I did some pupil voice recently, and a significant number of children said they can’t hear their peers in whole-class talk.
Audibility is a common problem, and a reason why many teachers repeat pupil responses – or simply don’t use pupil talk as a resource for learning. I think that’s a terrible shame.
It takes a bit of effort, but it really isn’t that difficult to create a culture where everyone can hear everyone – this is a very simple way of showing that you value pupil talk.
In classrooms where teachers encourage students to politely ask their peers to speak a bit louder, everything changes. Students are suddenly more empowered, they take more ownership and responsibility for their learning – and they start to speak louder!
Providing talk prompts to students can increase the quality of partner talk
Using an unexpected event as a P4C stimulus
An inspiring and practical article that will help you improve talk for learning
Why giving out ‘talking objects’ is worth the hassle
A book exploring another helpful structure to promote high-quality talk
How one Salford teacher has improved oracy in her classroom using The Volumiser!
More useful resources, including a Talk Tally to get pupils listening closely
Encouraging pupils to think more deeply in reflection and talk time
Three essential ingredients to ensure pupils have the confidence to speak in front of their peers