Critical thinking, oral language, and embodiment in the primary classroom: a critical thematic literature review

Abstract This article presents a critical thematic literature review examining how contemporary Western research conceptualises the intersections of oracy, embodiment, power relations, oral literacies, and critical thinking in primary literacy education. Analysing peer-reviewed studies published between 2010 and 2025, and informed by longstanding Australian and international scholarship, the review identifies four major themes concerning the role of oral language and talk in literacy learning: d