Our oracy formula

Pick a topic

Anything that can be written about can also be talked about! 

Pick whatever’s on your curriculum plan just now, or search our database of topics …

We’ve got a rich set of different activities, from quick starters to formats that can last a whole lesson …

Oracy’s both at the heart of what we’ve always been doing as teachers, and an exciting journey that can last a lifetime.

Our key message is: get your classes listening, thinking and speaking today!

And, if you’d ever like more support, check out our pupil workshops and teacher CPD

Argument tennis

What is argument tennis?

Also known as ‘rebuttal tennis’, argument tennis is a great activity where two students face each other in an exciting exchange of arguments and responses.

How does it work?

  • Pairs of students stand or sit opposite each other
  • One student makes a statement for, and the other immediately disagrees.
  • Then the first student disagrees back – the winner is the person who keeps going the longest.

Adaptations and differentiations

  • Play as “doubles” to involve four students on each “court”, which can help support less able or confident participants
  • Make it a ‘volleyball’ match with one half of the class ‘for’ and one half of the class ‘against’
  • Give all pairs the same topic, then get them to feedback at the end. Use class discussion to make rebuttal better and more precise.