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[P+S] Primary & Secondary Evidence of Thinking

Micro-Orals That Make Authenticity Normal

A micro-oral is a short, structured explanation by the student, during the learning, not at the end. It is not an interrogation. It is a routine that says: your thinking matters enough to be heard. When you do this consistently, it becomes culture.
Classroom Strategy

Build a 90-second checkpoint into your next draft. Students answer three prompts before they submit. The simplest prompt across all subjects works in every learning area and is hard to fake without understanding.

  • "Define one term."
  • "Explain one decision."
  • "Recall one source."

Universal prompt: "Tell me one decision you made, and why." Works in Maths, Science, English, Social Sciences, and Technology.

Making It Accessible for All Learners

The micro-oral is most effective when it is genuinely accessible to every student in the room. Three adjustments that keep it fair without reducing its integrity value.

  • For students with anxiety: give the prompts in writing first so students can prepare before speaking
  • For students with speech needs: accept a written or drawn response to the same prompts
  • For language differences: allow the student to respond in their home language if a bilingual peer or staff member can assist
Primary — Year 3

After writing instructions, students record a short audio: what was the tricky part, and what did you change to fix it? Assess the student's ability to name a problem and a revision choice.

Secondary — Year 11

During an internal, students do a quick teacher check: define key terms, explain one decision they made, cite one source from memory. If AI was used in a permitted way, students can still pass because the thinking is theirs.

Decision Checkpoint

How will you ensure your micro-oral routine is accessible and fair for all learners, including students with anxiety, speech needs, or language differences?

Governance Reminder

If recording audio, check your school's expectations first. Offer live explanation as an alternative. Keep all evidence inside school systems and never upload student recordings to third-party tools.

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