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Oracy And Beyond

Oracy And Beyond

Written by: Al Booth
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About this listen

 Oracy And Beyond brings together people who are passionate about the transformative effects oracy can have in helping young people find their voice and their confidence. Through sharing their own experiences of seeing the difference oracy in a classroom setting can have - as well as looking back on the difference oracy would have made to their own school days - Oracy And Beyond offers anecdotes as well as expert thoughts and ideas. Hosted by Al Booth, broadcaster, live event host and communications specialist, Oracy and Beyond is released every other Wednesday. If you're passionate about the impact oracy makes and you want to be on the show, email: Al@OracyAndBeyond.comCopyright 2026 Al Booth
Episodes
  • Oracy And The First 1000 Days: How Nurture and Environment Can Affect the Language Gap Before School Begins

    Oracy And The First 1000 Days: How Nurture and Environment Can Affect the Language Gap Before School Begins
    Apr 30 2026

    "Oracy isn't just about learning to talk, it's about learning through talk. It's about building those cognitive foundations for everything else." - Tracie Butterfill, National Lead Early Years and Families @ Twinkl

    This conversation had me wishing I could rewind with my children and start again.

    Tracie talks about how we should instruct instead of ask. Say "Thank You" instead of "Please".

    That alone would have saved hours of getting shoes on time over the years!

    🏗️ The Foundations of Oracy

    Tracie highlights that oracy isn't just about learning to talk; it’s about learning through talk. It serves as the cognitive foundation for everything else, leveling the playing field before formal education even begins.

    The Developmental Journey
    • Receptive Language: Babies start by taking in all the information around them.
    • Non-Verbal Cues: Communication begins through facial expressions and eye contact.
    • The Pointing Phase: Children use gestures and simple utterances to label their world (e.g., "daddy," "car," "bottle").
    • Vocabulary Bursts: Interest-based learning—like memorising every dinosaur name—fuels an explosion in vocabulary.

    🛤️ Oracy as a Tool for Equity

    The conversation emphasises that oracy is a primary area of learning in the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), alongside physical and personal-social development.

    • Social Mobility: Strong communication skills allow children from all backgrounds to advocate for themselves and engage with their peers.
    • The "Buzz" of Learning: A healthy early years setting is never silent; it’s filled with the "buzz" of child-led discussion and interaction.
    • Impact of COVID-19: Lockdown limited social networks, depriving many "only children" or eldest siblings of peer role models to mimic and learn from.

    🧩 Inclusive Oracy: SEND and "Literal Parenting"

    For children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), specifically autistic children, oracy requires a literal approach to reduce anxiety.

    ⏳ The "Time" Debate

    As with every episode, we have a guest from the previous show.

    Eric Chamberlin asked: If we add oracy to the curriculum, must we take away from literacy or numeracy?

    Tracie argues that they should stand equally. Because the brain develops most rapidly in the first 1,000 days, getting "the talk" right early on makes later literacy and numeracy much easier to grasp.

    "Oracy isn't an add-on; it's the foundation of the three primary areas of learning... communication is intrinsic in every area of our lives."

    How do you think we can better support parents in busy households to prioritize "learning through talk" during everyday routines?

    You can connect with Tracie Butterfill on LinkedIn here

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    Hello — I’m Al Booth, host of Oracy And Beyond, broadcaster, live host and panel moderator, and podcast producer

    I created this podcast to explore how young people can develop confidence, self-worth and communication skills through oracy.

    I’m not an oracy expert. I’m just a former shy child who found his voice.

    I've been there and I am fascinated how we can help other young people find their voice.

    For me, that's through podcasting and workshops.

    If this episode sparked ideas for your setting, I’d love to continue the conversation and explore how we might work together.

    If you are looking for a host for your next conference, want to look into podcasting, or would like to discuss my oracy-led podcast workshop for schools, let's have a chat.

    Email Me al@albooth.co.uk

    Connect on LinkedIn

    Learn more: OracyAndBeyond.com

    Thank you for listening. I look forward to chatting with you.
    Show More Show Less
    44 mins
  • Oracy And A.I. Assessments: How Artificial Intelligence could help young people find their voice for exams.

    Oracy And A.I. Assessments: How Artificial Intelligence could help young people find their voice for exams.
    Apr 16 2026

    "In today's world, far too much communication is happening digitally. We've lost that ability to speak and to listen and to understand each other. Getting us back to being able to speak to each other is one of the beautiful parts of Oracy." - Eric Chamberlin

    Eric Chamberlin is a teacher-turned-tech genius. He has created not one but TWO apps that promote speaking, listening, and confidence-building across classrooms.

    Yes. Eric is responsible for the above quote AND has developed digital apps too.

    In this episode you'll hear:

    • About the development of apps that revolutionise assessment practices, from language learning to oral exams.
    • How technology can reduce teacher workload and improve student feedback.
    • Ethical considerations of AI technology in learning environments

    It's a fascinating look at how technology can take young people away from the pressure of the classroom whilst allowing them to thrive in it.

    Find out more about Eric's apps here:

    Say Veritas: Students learn through speaking—daily snapshot, weekly formative checks, and secure oral assessments. Track National Curriculum coverage automatically. Generate evidence for Ofsted in minutes.

    PhonemeLab: The app created by Eric as a way for him to ease the pressure on his wife's teacher workload.

    Eric Chamberlin on LinkedIn

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    Hello, I'm Al Booth, host of Oracy and Beyond.

    I'm a broadcaster, conference host, and podcast producer with more than 25 years across BBC and commercial radio and television.

    Today I work with schools, education organisations, and companies who want to create confident conversations — hosting conferences and panel discussions, producing podcasts, and helping leaders speak with authenticity and confidence.

    Organisations typically work with me to:

    • host conferences and panel discussions
    • launch and produce podcasts
    • coach speakers and leaders to communicate clearly and with confidence

    Planning an event, launching a podcast, or exploring how to develop oracy across your organisation?

    Learn more or get in touch: albooth.co.uk Or find me on LinkedIn

    I started Oracy and Beyond to explore how speaking, listening, and storytelling help young people build confidence, self-worth, and opportunity.

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    If you've enjoyed this episode and want to continue the conversation, head over to the Oracy And Beyond page on LinkedIn.
    Show More Show Less
    28 mins
  • Oracy And Movement: How combining physical movement with vocabulary can help develop speech in early years and beyond.

    Oracy And Movement: How combining physical movement with vocabulary can help develop speech in early years and beyond.
    Apr 2 2026
    "Speech and language is coordination, but also your whole body movement is coordination. So, if children are learning vocabulary through something they're experiencing - they're learning the word hop, but they're actually hopping at the same time - there's much more for them to hook that word onto." - Helen GuntripMy guest is Helen Guntrip, speech and language therapist, founder of Talk and Move, and someone who has spent 23 years watching children find (and lose, and find again) their voices.She's recently been recognised with the Montessori Global Award. Which makes total sense after having spoken with her.The more episodes of Oracy And Beyond I host, the more I learn... and become even more curious about in terms of where Oracy lives.Helen explains why performance anxiety is a physical thing, not a mindset problem and shares why movement isn't just good for children's bodies, but can also help develop spoke communication.In this episode Helen talks about:How the brain responds to the pressure of speaking out loudWhat "embodied learning" actually means — and why it changes vocabulary retentionCelebrating non-verbal and sign communication on equal terms with speechWhat adults get wrong about children's communication — and how to shift thatTimestamps:00:00 — How microphones can encourage shy children to speak01:12 — Using audio recording with children who have mutism02:53 — The brain's response to speaking under pressure03:10 — Deadlines, dopamine, and where confidence comes from07:54 — Why oral language development in early years matters so much11:15 — Helen's route from speech therapy to movement-based programmes12:16 — What embodied learning looks like in practice14:00 — Supporting emotional regulation and expressive freedom18:32 — Why movement helps vocabulary stick20:10 — Movement as a tool for reducing anxiety23:34 — Calm, active, and balancing movements in the classroom25:24 — Helping children with anxiety at the start of school30:19 — Practical emotional regulation during school routines34:38 — Communication beyond spoken words39:40 — Celebrating non-verbal and sign communication42:39 — Behaviour as communication — and what's behind it45:08 — How adult expectations shape children's communication48:04 — Confidence, connection, and regulation as the foundations of oracy49:28 — Helen's Montessori Global AwardFind out more about Helen's work:Talk and Move here.Helen on LinkedIn here.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------I'm Al Booth, host of Oracy and Beyond — a broadcaster, conference host, and podcast producer with more than 25 years across BBC and commercial radio and television.Today I work with schools, education organisations, and companies who want to create confident conversations — hosting conferences and panel discussions, producing podcasts, and helping leaders find the words that actually land.Organisations typically work with me to:host conferences and panel discussionslaunch and produce podcastscoach speakers and leaders to communicate clearly and with confidencePlanning an event, launching a podcast, or exploring how to develop oracy across your organisation?Learn more or get in touch: albooth.co.uk Or find me on LinkedInI started Oracy and Beyond to explore how speaking, listening, and storytelling help young people build confidence, self-worth, and opportunity.Before you go — a question from my next guest:Do you think confidence is the foundation of oracy?Leave a comment, drop me a message, or come back next episode to find out what they think.
    Show More Show Less
    41 mins
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