In the 1960’s British
researcher and educator Andrew Wilkinson introduced the term oracy as a way for people to think about
the role that oral language plays in literacy development, defining it as
"the ability to express oneself coherently and to communicate freely with
others by word of mouth." Wilkinson noted that the development of oracy
would lead to increased skill in reading and writing as users of the language
became increasingly proficient.
Influential educator, James
Britton put it so eloquently, "Reading and writing float on a sea of
talk"
Put simply, talk, or oracy,
is the foundation of literacy. This should not come as a surprise to anyone. We
have all observed that young children listen and speak well before they can read
or write. Children learn to manipulate their environment with spoken words well
before they learn to do so with written words. It seems that this pattern is
developmental in nature and that our brains are wired for language. Young
children learn that language is power and that they can use words to express
their needs, wants, and desires.
As we analyze why many
students are not learning what we are teaching, we must evaluate our own
practice for evidence of student talk throughout the day. Oral language is the
foundation of literacy, and as such, it requires focused attention in planning.
Altering the ratio of teacher to student talk doesn't just happen. Rather, it
occurs through both believing in the importance of student talk and planning
with a clear purpose and expectations.
Adapted from Content Area Conversations by Fisher, Frey, and Rothberg
