Using oracy to improve disadvantaged student attitudes, engagement, and reasoning
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Authors
Konteh, Maliki
Issue Date
2025
Educational Level
ISCED Level 3 Upper secondary education
Curriculum Area
Geographical Setting
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Abstract
Context: The study was conducted in an inner-city secondary school in Eastern England, serving a highly disadvantaged community. The research focused on a Year 10 history class (students aged 14–15), particularly examining students’ reasoning skills in discussions. The intervention followed a period of remote learning during the COVID-19 pandemic and aimed to address the language deficit observed in both disadvantaged and non-disadvantaged students.
Aims: The research sought to determine whether an oracy-based learning intervention focused on exploratory talk could improve the reasoning capabilities of disadvantaged students. It also aimed to explore whether fostering oracy could positively impact students’ engagement and attitudes, though this aspect is to be reported separately.
Methods: A pilot study identified students’ reliance on verbatim reading from textbooks and lack of reasoning in discussions. The intervention included ten research lessons structured around scaffolded exploratory talk, where students engaged in guided discussions with talk roles, modelling, and structured ground rules. Data were collected through classroom observations, audio recordings, surveys, and student interviews. Analysis involved interaction-level discourse coding to track improvements in student talk and reasoning.
Findings: Compared to the pilot, students engaged in more meaningful discussions, demonstrating improved reasoning skills. Exploratory talk increased to 32% of total interactions, with students more frequently justifying opinions, building on others’ ideas, and engaging critically. Interviews revealed that students felt the intervention helped them articulate thoughts, debate ideas, and develop confidence. While disadvantaged students showed notable improvement, benefits were observed across all students.
Implications: The research highlights the value of explicitly teaching reasoning through structured talk. Findings suggest that interventions targeting oracy can benefit students in disadvantaged contexts, though the official classification of disadvantage may not fully capture students’ linguistic needs. The study also underscores the role of collaborative teacher inquiry in refining pedagogical approaches.
Aims: The research sought to determine whether an oracy-based learning intervention focused on exploratory talk could improve the reasoning capabilities of disadvantaged students. It also aimed to explore whether fostering oracy could positively impact students’ engagement and attitudes, though this aspect is to be reported separately.
Methods: A pilot study identified students’ reliance on verbatim reading from textbooks and lack of reasoning in discussions. The intervention included ten research lessons structured around scaffolded exploratory talk, where students engaged in guided discussions with talk roles, modelling, and structured ground rules. Data were collected through classroom observations, audio recordings, surveys, and student interviews. Analysis involved interaction-level discourse coding to track improvements in student talk and reasoning.
Findings: Compared to the pilot, students engaged in more meaningful discussions, demonstrating improved reasoning skills. Exploratory talk increased to 32% of total interactions, with students more frequently justifying opinions, building on others’ ideas, and engaging critically. Interviews revealed that students felt the intervention helped them articulate thoughts, debate ideas, and develop confidence. While disadvantaged students showed notable improvement, benefits were observed across all students.
Implications: The research highlights the value of explicitly teaching reasoning through structured talk. Findings suggest that interventions targeting oracy can benefit students in disadvantaged contexts, though the official classification of disadvantage may not fully capture students’ linguistic needs. The study also underscores the role of collaborative teacher inquiry in refining pedagogical approaches.
Description
Keywords (free text)
history education , oracy , exploratory talk , disadvantaged students , reasoning , student engagement