Diffusing difficult situations through talk

We are hearing from schools we work with that children are struggling to articulate and regulate how they feel. Disruptive behaviour and conflict with peers/staff is often an expression of a need that a child does not have an outlet for and by teaching children what good talk in the classroom is like, we enable every child to access that outside of lessons. 

Voice 21 Oracy Schools that embark on an oracy journey often report the surprising and profound effect it has had on behaviour. Through oracy, children are better able to regulate, communicate and manage their feelings in difficult situations. Children have learned to adapt their tone and voice to diffuse difficult situations, leading to less disputes on the playground and within the wider community.

For our students, oracy is a form of armour

- Charles Hewitt, Deputy Head Teacher

Since implementing oracy across the school and working with Voice 21, Grove Street Primary School can see higher engagement; when teachers ask a question a flurry of hands shoot up enthusiastically. Teachers report that students are now more willing to participate in class, keen for their ideas to be heard. Behaviour for learning has also improved now that students are more engaged in their learning. Outside the classroom, leaders explain that there are less playground disputes because students are able to better articulate their feelings.

Young people are feeling more isolated than ever before

Voice 21 Oracy Schools are reporting and increase in alienation and isolation in students, especially within a digitally dominated world. For children and young people, school is often their primary place of enrichment.  

Children that struggle to articulate themselves can span out onto the playground or through disengagement. Some of these issues are caused by undiagnosed language and communication needs and through oracy and creating a culture of talk in the classroom, teachers feel more confident in identifying these needs much earlier on.