Phew – I’ve just handed in my manuscript! For the past ten months I’ve been writing a practical book about oracy, and I’m excited to announce that it will be published by Bloomsbury in 2024.
Here’s a sneak preview from the book – a quick activity about using talk to develop friendships. Perfect for the beginning of the school year.
Compliment Lines
First, familiarise your class with what compliments are. Model giving some compliments to your pupils, for example: Your new hairstyle looks cool, Robbie! or You were really kind when you helped Sir pick up his things, Qihao!
Divide the class into two rows facing each other so everyone has a partner. Children take turns with their partner to give each other a genuine compliment. Then a child at one end moves to the other end, and everyone from that row steps sideways to their next partner. The compliments continue!
A game to help children practise giving compliments… plus an announcement!
An oracy game, a mental workout, and an opportunity to practise respectful challenge
Can your class come up with convincing definitions for the new words they invent?
A physical, fun game that can be played face-to-face or virtually
A quick, active game that helps pupils reflect on their own talk
A structure to allow all students to participate, even if sitting in a real circle isn’t an option right now.
Get students thinking and talking with a game that only takes moments to set up.
Seven quick activities to develop talk, listening and non-verbal communication
Ways to develop talking at a distance
Generating dialogue, comparing concepts, deepening understanding.
Simple-yet-effective techniques to get three year olds talking and keep them focused.