ESB International to Deliver Oracy Workshop with the English Association
ESB International is delighted to be partnering with The English Association to deliver a workshop on Thursday 21st May, led by ESB International’s Senior Assessor for Oracy. The session will explore how authentic speaking scenarios can support the explicit teaching of key communication skills in the primary classroom.
The session will focus on how teachers can create talk opportunities that feel relevant, realistic and reflective of learners’ real lives. By anchoring spoken language tasks in authentic contexts, learners gain greater agency in their communication and develop confidence, identity and stronger classroom relationships.
Oracy sits at the heart of ESB’s mission to build confident, effective communicators, and this workshop will offer practical guidance grounded in our long-standing expertise in spoken language assessment.
Exploring Authentic, Purposeful Classroom Talk
Drawing on examples from ESB’s Primary Oracy qualifications, the workshop will demonstrate how real‑life communication activities can be combined with the explicit teaching of discrete communication skills, including:
- Voice
- Structure
- Pace and Pause
- Gesture
- Emphasis
- Active Listening
These skills underpin effective communication and support progression in speaking and listening across the primary years.
Practical Ideas for Classroom Application
Participants will leave with a range of strategies for designing purposeful talk tasks that help pupils develop:
- Confidence in sharing their ideas
- Clarity in structuring and presenting information
- Effectiveness as speakers and listeners
The session will also explore how classroom talk tasks can be thoughtfully sequenced to support ongoing development throughout a child’s primary journey.
Who Should Attend?
This webinar is designed for:
- Primary school teachers
- English subject leaders
- Literacy coordinators
- Trainee teachers and teacher educators
- School leaders with an interest in oracy and spoken language development
By the end of the webinar, attendees will:
- Understand what makes a classroom talk task meaningful and authentic
- Know how to teach discrete communication skills through purposeful, real‑world speaking scenarios
- Take away ideas for designing talk tasks that help pupils progress in speaking and listening across the primary years
Whether you are looking to strengthen your school’s oracy provision or seeking new approaches for encouraging confident communication, this workshop will offer practical insight and inspiration.
Book Your Place
We invite colleagues passionate about supporting pupils’ spoken language development to join us for this engaging and practical session.
Book your place here:
