ABSTRACT

Our inclusion of speaking and listening as a separate profile component in our recommendations is a reflection of our conviction that these skills are of central importance to children's development.

(The Cox Report, DES 1988) In this chapter you can read about:

• the centrality of oracy to learning • a recent historical perspective on oracy in the primary curriculum • the relationship between oracy and drama • planning for range, purpose and audience • Standard English and language study • listening and responding.