Focus of the Month: Oracy in STEM
We’re back with another Focus of the Month here in the STEM Community, and for November we’re turning our attention to Oracy. Talking, listening and reasoning are at the heart of great all STEM subjects, and wile we all love a quiet learning environment it can be easy to forget just how powerful classroom talk can be.
When pupils talk about their thinking, they learn to connect ideas, question assumptions and explain what they know. Oracy isn’t just about speaking clearly, it’s about learning through talk. Whether it’s a Year 2 pupil describing what they notice during an investigation, or a Year 10 student arguing which evidence best supports a claim, structured talk builds understanding and confidence.
In primary classrooms, talk helps children turn curiosity into language. Asking questions, sharing ideas and describing what they see develops the vocabulary and reasoning they’ll need later on. At secondary level, oracy can come alive through discussion and debate, challenging pupils to explain, justify and defend their thinking. It’s a brilliant way to make STEM feel purposeful and alive by connecting the curriculum content to real life contexts.
There’s growing evidence behind this too. The recent Voice 21 review, Oracy Across the Curriculum: The Evidence, shows that well-structured talk boosts attainment and helps narrow the disadvantage gap. It also strengthens reasoning, collaboration and confidence, all of which are core to students ability to communicate their subject knowledge in examinations.
Save the date
STEM Community Live: The Digital divide and AI equity
With Kate Paradime, CEO of Voice 21
Monday 17 November 2025 - 4pm
Kate will be joining us to explore what effective talk looks like in the classroom, why it matters. Joining details will be shared in the Community soon, keep an eye out on the community and in your email.
Throughout November we’ll be sharing ideas from teachers, technicians and STEM Ambassadors on:
- Using talk to deepen understanding in practical work
- Supporting quieter pupils to find their voice
- Encouraging scientific reasoning and explanation
- Simple classroom strategies that make a big difference
We’d love to hear from you:
- How do you use talk to support learning in your classroom
- What’s worked well when helping pupils explain or justify their thinking
- Have you noticed a change in engagement when oracy is built in
Join the discussion, share your experiences and explore how we can make oracy a bigger part of STEM learning. https://community.stem.org.uk/discussion/how-do-you-build-oracy-into-stem
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See you on the Community!
Tim