English · Stage 6

Read the Room

Oracy — read the room: match your words, tone and manners to the listener and the setting, speaking one way to a friend ("Hey, can you…?") and another to a principal ("Excuse me, would you mind…?").

✦ English📘 Stage 6 · S6⏱ ~10 min🧒 Ages 10–12★ Free to start

I can adapt talk to formal and informal contexts.

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Kavi Reads the Room

"The same idea can sound two ways," said Kavi. "To my friend I say, “Hey, can you pass me that?” — easy and friendly. To the principal I say, “Excuse me, would you mind passing me that, please?” — polite and careful. I didn't change what I wanted; I changed how I said it, to match who I'm talking to and where we are. That's called reading the room — and it's a superpower."

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What your child will learn

1Kavi asks for the same thing — twiceTap each line to hear it. The message is the same both times; only the words, tone and manners change — relaxed for a friend, polite and careful for an adult in charge.

2Who + where → how you talkBefore you speak, look around. Who are you talking to — a friend, or an adult in charge? Where are you — the playground, or an assembly? Then pick words and a tone that fit.

3Which way of talking is this?

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A peek inside

Watch me read the room. I want to borrow a ruler. I'm asking my friend Milo. Which way fits best?
(a) “Excuse me, Milo, would you be so kind as to lend me a ruler?”
(b) “Hey Milo, can I borrow your ruler?”

a friend is a relaxed, informal setting — easy, friendly words fit best

Try this at home: What two things should you look at before you choose how to talk?

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Part of English · Stage 6 · S6 on KAVI Academy — a secular, whole-child learning platform for ages 5–12.