In this episode, we're delighted to welcome Dr Nicola Dawson—Researcher at Oxford University, Speech and Language Therapist at Moor House School and College, and passionate advocate for all things language, literacy, and oracy.

In this episode, we deep dive into the meaning of oracy in the early years, unpack practical strategies to support oracy development in your setting, and discuss how to ensure that oracy-rich environments are inclusive and accessible to all children.

Whether you're just starting your oracy journey or looking to improve your practice, this conversation is full of insights you won’t want to miss.

If you're a Norfolk Early Years Practitioner or professional, and you enjoyed this episode, we’d love for you to join us at one of our upcoming Summer Communication Hub Meetings, beginning on 17th June 2025. 👉 Click here for more details.

Overview

(01:58) Nicola’s background & career development

(04:12) The definition of oracy and what this means in education

(07:09) The Oracy Framework

(08:13) The role of oracy in personal development

(18:00) Oracy in Practice: Creating learning environments to support oracy.

(25:08) The Role of the Adult: Turning everyday interactions into opportunities for meaningful talk.

(32:18) Oracy & Inclusion: Adapting oracy teaching to effectively support children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND and EAL)

(46:44) Challenges and Opportunities: What barriers do early years practitioners face in prioritizing oracy and how can these be overcome?

(50:04) Supporting Oracy Development at Home: Empowering families with meaningful support.

(56:48) Closing Reflections: If you could change one thing about how oracy is approached in the early years, what would it be?

(1:00:50) Next Steps: 3 Questions for our Norfolk EY Practitioners ahead of follow-up Communication Hub Meetings.

Questions for reflection:

1.What role does storytelling (including books, retelling, and role-play) play in your setting?

a. How could you strengthen the link between stories and oracy in your practice?

b. How does your storytelling—whether through books, retelling, or play—support emotional literacy and theory of mind?

2. In what ways do you consciously create space for children to lead talk—not just respond to adult prompts?

a. How might you shift more interactions from adult-led questioning to genuinely shared thinking?

3. How can you support oracy for children who communicate differently—whether due to language delay, EAL, neurodivergence, or shyness?

a. How can you ensure multiple entry points into talk and make sure these children are equally included in peer dialogue?

Links

The Oracy Education Commission: We Need to Talk Report, 2024

Voice 21: Oracy Education Charity

The Norfolk Library Service