Oracy

A tremendous, necessary and enlightening book that takes us into how talk ticks, and why we need to nurture it. Neil Mercer shows us in fine detail how better talkers are better learners – Michael RosenAs someone who has in-depth conversations for a living, even I found much to inspire and inform in this manifesto for oracy as a vital tool for how we learn, listen, communicate and evolve – Nihal ArthanayakeBrilliant and inspiring – Alastair CampbellThis book is as overdue as it is informed. Wide-ranging and insightful, Professor Mercer draws on everything: the history of language, the inherent cultural depth in accent and dialect, the craft of collaboration, the life-changing impact of owning your voice from early years to university and beyond. In doing so, he debunks the long-held myth of traditional education and demonstrates – through examples and clear frameworks – how oracy, when taught well, is as educationally beneficial as it is personally liberating. One core skill within oracy is the ability to listen – the Department of Education would be well advised to listen to Neil Mercer. – Rufus NorrisFantastic. In our increasingly fractured world, this timely, engaging and vital book shows us how to develop a meaningful culture of oracy – Jeffrey BoakyeParents, politicians, teachers, students – you should all read this brilliant and immensely fun book. You’ll never be quite the same again – Anthony SeldonSimply, concisely and with inescapable logic, Neil Mercer makes the vital case for a radical recentering of oracy at the heart of a deep, thoughtful and intellectually rigorous curriculum – Sammy WrightOracy is the most creative and constructive innovation in educational practice of the past half century. Neil Mercer brilliantly shows why it should now be compulsory – Simon JenkinsNeil Mercer writes with wisdom, insight and humour, leaving us in no doubt about the power of talk to transform our lives and relationships. This is an essential book for parents, grandparents, teachers and anyone who works with children – Alison PeacockThis is a superb, lucid introduction to the concept of oracy. It powerfully explains why it’s a game-changer for young people’s learning, essential to the craft of great teachers, and vital to our democracy by helping future citizens to debate, argue, and listen actively & critically. Recommended. – Geoff BartonNeil Mercer’s excellent and compelling book is essential for anyone who wants to develop effective speaking and listening skills, and understand why these skills are so crucial for success in school, work and life – Iain McNicolExpressing yourself is something every child should master … oracy needs to be placed firmly at the heart of school life – Keir Starmer * The Times *

Neil Mercer is Emeritus Professor of Education at the University of Cambridge, Director of Oracy Cambridge- the Hughes Hall Centre for Effective Spoken Communication, a Life Fellow at Hughes Hall and an Associate Fellow of the British Psychological Society. He has been a Visiting Fellow of the English Language Institute of Singapore, a judge of international speaking competitions for the English Speaking Union and was appointed as an Expert Advisor to the 2024 Independent Oracy Commission. In 2019 he was given the Oevre Award by the European Association for Research into Learning and Instruction and in 2021 awarded the John Nisbet Fellowship by the British Educational Research Association for outstanding contributions to educational research.