Why teach Topical Talk?
Topical Talk is a programme of weekly lessons on current affairs which support your curriculum and school needs.
Topical Talk provides:
✔ A free weekly lesson on a topic in the news
✔ Exciting competitions and prizes
✔ A library of hundreds of lessons and supporting resources
✔ Bespoke training for groups of schools or teachers
Topical Talk supports schools
Explore some of the curricula and school priorities covered by Topical Talk
Media literacy
Media literacy is the ability to critically analyse stories presented in the media and to determine their accuracy or credibility. Topical Talk supports media literacy in three ways:
- Technical skills: some lessons provide specific opportunities to practice building technical media literacy skills, such as identifying misinformation
- Critical thinking: all lessons support the development and tracking of critical thinking skills
- Real-world application: lessons provide varied and evolving current affairs content to practice these skills in complex, real-world scenarios
Topical Talk was a first-prize winner of the UNESCO Global Media and Information Literacy Awards in 2022.
90% of teachers say Topical Talk develops media literacy.
English curriculum
Many teachers in England use Topical Talk within their English curriculum.
Key Stage 2
Topical Talk supports reading and writing by helping learners develop their vocabulary, explore different perspectives and justify their views. Through regular Topical Talk lessons, students will be able to identify themes and make links and comparisons between current affairs and other areas of their learning.
Key Stage 3
Topical Talk uses discussion and debate to learn and build confidence in speaking, listening and critical-thinking skills. This underpins the development of reading and writing skills during key stage 3 and prepares them for writing to argue when they transition to KS4.
Skills Builder Universal Framework
Topical Talk uses the Skills Builder Universal Framework to ensure it develops creative problem-solving and communication skills. Every lesson is built around one of these skills and there are opportunities to reflect on progress. If you teach Topical Talk regularly with students, you’ll comprehensively cover the Framework’s speaking, listening, problem-solving and creativity skills.
Students can make up to 7x the progress of their peers in these skills.
Oracy
Topical Talk utilises dialogic teaching strategies and student-led discussion to facilitate talk about topics that impact students’ lives, supporting children to develop opinions through discussion. Topical Talk lessons include debate and presentation opportunities alongside the chance to negotiate a shared solution, build understanding through discussion and listen to different perspectives with an open mind.
"As a teacher it’s one of my favourite things to do. Facilitating a conversation to get them to lead a conversation among themselves is a rare thing. I love it."
– Lorna Clifford, Teacher
Sustainable Development Goals
Topical Talk lessons cover global current affairs with a solution-focused approach. Every lesson links to one or more SDG. Whether it's exploring methods to prevent wildfires (goal 13: climate action) or considering different perspectives about conflicts (goal 16: peace, justice and strong institutions), children that take part in Topical Talk will explore a wide range of issues relevant to the SDGs.
British values
Topical Talk lessons are designed to foster open-minded discussions about the news. Activities expose children to different perspectives on the biggest issues affecting global and local communities and encourage respectful conversations. Our teacher training builds your confidence to tackle complex and sensitive topics.
✔ Democracy
✔ The rule of law
✔ Individual liberty
✔ Mutual respect
✔ Tolerance
