THE ENGLISH-SPEAKING UNION
THE ENGLISH-SPEAKING UNION
England & Wales registered charity no. 273136
Oracy Education with the English-Speaking Union
Our mission
The English-Speaking Union equips young people with the communication skills and cross-cultural understanding they need to thrive and build a more collaborative world.
We believe in driving dialogue, not division. At a time when public discussion is increasingly polarised, the ESU supports young people to listen actively, express themselves with confidence and engage thoughtfully with different points of view. Oracy is a foundational skill for life, and at the ESU it underpins everything we do.
The ESU is an international educational charity with representation in over 50 countries worldwide. In England and Wales, we work closely with schools and teachers through our workshops and competitions to build confidence, communication and critical thinking skills, helping young people to reach their full potential.
CPD for teachers
Led by experienced oracy leaders, sessions focus on the ESU’s Four Key Skill Sets: Expression and Delivery; Reasoning and Evidence; Organisation and Prioritisation; and Listening and Response. Teachers leave with the skills and resources they need to foster confident communication and more inclusive classroom dialogue. Workshops can be flexible and tailored to the needs of individual schools.
Discover Your Voice (DYV)
Discover Your Voice is the ESU’s student-facing oracy workshop programme, designed to support young people to reach their full potential. Through interactive sessions led by trained oracy leaders, students develop the confidence, communication and critical thinking skills to participate fully in school life and beyond.
Competitions
The English-Speaking Union is renowned for its nationally recognised oracy competitions, which give thousands of young people across England and Wales the opportunity to practise and showcase their speaking and listening skills in a supportive but challenging environment.
Schools’ Mace Debating Competition
Founded in 1957, the ESU Schools’ Mace is the oldest and largest debating competition for schools in England and Wales. Open to students from Key Stages 3-5, it encourages young people to engage with topical issues, develop reasoned arguments and participate in respectful debate.
Public Speaking Competition
The largest public speaking competition of its kind in England and Wales, this unique team-based format allows students to develop different oracy skills as speakers, chairs and questioners.
Performing Shakespeare Competition
This competition invites Key Stage 3 and home-educated students to explore Shakespeare’s language through performance. By presenting as well as performing monologues or duologues, participants develop a deeper appreciation of language and literature.
International Public Speaking Competition
In addition to our UK competitions, the ESU also runs the International Public Speaking Competition (IPSC), one of the world’s largest public speaking competitions for young people. Bringing together national champions from ESU member countries across the globe, the IPSC promotes cross-cultural understanding and respectful dialogue, giving students the opportunity to engage with global perspectives and communicate on an international stage.