpinned the struggle for the vote. These examples underscore grassroots oracy’s historical significance and potential implications for contemporary policy debates.

In this chapter, Deborah Cameron, University of Oxford’s Professor of English Language tackles head on what she calls ‘The Trouble with Oracy’. She identifies several key contradictions and tensions within the oracy movement, including the lack of consensus on goals and definitions, the issue of social class, and the enduring clash between traditional and progressive education philosophies. Despite a contemporary shift towards business-centric goals, she notes, defining essential spoken language skills remains problematic, reflecting broader societal divisions. Though supportive of the aspirations of the oracy movement, she concludes on a sceptical note. To Cameron the complexities in defining "good" communication and the enduring influence of class divisions on educational discourses, will continue to hinder equitable oracy education.

In ‘Releasing Civic Voices’, the political scientist Stephen Coleman proposes a radical new understanding of oracy. He lays out a framework addressing power directly, emphasizing communicative justice. This shift moves beyond cultivating individual voices to a relational view of expressive efficacy. Communicating is seen as a product of social relationships rather than personal eloquence, involving addressing and listening within mutual attentiveness. All members of society engage in a continuous performance of self, vulnerable to interpretation within social interactions. Expressive agency is either realized or hindered within these relational dynamics. From this theoretical basis, Coleman concludes that oracy must offer resources beyond elocution training to navigate and potentially challenge these dynamics if it is to transcend its current limitations.