iTap 2

• Computing
• Primary Education

Oracy in Practice – Day 2 & 4 iTap Sessions

Supporting SCITT Trainees in Applying Oracy Strategies 

What is the connection??

How confident are you deploying oracy in your lessons?

Very

Somewhat

Rarely

Not yet

Where do students talk in your lessons – and why?

Why might spoken reasoning be as important as written answers when teaching digital law?

The Listening Ladder — Building Active Listening in Computer Science

The Listening Ladder helps students become active listeners — moving from hearing to responding, building, and deepening thinking.

It encourages pupils to reflect on how they listen, not just what they say.

Why Use It in Computer Science?

• Supports precise reasoning in technical discussions.
• Reinforces disciplinary talk — especially in topics like Legal, Ethical, and Cultural Issues.
• Helps quieter pupils contribute using visible, structured goals.
• Encourages metacognition (“Which rung am I on now?”).

Instigator 🟢

Prober 🟣

Challenger 🔴

Clarifier 🟡

Builder 🟩

Summariser 🔵

Each Voice 21 “Talk Tactic” gives students a purpose in discussion.

Drag the sentence stems to match the correct discussion role.

“I’d like to start by saying …”, “I think we should consider …”, “Let’s also think about …”

“Why do you think …?”, “What do you think would happen if …?”, “Can you give an example to support that?”

“I disagree because …”, “You mentioned X but what about …?”, “I understand your point, but have you thought about …?”

“Can you explain a bit more about …?”, “What do you mean when you say …?”, “Does that mean …?”

“I agree and would like to add …”, “Building on what X said …”, “Linking to what Y said …”

“Overall, the main points were …”, “Our discussion focused on …”, “The three key ideas were …”

Bullseye Challenge

• The Bullseye Challenge motivates students to use precise, subject-specific language when speaking.
• It turns oracy into a game — rewarding clarity, accuracy, and confidence.
• In Computer Science, this helps pupils practise legal vocabulary when explaining how laws protect individuals and organisations.

How it works

What laws and rules help protect people’s personal data online, and why are they important?

1 point

2 points

3 points

When using the Bullseye Challenge to discuss Legal Considerations to Protect Individuals, what is the main purpose of the activity?

1. To make sure students answer quickly and compete against each other
2. To encourage students to use precise, technical language when explaining ideas
3. To let students talk freely without worrying about terminology
4. To test students’ memory of key legal definitions

In the Listening Ladder, what does it mean when a student moves up the ladder?

1. They listen quietly without responding
2. They dominate the conversation with longer answers
3. They start to build, question, or summarise others’ ideas
4. They memorise the teacher’s explanation

During a Talk Tactics discussion on digital law, what is the role of the Prober?

1. To summarise what others have said
2. To ask deeper questions and request evidence or examples
3. To challenge others’ ideas directly
4. To introduce new topics for discussion

Task - Create an oracy task.

School uses AI tool that stores student data.

Should schools be held responsible for data breaches?

1) Model the question using the "Listening Ladder" model.

2) Model the question using the "Bulls Eye" model.

Lessons for the DLD

Period 1 - Year 10 iMedia (Intellectual Property Rights)

Period 3 - Year 8 (JC) Personal Development (Drugs, the Law & safe use of prescribed drugs)

10IM

8JC

Lesson Observation follow up!

Which oracy moves had the biggest impact in the lesson you observed?

Click here for my LessonUp 

Analyse

Please reflect on the questions below.

1. How does the teacher establish and model ambitious norms for talk such as the use of explicit vocabulary instruction?
2. How does the teacher set the expectations for talk in the classroom?
3. How does the teacher ensure oracy activities are purposeful?
4. How well prepared are students to undertake a talk activity?
5. How does the teacher ensure a high level of participation?
6. How does the teacher ensure ‘meaningful listening’ is happening?
7. During the tasks given, how could they have been adapted to support the oracy of students?

Once this is complete you can start to create the resources for the lesson that you are going to deliver (remember each lesson will need a plan).