Talking about talk: tutor and student expectations of oracy skills in higher education

Abstract

Although participation in academic speaking events is a key to developing disciplinary understanding, students for whom English is a second language may have limited access to these learning events due to an increasingly dialogic and active higher education pedagogy which places considerable demands on their oracy skills. Drawing on the Oracy Skills Framework we explore disciplinary tutors' and students' expectations of oracy skills required for disciplinary study. An analysis of both quantitative and qualitative data found that disciplinary tutors placed importance on the cognitive dimension of oracy skills such as argumentation and asking questions, whilst students placed importance on linguistic accuracy. The findings also suggest that tutors and students lack a shared metalanguage to talk about oracy skills. We argue that a divergence of expectations and lack of shared terminology can result in compromising students' access to valuable classroom dialogue. The paper concludes with a number of practical suggestions through which both tutors and students can increase their understanding of oracy skills.

Strategies for Spoken Error Correction in English Classroom

“…Explicit correction means when a student makes a language error, the teacher interrupts language training or practical activities to positively correct their errors [5]. This error correction method is commonly used in mechanical exercises aimed at helping students master the correct language form or in various exercises that focus on precise language output.…”

Utilizing Embodiment Learning to Develop Kindergarteners' EFL Oracy Skills and Classroom Engagement

“…Non-native English learners need support to narrow the gap and achieve proficiency in English from their early entry into the school system (Institute of Education Sciences, 2020). Despite the importance of EFL oracy skills for both EFL tutors and learners, they are inhibited by some factors as linguistic challenges, teachers' lack of awareness towards EFL oracy skills required for their learners and reluctance of EFL teachers to improve and support their linguistic abilities (Heron et al, 2021). Thus, oracy skills are not gaining adequate concern in EFL classrooms.…”

Assessing Oracy in Young Adults Vocational Training

“…Grounding in Mercer et al's (2017) Oracy Skills Framework which describes different skills required for effective spoken communication in a range of communicative events, the subsequent framework of the four dimensions of speaking skills has been developed by Marion Heron and Doris Dippold (Heron et al, 2021). The assessed facets are: delivery, language, content, and audience engagement (Table 2).…”

“…Oracy skills framework serves as rubrics in assessment and a road-map when designing a specific course or assignment. The core idea of using the Oracy Skills Framework in higher education is to highlight the needs of specific vocational purposes (Heron et al, 2021).…”