Speaking and listening

Speaking & Listening

INTENT

At Athelstan we believe through English lessons, drama and the wider curriculum we will encourage our pupils to express their opinions, articulate feelings, listen to others and respond appropriately in a range of situations:

• Participate with different groups of children to present ideas with confidence, valuing the views of others
• Speak audibly and confidently before an audience (for example when leading class assemblies; when performing in school productions)
• Communicate effectively through role-play

At Athelstan, we encourage children to talk for a range of purposes and audiences.

• Promote the use and value of formal and informal English alongside our local accent and dialect, in order to develop accurate spelling and enable pupils to participate in formal situations confidently.
• Teach children to listen carefully and respond appropriately in a variety of situations-including debate.
• Give children opportunities for drama, improvisation and performance.
• To make our children confident speakers and good listeners, and to make speaking and listening pleasurable and productive experiences.
• Enable our children to speak and listen with and without teacher supervision, and be able to plan collaboratively

IMPLEMENTATION

We do this in a variety of ways across the curriculum, involving a range of audiences within the community.

For example:

• Paired and group discussion/debate
• Reporting back to class
• Giving evaluations
• Sharing explanations across the curriculum
• Presentations in class
• Presentations in Class Assemblies for parents/carers and pupils
• School and Class Council discussions
• Performing poetry
• Sharing writing
• Debates
• Performing in productions

IMPACT

In a communication rich environment, children develop into confident communicators who support each other by listening, speaking with kindness and empathy and explaining with clarity and confidence. Children recognise that speaking and listening can lie at the heart of conveying character, and that through speaking and listening effectively, misunderstandings can be addressed and relationships enhanced.