Embedding oral language across the curriculum

I attended a workshop facilitated by Sheena Cameron and Louise Dempsey to explore some more options for embedding more oral language into my teaching and learning programme.  The authors of The Writing Book , Cameron and Dempsey have also written the Oral language book.

Some key takeaways for me were:

Develop oral literacy for the whole class not just the ones who sit at the front but the whole class.

Goal to develop student oral literacy skills, especially listening - critical listening.

Develop no hands up conversations within my classroom. Adults don't need to put up their hands when talking to each other so it makes sense for students to develop the ability to take turns when talking to each other and to develop active listening skills.

Introduce learning buddies.  Put up class list on whiteboard with labels that can be changed easily.

Update:

I have been slowly embedding the no hands up conversations and the students have been really enjoying it. I still need to develop a more fluid conversation starter but it is progressing nicely.  I am very aware of thinking time when developing class discussions, with perseverance the students are slowly getting the message that throwing up their hands quickly is not going to get them the talking stick.