Spoken Language at Mab Lane 

In school, oracy is a powerful tool for learning; by teaching students to become more effective speakers and listeners we empower them to better understand themselves, each other and the world around them. It is also a route to social mobility, empowering all students, not just some, to find their voice to succeed in school and life.' Voice 21

Vocabulary

Education is the process of preparing us for the big world and the big world has big words. The more big words I know, the better I will survive in it. Because there are hundreds of thousands of big words in English, I cannot learn them all. But this does not mean that I shouldn’t try to learn some.”

Professor David Crystal, ​‘Words, Words, Words’ 

Explicit vocabulary instruction is essential to the success of children at Mab Lane. Teaching vocabulary is part of every lesson and is based on Beck, McKeown and Kucan's tiered vocabulary approach. Tier 2 and Tier 3 vocabulary is identified in planning and taught using the principles of the EEF Vocabulary In Action report (February 2023) . Our Curriculum explicitly identifies essential vocabulary and vocabulary lessons are embedded into the curriculum. 

Intent: 

We want all children to develop a love of language. Early Language Development is integral to our approach to English in the EYFS and in Years 1- 6. We aim to develop our children’s ability to use spoken language to communicate effectively – to listen and speak both in and for a wide range of contexts, purposes and audiences. We prioritise developing oracy skills and we believe that children need to speak it in order to write it, therefore children are encouraged to articulate their sentences before beginning to write them down. The focus on oracy continues as children progress throughout the school. In the early years, through promoting a love of storytelling and books, as well as facilitating high quality adult interactions, we provide children with the opportunities to explore language and vocabulary in a range of contexts. Children are encouraged to use their enriched knowledge of words and take this back into their play and learning.

Implementation:

Opportunities for spoken language are planned in English and across the curriculum. Our teaching sequences used in Literacy Counts Ready Steady Write provide many opportunities to practise the skills of listening, understanding, speaking, vocabulary and participating, presenting and performing. Approaches such as role on the wall, discussion of personal experiences, continuous provision, role play, drama, visualisation, partner work, circle time, artwork, debate and discussion help to embed and enrich vocabulary.

Talking is explicitly modelled  in different areas of the curriculum and we prioritise quality interactions modelling how to talk with other people. There are many opportunities to listen to, practise and embed new vocabulary across the curriculum. 

Impact: 

Children will be able to express issues and ideas, speak clearly, listen carefully, contribute to discussions, respond to questions and comments and use a wide and interesting vocabulary. When children explore learning through oracy and are exposed to new vocabulary, they retain this knowledge. This leads to children using higher level language with a deeper understanding when presenting or writing. The quality of spoken language is evaluated using evidence of progress in discussion work across the curriculum, sustained learning, confidence in performing and presenting to their peers and to a wider audience and knowledge of a wider range of vocabulary when speaking and then writing for different purposes.