TEY 13.2

SARAH PHILPOT IS EYFS CURRICULUM LEAD FOR UNITED LEARNING E arly writing is a huge challenge for little learners. They must develop a wide combination of skills, from knowledge of phonetic sounds to correct pencil grip and how to form letters. Perhaps the biggest challenge, though, is knowing what to write. This is where oracy can unlock the confidence to not only communicate effectively through speech but also translate this to written literacy. In Ofsted’s recent English Subject Report (March 2024, tinyurl.com/ TEYEngEd) there is a recognition that schools understand that spoken language comes first, before reading and writing development, but also the observation that the writing curriculum “often introduces complex tasks too early, before many pupils are equipped with the necessary knowledge and skills that underpin these” . So what is the solution? Across United Learning schools, it has been recognised that, alongside the national trend, communication and language levels have been lower on entry across the board than expected in recent years. As a result, all children are screened for communication and language baseline as they enter Reception to look for limiting factors in each cohort and help teachers plan how to bridge these gaps. Tackling the issue as a whole-class approach rather than solely relying on interventions should provide the key to developing children’s communication and language skills first. The following suggestions are all designed to improve children’s oracy skills throughout the day in the classroom. Simple classroom strategies can prove the key to bridging gaps in young children’s communication and language skills, says Sarah Philpot … Unlock writing through oracy 46 Teachearlyyears.com