'Brilliant and inspiring' Alastair Campbell 'Tremendous, necessary and enlightening' Michael Rosen Literacy. Numeracy. Oracy? For generations our education system has been built on the twin pillars of literacy and numeracy. But what if a third - and equally vital - pillar has been ignored? Enter oracy: communicating effectively, articulating ideas and engaging with others through spoken language. In this persuasive and powerful manifesto, Neil Mercer calls for oracy, as a subject and a set of skills, to have equal footing alongside literacy and numeracy. Oracy education has nothing to do with speaking 'proper', or eliminating style, slang and regional accents, but is instead about empowering people to find and express their voice. In fact, oracy is a key driver of cognitive development, academic attainment and social mobility. Oracy: The Transformative Power of Finding Your Voice is the first book to bring this important step change in educational and social thinking to a wider audience.

But it is also practical: a guide to how to use talk to teach critical thinking and find creative solutions to 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 'Parents, politicians, teachers, students - you should all read this brilliant book' Anthony Seldon.