Good Idea: Using technology to boost children's speaking and listening skills

Provider Audioboo and Michael Faraday Primary School, Southwark
Name Talk Aloud

Today’s primary school children are completely unfazed by technology, so Michael Faraday Primary School in Southwark is harnessing the facilities in its new high-tech building to help improve speaking and listening skills. Teachers have been using technology provided by Audioboo as a teaching tool, encouraging pupils to analyse their own speech.

Classes from years 3 and 6 made short unrehearsed recordings, known as “boos”. They then listened and evaluated the recordings. The pupils were able to identify errors in their pronunciation, stuttering and hesitation and correct their use of slang before recording a second set of “boos”.

“By the time we had the second recording delivered, they felt much more confident and were proud of what they had achieved. It was good for their self-esteem,” says their teacher, Gabrielle Khan.

Teachers chose “All About Me” as the topic for the Audioboos, which meant the children did not need to focus on a subject and could focus on their speech. Recordings were instantly uploaded to the web, allowing pupils to share their work with family, improving the important link between home and school learning.

Parents and members of the community were invited to an exhibition of the project, along with the Mayor of Southwark and local councillors.

“We are a community-based school,” says Khan. “To welcome people into the building, establishing links with parents and with the community was another key idea in the project.”