Spoken Language

At Atherton St George’s Primary, we aim to ensure children are equipped with the skills to become confident and articulate speakers. We understand the importance of developing children’s vocabulary and therefore all of our curriculum subject overviews have appropriate and ambitious vocabulary outlined throughout. 

We recognise the importance of language acquisition in opening the doors to the future for our children. Therefore, we use strategies from ‘Key to Communication’ to support with their early language development.

Our children are provided with opportunities to work in varied groups to develop their communication and listening skills. Children participate in live readings, debates and public speaking to further develop their confidence and skill.

Throughout their time at Atherton St George’s pupils are taught to:

• listen and respond appropriately to adults and their peers
• ask relevant questions to extend their understanding and knowledge
• use relevant strategies to build their vocabulary
• articulate and justify answers, arguments and opinions
• give well-structured descriptions, explanations and narratives for different purposes, including for expressing feelings
• maintain attention and participate actively in collaborative conversations, staying on topic and initiating and responding to comments
• use spoken language to develop understanding through speculating, hypothesising, imagining and exploring ideas
• speak audibly and fluently with an increasing command of Standard English
• participate in discussions, presentations, performances, role play/improvisations and debates
• gain, maintain and monitor the interest of the listener(s)
• consider and evaluate different viewpoints, attending to and building on the contributions of others
• select and use appropriate registers for effective communication