Check out these fun activities to boost your child’s communication skills
Oracy, the art of effective verbal communication, holds profound significance in unleashing children’s communicative potential. As a vital skill, oracy empowers young learners to articulate thoughts, express ideas, and engage meaningfully with the world.
Here Victoria Phillips from The English College talks to us about just how important it is to boost your child’s ability to communicate, and also ways of unlocking power of oracy.
Communication is a vital life skill, and nurturing effective oracy (the ability to speak and communicate effectively) in children is crucial for their academic success and overall development.
As a parent, you can play a significant role in enhancing your child’s speaking and listening skills. In this article brought to you by The English College Dubai, we’ll explore engaging and educational at-home activities that will not only boost your child’s oracy but also align with the UK curriculum. Let’s dive in!
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Storytelling Sessions: Ignite Their Imagination
Activity: Encourage your child to become a storyteller. They can share tales from their favourite books, recount personal experiences, or even create their own stories.
Why It Matters: Research shows that storytelling activities significantly improve narrative and expressive language skills in young children (Dickinson & Smith, 1994).
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Discussion Dinners: Conversations that Count
Activity: Make dinner a time for family discussions. Invite your child to express their thoughts and opinions on various topics.
Why It Matters: Regular family discussions promote better language development and critical thinking skills (Melhopt et al., 2001).
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Debates and Speeches: Let Them Speak Their Mind
Activity: Organise simple debates or encourage your child to prepare and deliver short speeches on topics of interest.
Why It Matters: The UK curriculum emphasises developing speaking and listening skills through structured debates and speeches.
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Interviews and Role-Play: Learning Through Pretend Play
Activity: Engage in mock interviews or role-play scenarios with your child. Encourage them to take on different roles and practice effective communication.
Why It Matters: Role-play is recommended in the UK curriculum to enhance speaking and listening skills (National Curriculum, 2014).
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Podcast Creation: The Art of Presentation
Activity: Collaborate with your child to create short podcasts on subjects they find captivating. This fosters research, planning, and speaking skills.
Why It Matters: Creating podcasts can help improve presentation and research skills (Educational Endowment Foundation, 2017).
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Public Speaking Challenges: Build Confidence
Activity: Challenge your child to speak about a chosen topic in front of the family or virtually to friends and relatives. This builds confidence in public speaking.
Why It Matters: Developing confidence in speaking is vital for oracy development (Education Endowment Foundation, 2019).
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Book Clubs: A World of Words
Activity: Launch a family book club. Discuss and review books, encouraging your child to express their thoughts and engage in meaningful conversations.
Why It Matters: Engaging in book discussions improves comprehension and articulation skills (Morgan & Sider, 2006).
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Story Narration Recordings: Learning from Playback
Activity: Have your child narrate a story while recording it. Later, review the recording together to provide feedback.
Why It Matters: Self-assessment and feedback are essential components of oracy development (Gates, 2002).
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Show and Tell: Share and Shine
Activity: Include “show and tell” sessions in your routine, where your child presents and explains a personal item of significance.
Why It Matters: Show and Tell activities enhance vocabulary, expressive language, and confidence in speaking (Lam, 2010).
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News Reports: Mini Journalists in the Making
Activity: Create a family news broadcast with your child as the news anchor. Report on current events, personal achievements, or topics of interest.
Why It Matters: Such activities improve fluency and confidence in speaking (Education Scotland, 2010).
These activities are designed to be enjoyable and educational. By incorporating them into your child’s daily life, you can promote effective communication and enhance their overall language development, all while aligning with the UK curriculum.
As you unlock the power of oracy, you’re giving your child a priceless gift that will serve them well in school and life. So, embark on this exciting journey together and watch your child’s communication skills flourish!
For further information visit englishcollegedubai.com
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