IOE Insights

Julie Dockrell talks to us about how oral language is the foundation for all other learning and what the implications of this are for teachers.Julie talks about how her research aims to help children develop a flexible use of language across different contexts, for instance through a programme that supports children's conversational skills.She explores the importance of developing children's inference skills and oral comprehension by encouraging children to talk about and understand the texts they're reading.Julie also discusses the different types of multilingual classrooms and how teachers can address the challenges of teaching when there are many different languages in a classroom – though she also emphasises the importance of acknowledging the diversity of languages and translanguaging in particular.Full show notes, links and transcript: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/ioe/news/2025/feb/if-we-dont-create-opportunities-talk-we-build-disadvantage-staffroom-s05e02

Show Notes

Julie Dockrell talks to us about how oral language is the foundation for all other learning and what the implications of this are for teachers.
Julie talks about how her research aims to help children develop a flexible use of language across different contexts, for instance through a programme that supports children's conversational skills.
She explores the importance of developing children's inference skills and oral comprehension by encouraging children to talk about and understand the texts they're reading.
Julie also discusses the different types of multilingual classrooms and how teachers can address the challenges of teaching when there are many different languages in a classroom – though she also emphasises the importance of acknowledging the diversity of languages and translanguaging in particular.
Full show notes, links and transcript: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/ioe/news/2025/feb/if-we-dont-create-opportunities-talk-we-build-disadvantage-staffroom-s05e02

Creators and Guests

EL
Host
Elaine Long
MQ
Host
Mark Quinn

What is IOE Insights?

Thoughts and ideas on education, culture, psychology and social science to create lasting and evolving change from our academics, students, alumni and other brave thinkers. Podcasts brought to you by UCL Institute of Education (IOE), the world's leading centre for education and social science research, courses and teaching, and a faculty of University College London (UCL).

More from us: https://ucl.ac.uk/ioe