Mike’s Blog
Strategies, Ideas and Insights for Teachers and Leaders
Tag: developing oracy skills
-
The magic ability of oracy to empower learners, help them articulate their thoughts, and improve their ability to write
Babies cannot articulate their needs. One of the most difficult tasks parents first encounter is trying to establish what it is their baby wants when it exhibits distress, most often…
-
Why is assigning group roles a gamechanger for improving the quality of classroom discussion?
One of the difficulties inherent to group discussion is the teacher’s ceding of control. This can result in learners using the opportunity to talk socially or do no work. Another…
-
Understand how skilled teachers use ground rules to bring discussion to life and make it work for all their learners
Life is governed by rules. As adults we implicitly know, acknowledge, and act in accordance with these. Many learners make the complaint that school life is riddled with rules. An…
-
Use the method of cross-examination that keeps government ministers in check to supercharge discussion in your classroom
Select Committee Discussion Strategy: Explanation Select Committees are made up of groups of MPs or members of the House of Lords. The House of Commons has Select Committees for each…
-
The interview-style discussion activity that uses three steps to generate engagement, excitement and high-quality classroom talk
Three-Step Interview Discussion Strategy: Explanation The teacher introduces a question, a statement or some stimulus material. Learners are divided into groups of four. In each group, pupils are labelled A,…
-
Use ‘rotating stations’ to get learners motivated to learn about new ideas and information in your lessons
Rotating Stations Discussion Strategy: Explanation Set up six or seven separate stations in your classroom. Each should have something that will stimulate discussion. Examples include: In addition to the stimulus…
-
Become a television chat show host in your classroom and create the kind of discussion opportunities you and your learners just can’t get anywhere else
Television Chat Show Discussion Strategy: Explanation Set the room up as follows. Place one chair at the front. This is the presenter’s chair. Next to that, angled-in slightly, place three…
-
Channel Mel Gibson in Braveheart and give your learners the freedom they desire during your next classroom discussion
Free Discussion Discussion Strategy: Explanation Many discussion activities are heavily structured. This is to ensure learners get the most out of discussion, stay on task, and are challenged in a…
-
What makes ‘value continuum’ a memorable activity to use in classroom discussion and as part of your planning?
Value Continuum Discussion Strategy: Explanation A continuum is a link between two things. It usually spans a large range and often encompasses all possible positions regarding a topic. In our…
-
Send learners around the classroom, retain control of behaviour, and realise the benefits of discussion, all through one tried and tested activity
Envoys Discussion Strategy: Explanation The room is set up so that there are a series of pods, each of which is occupied by a group of three or four learners.…