Nurturing Courage, Language and Confidence Through Oracy

2026-01-31

At the Nursery at Hiba Academy Hangzhou, we use the internationally recognised research from Voice21 as a basis for our Oracy approach. Voice21 is the UK's oracy education charity, which works with schools to transform learning through talk. Oracy is the articulation of ideas, the development of understanding and the engagement with others through speaking, listening and communication. Oracy skills set children up for success in school and beyond. Without strong oracy skills children would not be able to confidently read, write or communicate their knowledge. This is the first step on the journey to successful communication – in social, academic and career-based scenarios.

Oracy opportunities in both Chinese and English abound at Hiba. One of our most unique and well-loved parts of the week is our whole Nursery 'Music Garden' event. Held each Friday morning, the Music Garden is an opportunity for pupils (and even adults!) to perform for their peers in an informal, supportive environment. Each Music Garden is wonderfully unique, with performances from individuals, small groups and whole classes. Each week we are wowed by singers, instrumentalists, dancers and poets. Performers choose to sign up each week, demonstrating the Hiba value of courage when taking to the Nursery stage to share something personal with their peers.

Underneath the joy of Music Garden is a framework which facilitates deep learning, critical thinking and language development. The Voice21 Oracy Framework details the elements of language that are promoted through our joyful Friday mornings.

The first strand of the Oracy Framework looks at the physical act of speaking – the use of voice and body language. Performers in the Music Garden must use their physical skills to speak, sing or perform loud enough to be heard by those in the audience. Not too loud, like shouting, but not too soft, like whispering. Getting this just right is something that the Music Garden sessions give pupils the opportunity to explore, beyond the classroom. Benefits include improved vocal projection, clearer articulation and greater stage presence, which support confident speaking in both Chinese and English.

The second strand of the Voice21 Framework is 'Linguistic' – defined as knowing which words and phrases to use and when to use them. In the Music Garden, pupils have the opportunity to introduce themselves and their chosen performance piece by joining ideas together using words like 'and', 'because' and 'but'. Looking into the second semester of this academic year, we are excited to open the hosting responsibilities to EY3 and EY4 pupils each week, increasing opportunities for all pupils to develop these skills.

The third strand of Voice21's Oracy Framework is 'cognitive'. This links to the deliberate application of thought to what you're going to say, including the content, structure, reasoning and clarification. In the Music Garden, this could look like answering questions from the host or the audience, or deciding which details about the performance are most important to share. These activities strengthen planning, organisation of ideas and early reasoning skills.

The fourth and final strand of the Oracy Framework is 'Social & Emotional'. Opportunities in this area are almost never-ending in our Music Gardens! When looking at this strand, we focus on working with others, listening and responding appropriately, confidence when speaking and audience awareness. Our performers and audience have to work hard to develop skills in this area – from waiting patiently for a turn, or for the audience to be ready, to listening carefully to the host to know when it is time to begin. Music Garden sessions provide a wide range of opportunities to develop social and emotional skills that are useful for oracy. Music Garden sessions provide a wide range of opportunities to develop social and emotional skills that are useful for oracy, including resilience, empathy, turn-taking and constructive peer feedback.

In short, our Music Garden is a joyful, curriculum-aligned space where children practise the physical, linguistic, cognitive and social-emotional skills of talk—building the oracy foundations they need for success at school and beyond. Don't just take our word for how much learning happens in the Music Garden – check out what our community have to say!

Community Response - Pupils

"I like singing, I am not afraid, I am not scared. I like signing with Flora."

– Yoyo, EY1 pupil

"I like to sing and dance. I just sit down and listen with my ear. I am a little bit afraid. I like singing on my own."

– Julia, EY1 pupil

“I love Music Garden. I started singing there in EY2. Sometimes I get a little nervous, but mostly it's fine. I like songs by Jay Chou. Next, I'll perform 'The Cup of Life' this Friday.”

– Ferrari, EY3 pupil

"I like singing Banyongzi, this is a Chinese song. A little nervous, yes. So I sit with my little sister."

– Xixi, EY4 pupil

Community Response - Parents

"As parents, it is heartwarming to see Julia's excitement in the build-up leading to her performance, and her excitement continues well after her time on stage. She is very eager to share her experience with her loved ones, as we are prompted to video call grandparents to allow her to share her news.

We, as parents, agree that one of the most important benefits of Julia being able to perform at Music Garden is the massive boost to her confidence and creative development. Being able to be on stage in front of teachers and peers and perform songs or talents is a highly beneficial skill, it also provides an opportunity to start the development of her confidence and her creativity at an early stage.

Identifying her interest in performing allows us to encourage positive habits at home, as we are often fortunate to be entertained by regular shows of songs and dance."

– Julia's Dad, EY1 parent

"As the youngest child in her grade, I initially aimed to build her confidence and cultivate a courageous mindset. Later on, when she faces flowers and applause, she’ll be able to experience joy and composure without becoming complacent or anxious.

Each successful performance at Music Garden gives the children tremendous encouragement, and this newfound confidence can extend into various aspects of their studies and daily lives. Many children have come to appreciate the beauty of music through Elsa and have eagerly signed up to learn musical instruments.

Together, they share the joy of learning the violin or other instruments—a positive feedback loop that's incredibly uplifting and motivating.

Thanks to this unique home-school co-educational approach, Elsa has become increasingly confident, feeling that she's great at everything and radiating an extraordinary sense of energy and sparkle in her eyes.

This is precisely why we chose the Nursery at Hiba Academy Hangzhou. Together, we can explore the true essence of joyful education.

Participating in Music Garden allows more children and teachers to get to know Elsa. Her repertoire is perfectly suited for kindergarten kids, and everyone affectionately calls her 'the Little Violinist.' Through this process, she feels deeply happy and connected within the community.

Once, during Elsa's solo violin performance of 'Farewell,' Ms Kelly took charge of the entire event, and everyone joined in singing together. The atmosphere was gentle yet powerful, filled with warmth and enthusiasm—so much so that many people were moved to tears. Music truly has the power to convey beauty.

Every week, Elsa proactively selects a new piece or segment of music that's perfect for kindergarten kids to enjoy. She looks forward to bringing it to Music Garden on Fridays, eager to share her joy with all the little friends there.

She's remarkably proactive and motivated. As the violin becomes increasingly challenging, I completely lose track of what’s going on, so she practices and learns on her own at home. The only thing parents of young musicians can really do is help her choose pieces to perform and assist her by opening her iPad to find accompaniment tracks.”

– Elsa's Mum, EY3 parent

"Participating in the Music Garden helps children build confidence and stage presence. It also allows them to learn from each other through imitation and encourages them to look forward to the weekly Friday showcase. After all, music itself has this magical quality that brings joy to everyone.

My child does share her thoughts and feelings with me. Since she's naturally passionate about performing on stage, she used to feel a bit sad when she wasn't the first one to go up. But after some adjustments, things have improved significantly now.

I respect her personal wishes and try to help her discover where her true talents lie. We learn and practice together, and I always remind her that even though everyone has the chance to perform on stage, it's ultimately up to her to seize those opportunities.

So, my child signed up herself and is following her own instincts. I'm here to support her and respect her choices—whenever she wants to take the stage, I'll be right there by her side, fully backing her."

– Yoyo's Mum, EY1 parent

Community Response - Teacher

"The Music Garden serves as an incubator for children's confidence, a connector of community emotions, and a first window to the world.

For children, it provides a safe and encouraging environment that helps them transition from "I can't" to "I can," building irreplaceable self-identity through applause. For the community, it brings teachers, parents and children together in shared joy and engagement, where everyone participates, strengthening a sense of belonging and cohesion. For cognitive development, it opens children's understanding of the world through diverse cultural, poetic and artistic elements, planting seeds of curiosity and inclusivity in a natural and vivid way."

– Ms Kelly, Music Teacher