The movement to recognise oracy as a fundamental building block and tool for learning has been steadily growing for a while now. With organisations like Voice 21 leading the way in advocating and advising policy makers and educators on what that looks like in practical terms.
The recent Curriculum and Assessment Review (November 2025) marks a significant shift in how we value spoken language in education. Oracy – the ability to express oneself fluently and confidently through speech – is now recognised as a core component of learning, alongside reading and writing. For children with Developmental Language Disorder (DLD), this shift to a greater focus on oracy could be a significant milestone. With an estimated 7.6% of children affected by DLD, the review’s recommendations offer a unique opportunity to close gaps in attainment and inclusion.
What the Review Says About Oracy
The review proposes several key changes that will impact classroom practice:
- A national oracy framework: This will provide structured guidance for teaching spoken language across all key stages, ensuring parity with literacy and numeracy.
- SEND-focused adaptations: Evidence-led strategies for adapting curriculum and pedagogy for learners with additional needs, including DLD.
- Oracy driven instruction across subject areas: Encouraging exploratory talk and structured discussion to deepen understanding.
These changes signal a clear message that oracy is an essential pillar of the curriculum, critical for both learning and attainment.
Why this matters for DLD
Children with DLD experience persistent difficulties in understanding and using language, which affects learning across the curriculum. Without targeted support, these challenges can lead to lower attainment, reduced confidence, and social isolation.
Embedding oracy into everyday teaching can:
- Reduce barriers to participation: Structured talk activities give pupils with DLD a voice in the classroom, providing them with the vital language modelling that they need
- Support vocabulary growth: Repetition and explicit teaching of key terms help to consolidate understanding.
- Build confidence and self-efficacy: Opportunities to speak and be heard foster self-esteem and resilience.
Research consistently shows that strong oral language skills underpin academic success and life chances. For learners with DLD, prioritising oracy is not just beneficial, it’s essential.
Practical Strategies for Schools
How can schools translate these recommendations into practice? Here are five evidence-informed strategies:
- Explicit teaching of language: Break down instructions into short, clear steps. Use repetition and rephrasing to reinforce understanding. Introduce new vocabulary in context and revisit it regularly.
- Embed exploratory talk: Encourage pupils to reason aloud, ask questions, and build on each other’s ideas. Use sentence stems like ‘I think… because…’ or ‘Can you explain why…?’ to scaffold discussion.
- Use visual and multisensory resources: Combine spoken explanations with visuals, gestures, and written keywords. Graphic organisers, diagrams, and visual timetables reduce cognitive load and aid comprehension.
- Enrich vocabulary through interactive techniques: Facilitate access to subject-specific terminology using structured, engaging activities. For example, play ‘Odd One Out’:provide a set of words; students identify which doesn’t belong and explain why. Or play ‘Word Tennis’ where two pupils (or teams) “bat” words back and forth within a category (e.g., types of animals, synonyms for “happy”) to encourage fluency and retrieval practice.
- Assessment for learning: Use formative checks during talk-based activities to identify gaps early. Use simple strategies like “thumbs up/down” or “traffic light cards” where pupils use red, yellow, or green cards to indicate their confidence level with a concept.
Professional Development Matters
The review highlights the need for teacher professional development on oracy and inclusive strategies. Training should include:
– Understanding DLD and its impact on learning.
– Practical approaches for scaffolding talk.
– Using assessment to inform language support.
Investing in staff confidence and competence will be critical to making the oracy framework a success.
Looking Ahead and Next Steps
The curriculum changes suggested for 2028, represent a significant shift – spoken language will be valued as much as reading and writing. For learners with DLD, this means classrooms where talk is prioritised, supported, and celebrated. But the knowledge and understanding of DLD has got to come first. By embracing these recommendations now, schools can ensure every child has the language tools they need to thrive – academically, socially, and emotionally.
If you’re a school leader or teacher, start the conversation today. Audit your current oracy provision, identify gaps, and explore resources from organisations such as Voice 21.
Ensure staff develop a comprehensive understanding of DLD. Take a look at our training and resources to help them do this.
