From Expulsion to Shakespeare: How oracy can give a voice and a meaning to young people who haven't been listened to before - Sharon Gray

From Expulsion to Shakespeare: How oracy can give a voice and a meaning to young people who haven't been listened to before - Sharon Gray

"A student was excluded from a mainstream school in Coventry. He did display very challenging behaviour in the community as well. And we use the music studio a lot. So he started writing song lyrics, then he used these to construct his prose. And he's performing with the Royal Shakespeare Company in a short version of Midsummer Night's Dream. He's written the rap and he's also just done his English speaking board level two exam." - Sharon Gray Sharon Gray has the title of Head of English at the Alternative Provision she teaches at in Warwickshire. After listening to her passion and her creative ways for engaging with young people who hadn't previously had a sense of connection, Sharon Gray should hold the title of Head of English FOR THE WHOLE WIDE WORLD. In this very inspiring episode, Sharon discusses: * How oracy is with is from the very start of life to the very end. * How human connection can give hope to young people who didn't feel heard before. * How creativity with visuals leads to greater communication skills in written work. And how students from her AP have been working with The Royal Shakespeare Company on a 2026 version of Shakespeare's classics that speak to young people. Speaking of which you absolutely need to hear an example of that: Here are students with their re-worked rap for Romeo & Juliet. [https://coventryacademy.org.uk/News/Mad-About-Bards-Coventry-Academy-Students-Drop-a-S/] Find out more about the work Sharon does at the Coventry Academy and how she has garnered the support of Ed Sheeran - here [https://coventryacademy.org.uk/Success-and-Recognition/]. Sharon Gray LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/sharon-gray-37128b108/] If you'd like to be on the show you can find out more at OracyAndBeyond.com [ OracyAndBeyond.com] ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Hello, I'm Al Booth. I'm the host of Oracy And Beyond. I'm also a broadcaster with over 25+ years' experience in BBC and commercial radio & TV, a podcast producer, and a live event and conference host. And before any of that I was a shy and unconfident child who wanted to grow up to be a radio presenter but just didn't have the confidence. If you'd like to work with me - whether that's to host your conference, moderate a panel, or create a podcast - you can find me in these following places. Website: AlBooth.co.uk [https://albooth.co.uk/] LinkedIn: Al Booth [https://www.linkedin.com/in/albooth/]

Oracy And The First 1000 Days: How Nurture and Environment Can Affect the Language Gap Before School Begins

"Oracy isn't just about learning to talk, it's about learning through talk. It's about building those cognitive foundations for everything else." - Tracie Butterfill, National Lead Early Years and Families @ Twinkl This conversation had me wishing I could rewind with my children and start again. Tracie talks about how we should instruct instead of ask. Say "Thank You" instead of "Please". That alone would have saved hours of getting shoes on time over the years! 🏗️ THE FOUNDATIONS OF ORACY Tracie highlights that oracy isn't just about learning to talk; it’s about learning through talk. It serves as the cognitive foundation for everything else, leveling the playing field before formal education even begins. THE DEVELOPMENTAL JOURNEY * Receptive Language: Babies start by taking in all the information around them. * Non-Verbal Cues: Communication begins through facial expressions and eye contact. * The Pointing Phase: Children use gestures and simple utterances to label their world (e.g., "daddy," "car," "bottle"). * Vocabulary Bursts: Interest-based learning—like memorising every dinosaur name—fuels an explosion in vocabulary. 🛤️ ORACY AS A TOOL FOR EQUITY The conversation emphasises that oracy is a primary area of learning in the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), alongside physical and personal-social development. * Social Mobility: Strong communication skills allow children from all backgrounds to advocate for themselves and engage with their peers. * The "Buzz" of Learning: A healthy early years setting is never silent; it’s filled with the "buzz" of child-led discussion and interaction. * Impact of COVID-19: Lockdown limited social networks, depriving many "only children" or eldest siblings of peer role models to mimic and learn from. 🧩 INCLUSIVE ORACY: SEND AND "LITERAL PARENTING" For children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), specifically autistic children, oracy requires a literal approach to reduce anxiety. ⏳ THE "TIME" DEBATE As with every episode, we have a guest from the previous show. Eric Chamberlin asked: If we add oracy to the curriculum, must we take away from literacy or numeracy? Tracie argues that they should stand equally. Because the brain develops most rapidly in the first 1,000 days, getting "the talk" right early on makes later literacy and numeracy much easier to grasp. > "Oracy isn't an add-on; it's the foundation of the three primary areas of learning... communication is intrinsic in every area of our lives." How do you think we can better support parents in busy households to prioritize "learning through talk" during everyday routines? You can connect with Tracie Butterfill on LinkedIn here [https://www.linkedin.com/in/tracie-butterfill-66749a78/] ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hello — I’m Al Booth, host of Oracy And Beyond, broadcaster, live host and panel moderator, and podcast producer I created this podcast to explore how young people can develop confidence, self-worth and communication skills through oracy. I’m not an oracy expert. I’m just a former shy child who found his voice. I've been there and I am fascinated how we can help other young people find their voice. For me, that's through podcasting and workshops. If this episode sparked ideas for your setting, I’d love to continue the conversation and explore how we might work together. If you are looking for a host for your next conference, want to look into podcasting, or would like to discuss my oracy-led podcast workshop for schools, let's have a chat. Email Me al@albooth.co.uk [al@albooth.co.uk] Connect on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/albooth/] Learn more: OracyAndBeyond.com [OracyAndBeyond.com] Thank you for listening. I look forward to chatting with you.

Oracy And A.I. Assessments: How Artificial Intelligence could help young people find their voice for exams.

"In today's world, far too much communication is happening digitally. We've lost that ability to speak and to listen and to understand each other. Getting us back to being able to speak to each other is one of the beautiful parts of Oracy." - Eric Chamberlin Eric Chamberlin is a teacher-turned-tech genius. He has created not one but TWO apps that promote speaking, listening, and confidence-building across classrooms. Yes. Eric is responsible for the above quote AND has developed digital apps too. In this episode you'll hear: * About the development of apps that revolutionise assessment practices, from language learning to oral exams. * How technology can reduce teacher workload and improve student feedback. * Ethical considerations of AI technology in learning environments It's a fascinating look at how technology can take young people away from the pressure of the classroom whilst allowing them to thrive in it. Find out more about Eric's apps here: Say Veritas [https://www.sayveritas.co.uk/]: Students learn through speaking—daily snapshot, weekly formative checks, and secure oral assessments. Track National Curriculum coverage automatically. Generate evidence for Ofsted in minutes. PhonemeLab [https://www.phonemelab.com/]: The app created by Eric as a way for him to ease the pressure on his wife's teacher workload. Eric Chamberlin on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/ericchamberlintech/] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hello, I'm Al Booth, host of Oracy and Beyond. I'm a broadcaster, conference host, and podcast producer with more than 25 years across BBC and commercial radio and television. Today I work with schools, education organisations, and companies who want to create confident conversations — hosting conferences and panel discussions, producing podcasts, and helping leaders speak with authenticity and confidence. Organisations typically work with me to: * host conferences and panel discussions * launch and produce podcasts * coach speakers and leaders to communicate clearly and with confidence Planning an event, launching a podcast, or exploring how to develop oracy across your organisation? Learn more or get in touch: albooth.co.uk [albooth.co.uk] Or find me on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/albooth/] I started Oracy and Beyond to explore how speaking, listening, and storytelling help young people build confidence, self-worth, and opportunity. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- If you've enjoyed this episode and want to continue the conversation, head over to the Oracy And Beyond page on LinkedIn.

Oracy And Movement: How combining physical movement with vocabulary can help develop speech in early years and beyond.

"Speech and language is coordination, but also your whole body movement is coordination. So, if children are learning vocabulary through something they're experiencing - they're learning the word hop, but they're actually hopping at the same time - there's much more for them to hook that word onto." - Helen Guntrip My guest is Helen Guntrip, speech and language therapist, founder of Talk and Move [https://talkandmove.co.uk/], and someone who has spent 23 years watching children find (and lose, and find again) their voices. She's recently been recognised with the Montessori Global Award. Which makes total sense after having spoken with her. The more episodes of Oracy And Beyond I host, the more I learn... and become even more curious about in terms of where Oracy lives. Helen explains why performance anxiety is a physical thing, not a mindset problem and shares why movement isn't just good for children's bodies, but can also help develop spoke communication. In this episode Helen talks about: * How the brain responds to the pressure of speaking out loud * What "embodied learning" actually means — and why it changes vocabulary retention * Celebrating non-verbal and sign communication on equal terms with speech * What adults get wrong about children's communication — and how to shift that Timestamps: * 00:00 — How microphones can encourage shy children to speak * 01:12 — Using audio recording with children who have mutism * 02:53 — The brain's response to speaking under pressure * 03:10 — Deadlines, dopamine, and where confidence comes from * 07:54 — Why oral language development in early years matters so much * 11:15 — Helen's route from speech therapy to movement-based programmes * 12:16 — What embodied learning looks like in practice * 14:00 — Supporting emotional regulation and expressive freedom * 18:32 — Why movement helps vocabulary stick * 20:10 — Movement as a tool for reducing anxiety * 23:34 — Calm, active, and balancing movements in the classroom * 25:24 — Helping children with anxiety at the start of school * 30:19 — Practical emotional regulation during school routines * 34:38 — Communication beyond spoken words * 39:40 — Celebrating non-verbal and sign communication * 42:39 — Behaviour as communication — and what's behind it * 45:08 — How adult expectations shape children's communication * 48:04 — Confidence, connection, and regulation as the foundations of oracy * 49:28 — Helen's Montessori Global Award Find out more about Helen's work: Talk and Move here [https://talkandmove.co.uk/]. Helen on LinkedIn here [https://www.linkedin.com/in/talkandmove/]. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I'm Al Booth, host of Oracy and Beyond — a broadcaster, conference host, and podcast producer with more than 25 years across BBC and commercial radio and television. Today I work with schools, education organisations, and companies who want to create confident conversations — hosting conferences and panel discussions, producing podcasts, and helping leaders find the words that actually land. Organisations typically work with me to: * host conferences and panel discussions * launch and produce podcasts * coach speakers and leaders to communicate clearly and with confidence Planning an event, launching a podcast, or exploring how to develop oracy across your organisation? Learn more or get in touch: albooth.co.uk [albooth.co.uk] Or find me on https://www.linkedin.com/in/albooth/LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/albooth/] I started Oracy and Beyond to explore how speaking, listening, and storytelling help young people build confidence, self-worth, and opportunity. Before you go — a question from my next guest: Do you think confidence is the foundation of oracy? Leave a comment, drop me a message, or come back next episode to find out what they think.

Oracy And Podcasting: How practicing oracy builds confidence to communicate.

> “Sometimes the quietest student in the classroom has the most to say — they just need the right space to say it.” - Veronique Trang Being a child with a head full of ideas and suggestions but lacking the confidence or ability to share it with peers is a terrible feeling. This episode's guest knows that all too well. Veronique Trang went from being a shy child to the CEO of a tech company that has created a podcast app to help young people grow their own communication skills. And, ultimately, their own self-worth. Telmi came about from Veronique's own experiences and her belief that practice makes progress. In this epsiode she talks about: • How Veronique’s childhood experience inspired the creation of TelMi • Why practicing speaking is essential for building confidence and voice • How podcasting can become a powerful tool for developing oracy in schools And she shares some wonderful stories of how children have found their voice through podcasting. You can find out more about Telmi at the official website. Just click here. [https://telmi.io/] If you're an Oracy lead, Veronique is looking forward to talking to you to see how Telmi can benefit your classroom. You can contact Veronique on her LinkedIn page [https://www.linkedin.com/in/veroniquetrang/]. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I'm Al Booth, the host of Oracy and Beyond. I'm a broadcaster, conference host, and podcast producer with more than 25 years’ experience across BBC and commercial radio and television. Today I work with schools, education organisations, and companies who want to create confident conversations — hosting conferences and panel discussions, producing podcasts, and helping leaders communicate their ideas with clarity and confidence. I host and moderate discussions at education and on-stage events and love helping conferences create thoughtful, energetic conversations that audiences remember long after the session ends. I started Oracy and Beyond to explore how speaking, listening, and storytelling can help young people build confidence, self-worth, and opportunity. Organisations typically work with me to: • host conferences and panel discussions • launch and produce podcasts • coach speakers and leaders to communicate clearly and confidently Planning an event, launching a podcast, or exploring how to develop oracy across your organisation? Learn more or get in touch: albooth.co.uk Or contact me on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/albooth/] D8upODpZaWjJSmRlC4h0