How Oracy Transforms Learning Engagement and Child Development

🧠 Oracy Is the Skill We Forgot to Teach

Children spend up to 70% of their school day listening or speaking, but how often do we teach them how to do it well?

As a founder, mother of two, and someone who listens closely to educators, I’ve come to believe oracy is one of the most powerful, and overlooked, drivers of student engagement and development.

We tend to focus on reading and writing as core skills. But when we treat speaking and listening as secondary, we miss an opportunity to build connection, confidence, and cognition in every child.

🔍 What the Research Says About Oracy

Oracy supports:

• Cognitive development: reasoning, memory, and problem-solving (EEF, 2021)
• Literacy outcomes: stronger oral vocabulary leads to better reading and writing (Voice 21)
• Social-emotional wellbeing: builds empathy and reduces anxiety (Oracy Cambridge)

Despite its impact, oracy remains under-taught in many settings. But small changes can make a big difference.

🎯 Five Ways Oracy Boosts Engagement and Development

1. Builds Confidence, Especially for Reluctant Writers

Some children have brilliant ideas but struggle with writing. Speaking first — through conversation or recording — helps unlock their thinking.

At school: Children who never raised hands are recording stories with Telmi.
At home: Ask your child to “talk through” a story before writing.

2. Turns Classrooms Into Communities

Discussion and reflection build social skills like turn-taking, listening, and collaboration.

With Telmi: Children co-host podcasts, reflect together, and build trust.

3. Supports Deeper Thinking

Speaking structures thought and builds metacognition.

With Telmi: Students plan and record ideas, then reflect on delivery to improve.
💡 “Chat” is often structured thinking. Don’t mistake it for distraction.

4. Grows Vocabulary and Language Mastery

Purposeful talking builds expressive language naturally.

At school: Use structured talk routines.
At home: Try prompts like “👍 or 👎 and why?” instead of “How was your day?”

5. Opens Doors for Every Learner

Oracy provides alternative ways to show knowledge — especially powerful for neurodivergent or EAL students.

More voice-first options = more inclusive classrooms.

🎧 How Telmi Supports Teachers and Parents

Telmi helps students organise and express their thinking — with confidence and ownership.

For teachers:

• ✅ Saves time with student-led activities
• ✅ Encourages independence and creativity
• ✅ Builds literacy and oracy without writing pressure
• ✅ Differentiates learning: plan aloud, use keywords, or freestyle
• ✅ Empowers quieter students to be heard

“When a child records to be heard, they clarify, structure, and speak with purpose.”

For parents:

• 🧠 Transforms screen time into learning
• 💬 Reduces pressure from spelling or handwriting
• 🎧 Boosts confidence through playback and reflection
• 🔁 Bridges home-school learning
• ❤️ Sparks conversations like “Want to hear what I recorded today?”

For children:

It’s theirs.
They choose the topic, prep in their way, and own the message.

💡 Practical Next Steps

For teachers:

• Replace a written reflection with a spoken one
• Use Telmi or voice notes for story planning
• Add “turn and talk” to scaffold difficult ideas

For parents:

• Invite your child to record something they love
• Use prompts like “Why do you think that?” or “Tell me more…”

💌 Want to Contribute or Learn More?

We’re collecting real-world stories for an upcoming ebook and blog series on oracy and learning engagement.

Would you like to share your experience or receive the ebook when it’s ready?
👉 Click here to join or receive the ebook

Want to see a demo and maybe try Telmi in your school?
👉 Email vero@telmi.io

📚 Sources and Further Reading

• Voice 21: What Is Oracy?
• EEF: Oral Language Interventions
• Oracy Cambridge
• Learning through Talk
• Telmi

If you’re interested in finding out more about Telmi, you can visit https://telmi.io or reach out to founder Veronique Trang on Linkedin.