Rachael Rudham describes the thinking and discussion that led her department to plan systematically for the integration of speaking and listening tasks into Year 7 history lessons. Speaking and listening is a serious business; it is not a ‘light’ option, argues Rachael, and it should never be used as a mere ‘pupil-pleaser’. She discusses the value of speaking and listening as a way of developing historical thinking in different pupils, she explores the importance of rooting activities in sound historical knowledge and she emphasises the need to put history learning objectives first. All this is described in the context of her department’s professional learning journey and its conclusions about effective practice. She integrates a feast of inspiring practical examples, through which she illustrates the close relationship between reading, writing, speaking and listening.