7: Strategies for Valuing and Developing Academic Talk to Support Academic Preparedness

In this penultimate chapter, we focus on how to support the uptake of academic talk – both within academic preparation contexts and beyond – and what this might look like in the classroom. We examine the ways to leverage the pedagogic opportunities of academic talk to better prepare students for university study and set up the expectations and conditions for better learning once enrolled, especially for educationally disadvantaged students. We outline strategies to utilise academic talk more confidently and effectively in higher education settings, and particularly during the transition into university study. We also consider the implications for assessment and policy, and professional development opportunities that will help educators to harness the possibilities of academic talk in higher education teaching settings.