Oracy is a skill that all young people need. When children are able to engage positively with others they are more likely to feel valued, understood and to achieve academically.

Oracy is a core element of scientific literacy. For primary-aged children this mean purposeful and active engagement with scientific ideas in real-world contexts and it is important that teachers create opportunities for children to express and justify their ideas.

Here we signpost classroom-ready resources that you can use to build all children’s confidence to talk, think and reason in science. We offer guidance to get you started, highlight the benefits for children and teachers, and link to some of PSTT’s resources.

You will find further guidance and ready to use resources for all of these strategies:

Bright Ideas Time

Pictures for Talk

PSTT advises teachers to refer to either the CLEAPSS website or SSERC website for up to date health and safety information when planning practical activities for children.

PSTT is not liable for the actions or activities of any reader or anyone else who uses the information in these resource pages or the associated classroom materials. PSTT assumes no liability with regard to injuries or damage to property that may occur as a result of using the information contained in these resources. PSTT recommends that a full risk assessment is carried out before undertaking in the classroom any of the practical investigations contained in the resources.

All materials are ©Primary Science Teaching Trust (PSTT) and are freely available to download and share for educational purposes. Whilst educators are free to adapt the resources to suit their own needs, acknowledgement of copyright on all original materials must be included. Rights to images included in the resource have been purchased for PSTT use only – as such, these images may only be used as part of this resource and may not copied into or used in other materials.