Phew – I’ve just handed in my manuscript! For the past ten months I’ve been writing a practical book about oracy, and I’m excited to announce that it will be published by Bloomsbury in 2024.

Here’s a sneak preview from the book – a quick activity about using talk to develop friendships. Perfect for the beginning of the school year.

Compliment Lines

First, familiarise your class with what compliments are. Model giving some compliments to your pupils, for example: Your new hairstyle looks cool, Robbie! or You were really kind when you helped Sir pick up his things, Qihao!

Divide the class into two rows facing each other so everyone has a partner. Children take turns with their partner to give each other a genuine compliment. Then a child at one end moves to the other end, and everyone from that row steps sideways to their next partner. The compliments continue!