How can oracy help overcome social disadvantage?

Last week, we looked at the ways in which oracy can change the world. We looked at how a properly structured approach to teaching speaking, listening and dialogue could advance academic outcomes, improve mental health and promote equity and inclusivity. During the next few newsletters, we will consider each of these causes in more detail.

Imagine walking into a classroom where every child, regardless of their background, has the confidence and ability to express their ideas clearly, engage in meaningful discussions, and challenge each other’s thinking. Unfortunately, this is not the lived experience of many children. Indeed, social disadvantage can mean that children miss out on key building blocks which prevent them from being able to develop a strong foundation of communication skills that are needed for success in later life. The impact of this can be profound, negatively impacting their academic success and trajectory in life beyond school

What does the research tell us?

In the United States and the United Kingdom there is a strong evidence base to suggest that socially disadvantaged children often start their journey through school with significantly lower levels of spoken language development compared to their more advantaged peers. In Australia, extensive research has established a link between social equity and students' proficiency in reading, writing, and mathematics.

In the late 1990s, for instance, a landmark study by Hart and Risley in the States uncovered a ‘word gap’ between children from low-income and professional families where by age 3, the children in professional families had larger spoken vocabularies and heard 45 million words compared to 13 million words for children in ‘wefare families’, with the difference in language experience linked to differences in child outcomes at age 9. 

Recent research in the United Kingdom mirrors this trend, suggesting that when socially disadvantaged children enter school, their spoken language development is often significantly lower than their more advantaged peers and that these gaps grow as children proceed through school. Unsurprisingly, the Covid-19 pandemic was shown to have exacerbated the language gap between students eligible for social security benefits and their more affluent peers because the latter had more opportunities to engage in discussions and debates at home during extended lockdowns.

A further area to consider is that children who speak English as an additional language often miss  crucial opportunities to practice their English oracy skills at home which can, in turn,  influence their performance in school. According to research, trends have been observed in Australia among students from migrant and refugee backgrounds living in low socio-economic environments. Indeed, many of these students lack a parent or guardian to assist them with schoolwork and do not have access to the necessary resources for studying at home.

Why does this matter?

Addressing oracy development is therefore crucial for enhancing equity and promoting social mobility, especially in light of the growing income inequality in MEDC nations such as those mentioned above. It is the means by which we can empower disadvantaged young people to succeed academically, closing the gap with their more privileged peers; it is means by we can ensure that they are able to advocate for themselves and engage with the societal decision-making processes; it is the means by which we can support them to acquire social capital so that they can connect with others and feel a sense of belonging. 

Further reading:

• The Communication Trust. (2017). Professional development in speech, language and communication: Findings from a national survey (PDF 5.4 MB). 

• B. Hart, T. Risley. (1995). Meaningful Differences in the Everyday Experience of Young American Children. Paul H Brookes Publishing. https://doi.org/10.5860/choice.33-3435

• Law, J., Mensah, F., Westrupp, E., & Reilly, S. (2015). Social disadvantage and early language delay. Centre of Research Excellence in Child Language, Policy Brief 1.

• Maadad, N., & Yilmaz, M. (2021). Educational policies and schooling for Arabic speaking refugee children in Australia and Turkey. Australian Journal of Teacher Education, 46(11). doi.org/10.14221/ajte.2021v46n11.2

• Moss, G. & Washbrook, L. (2016) Understanding the gender gap in literacy and language development. University of Bristol Graduate School of Education.

• Sullivan, A. Tippett, N., Manolev, J., Baak, M. & Johnson, B. (2021). Education department policy constructions within highly political contexts: a critical policy study of multiculturalism. Journal of Education Policy. doi.org/10.1 080/02680939.2021.1936194