MACS Flourishing Learners - Vision for Instruction

Want Your Child to Be a Confident Speaker? 

                                                  Writing Helps!          

You’ve probably heard the word “oracy” popping up more in education conversations. It simply means the ability to speak well—to explain ideas clearly, hold a conversation, or give a talk in front of others. These skills are so important for your child’s future—whether it’s answering questions in class, making friends, sitting in a job interview, or sharing an idea with confidence.

But here’s something surprising: one of the best ways to help children become good speakers is to actually teach them to write.

Why?

When we speak casually, we often use short sentences, repeat ourselves, or rely on gestures and tone to get our point across. But when we write, we need to use more precise words and build longer, clearer sentences. That practice strengthens the kind of language children also need when they speak in more formal settings.

Think of it this way:

• Writing stretches thinking. It helps children organise their ideas and use richer vocabulary.
• Speaking supports writing. Discussing ideas first gives children the chance to test out their thoughts before putting them on paper.

            Together, they build confidence. The more children practise both, the more fluent                they become in explaining what they know.

At school, teachers are giving students chances to talk about what they’re learning, connect their ideas with words like because, however, or although, and then use those same skills in their writing. This back-and-forth between speaking and writing helps children become more thoughtful communicators all round.

And here’s the key takeaway for parents: if you want to support your child’s speaking skills, encourage their writing too. When they write—even just a few sentences—they’re learning to structure their ideas in ways that will also make them stronger, clearer, and more confident speakers.

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What You Can Do at Home

• Talk and Tell: Ask your child about their day, but encourage them to explain why something happened, not just what happened.

   

• Write It Down: After a fun family outing, invite your child to write 2–3 sentences about it. Later, ask them to read it aloud to you.
• Use “Big” Words Together: Try words like because, although, or however in family conversations. This helps children link ideas clearly in both speech and writing.
• Swap Roles: Let your child be the “teacher” and explain something they know well (how to play a game, how a machine works, or how to cook a simple dish). Speaking to teach others builds confidence.
• Celebrate Effort: Praise not just what your child writes or says, but the effort they put into organising and explaining their ideas.

Every little bit of talking and writing at home builds the foundation for confident communication in the classroom—and far beyond it.