'Brilliant and inspiring' Alastair Campbell
'Parents, politicians, teachers, students - you should all read this brilliant book' Anthony Seldon

Literacy. Numeracy. Oracy?

In this persuasive and powerful manifesto, Professor Neil Mercer argues that we have overlooked one of the most important skills of all: the ability to communicate effectively through spoken language. Oracy is not about speaking 'proper', or eliminating style, slang and regional accents, but about empowering people to find and express their voice.

This is the first book to bring oracy to a wider audience, revealing it as a key driver of cognitive development, academic attainment and social mobility. But the book is also practical: a guide to how to use talk to develop critical thinking and find creative solutions for life's burning issues. After all, the impact of oracy doesn't stop at the school gates: we all need oracy skills for our personal relationships, professional networks and social lives.

'Fantastic' Jeffrey Boakye
'Tremendous, necessary and enlightening' Michael Rosen