Twilight Talk - Oral Language: The Heart of Learning
- Online
- 18 Jun 2025 (16:00 - 17:00)
Research unequivocally shows oral language is the foundation of all literacy. Yet many pupils enter school with language delays, impacting their ability to read, access the curriculum and even their well-being. These challenges also disproportionately affect vulnerable communities, including English Language Learners and those from disadvantaged backgrounds.
This session will first dive into the Science of Reading, emphasising the dual pillars of learning to read: decoding and language comprehension. We then explore research that underscores how language underpins the entire process of learning to read. This session goes on to highlight the long-term impact of language deficits and demonstrate how early identification and intervention can produce meaningful improvements in outcomes.
You can read more about our Twilight Talks sessions on our dedicated page.
Online
Suitable for: Assistant Head Teacher, Deputy Head Teacher, Inclusion Manager/Leader, Newly Qualified Teacher, SENCO, Support staff, Teacher, Head Teacher, Senior Leader
Meet your trainer
Sarah Hearne
Sarah holds an MSc in Social Cognition and a BSc (Hons) in Psychology. At the University of Oxford, she worked on research into the effectiveness of the Nuffield Early Language Intervention (NELI) using LanguageScreen and also supported the rollout of NELI to thousands of schools across England. In her role at OxEd, Sarah supports schools to deliver the NELI programme in the UK and internationally.
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