Oracy: a bridge between school learning and the wider world
Topsy Page (Oracy Cambridge)
Exploratory talk is central to learning, and critical in the study of language and literature. Associated with the work of Neil Mercer, it is talk in which students do not simply exchange information but reason together. Ideas are made visible, tested, challenged and refined through evidence and counter-argument.
In classrooms where exploratory talk is firmly established, talk becomes a tool for thinking. Students learn to listen closely, respond supportively and critically, and adjust their ideas in real time. Questions such as What makes you think that? or Could it also mean…? are a normal part of pedagogy. Over time, students learn to think together: summarising, revisiting ideas, building on each other’s reasoning without relying on constant teacher direction.
Photo by David Trent
This type of productive group talk does not happen by chance. It is taught through the collaborative generation and frequent revisiting of clear ground rules for exploratory talk (for example, We consider everyone’s ideas carefully. We challenge each other. We show respectful listening to the person speaking.) Students learn that disagreement is valuable when it is respectful and evidence-based. They know that they are expected to justify ideas, listen carefully, and take shared responsibility for the quality of discussion.
This learning of the skills of exploratory talk is a bridge between school learning and the wider world. The ability to explain ideas, engage with disagreement, and refine thinking through dialogue is essential beyond the classroom. It will enable students to work with uncertainty, respond to different perspectives, and develop ideas collaboratively throughout their lives, forming habits of mind that support lifelong learning. In a turbulent, polarised world, we all need to be able to continually revisit and reshape our understanding of other points of view, learn to listen critically and disagree agreeably.
Topsy Page works with Oracy Cambridge.
Oracy: 100 Ideas for Primary Teachers – Topsy Page (2024)
Oracy: 100 Ideas for Secondary Teachers – Topsy Page & Alan Howe (2026)
Oracy: The Transformative Power of Finding Your Voice – Neil Mercer (2025)
