The Royal Shakespeare Company has expressed its support for a new report by the Commission on the Future of Oracy Education in England (OEC). The report calls for oracy – the ability to articulate ideas, develop understanding and engage with others through speaking, listening and communication – to be recognised alongside reading, writing and arithmetic as the fourth “R” of education.
The report, published today, calls for an increased emphasis on oracy education to better prepare young people for the future in an increasingly polarised society, recognition of oracy as an essential ‘building block for reading, writing and students’ academic progression’ and acknowledgement of the rising importance of oracy skills in ‘an AI-transformed labour market’.
Talking about the new report, Jacqui O'Hanlon, director of creative learning and engagement at the Royal Shakespeare Company, said: ‘We fully endorse the findings and recommendations of the Oracy Education Commission. Our work in classrooms across the country and around the world has oracy at its core. Like actors in a rehearsal room, we get children to make choices about character interpretation and meaning. In doing so, they make discoveries about themselves, each other and the world we live in. Our work with teachers improves writing outcomes, develops critical thinking, enhances speaking and listening and supports students to develop skills for life and work.’
The report calls on the government to integrate speaking, listening and communication into every subject across the curriculum, as well as in extra-curricular activities; ensure the history and richness of the English language is a key focus; incentivise schools to provide a curriculum enabling children to access oracy through the expressive arts and citizenship and make oracy a key part of the training and development of all teachers
The Commission ran for five months, and received evidence from academics, teachers and leaders, exam bodies, charities and experts in education policy. This latest report comes after the Labour government signalled that oracy would be an integral part of future education policy with inclusion in the Curriculum and Assessment Review, due to be published in 2025.