KS3
Oral Presentations - Model Preparation Steps
* Focus and Refine Ideas
Your first task is to decide on your focus, or your slant for this oral presentation.
What position will you take regarding your topic?
Will you present a balanced view or slant your speech in favour of one idea/position, eg “that on balance despite the drawbacks a car is more a friend than foe” ?
* Research
Once you’ve taken a position you may find you need more information.
It may be facts to back up your idea/point-of-view/position.
It may be anecdotes/stories from friends.
Facts about insurance, petrol, servicing costs, etc
* Shaping and Planning Your Presentation
Now you need to organise your information.
Do you have enough?
Do you have too much?
Make notes but don’t write an essay. This is a speech after all!
Remember the time expectation and target audience here.
Remember you will need an introduction and conclusion to wrap around the main body of information/opinion in your presentation.
Think of this in the same way as you would write an essay. Content is crucial but how you string it all together is important too. You want your audience to be able to follow you, to understand the point of your talk, to laugh in the right place and to applaud at the end.
* Audience and Purpose
As you embark on this part of the task you need to think carefully about your audience and purpose.
Why are you making this speech?
To whom are you speaking?
These things will inform the choices you make in organising and presenting your material.
* Practice
Once you’ve organised your material, refined your notes and made prompt notes (see palm cards) you should practice your oral presentation.
Use the mirror
Use friends/family
Video yourself
Time yourself
Accept feedback, advice, criticism – it will all help you to cope with nerves, eliminate mistakes, refine your presentation for assessment and for getting the best mark you can
* Presentation
Criteria for Judging Performance
Students’ will demonstrate:
* knowledge and understanding about their chosen topic
* the ability to use the conventions and structures appropriate to the chosen audience and form of presentation;
* accuracy, clarity and fluency in oral communication.
The Speech
Your Introduction
The purpose of your introduction is to connect with the audience. You let them know what you will be talking about, you make them feel welcome and you arouse their interest in your topic.
Main body
Now that you have captured the interest of the audience and introduced your topic you move into the main body of your speech. Putting time into your preparation will go a long way to ensuring that you feel comfortable with your material.
Keep your audience focused
It is your responsibility to keep your audience focused on your topic. How do you stop their minds wandering? You do this by reinforcing your topic frequently to keep their attention. Every time you introduce another part of your talk, you remind your audience of your topic.
Your use of language
Your words are your main tool to share your ideas with your audience. Vibrant and expressive language will give quality to your ideas. The wider your vocabulary, the more words you have to choose to express yourself. Consult your Thesaurus to add variety to your vocabulary.
Use linking words so that the audience can follow your train of thought such as for example, another, however, in addition, moreover, whereas, consequently.
Include examples and analogies to support your point of view. An analogy is a method of comparison in which one state of affairs is likened to another.
Avoid the following expressions
Cliches. These are stereotyped expressions or worn out phrases. Words which have been overused soon lose their interest. Here are some examples of cliches:
‘put on hold’, cutting edge, in the pipeline, life was not meant to be easy, can’t judge a book by its cover, feet of clay.’
Can you think of any more cliches? When you use such expressions you run the risk of being seen as a lazy speaker.
Slang and colloquial expressions. These are words and expressions which are more suitable for informal use such as in personal conversations. For example, ‘they had a bit of a fling’ , ‘blow me down’ , ‘he got up my nose’.
While you are advised to avoid the thoughtless use of cliches and slang, examples of either may be just what you want to use for a desired effect. The audience will easily recognise the difference between careless and careful use of language!
Conclusion
How will you finish your talk? Avoid ending lamely. You have worked hard to build a relationship with your audience so you want to leave positively. You should try to appeal to their emotions.
Link your conclusion to your introduction. If you started with a story, try extending it or giving it another angle. If you began with a question, return to it and give your answer. You could use a quote which sums up your ideas.
Your delivery
Your speech needs to be both well prepared and delivered. Your voice is your main tool so the more practice you have speaking in front of an audience, the better trained your voice will be. The more confident and relaxed you are, the better control you will have of your voice.
Speak clearly
It is your responsibility to speak so that your audience can hear and understand you. Check your pronunciation so that you use words correctly. Ask for feedback about your articulation. If you clip words or drop your ‘gs’, concentrate on sounding the end syllable of words so that your words do not run into each other. Do not let your voice trail away at the end of sentences. This is a bad habit and can make you hard to hear.
Pace your delivery
Nervous speakers often rush their delivery. They sound as if they want to get their talk over as soon as possible. When you practise your delivery, make sure that the pace of your talk is appropriate for your audience and your topic. If you speak too quickly, the audience will have trouble understanding you, but then again if you are too slow, your audience may go to sleep. Try to vary the pace of your delivery. Work out the places where you should speak more slowly, perhaps to emphasise a point you are making. Experiment with a deliberate pause for dramatic effect. There will be other times in your delivery when it is appropriate for you to speak more quickly. Such variations in your delivery help to keep audience attention.
Speak, do not read
You will sound more normal if you do not learn your talk off by heart. You will know your content very well because you have practised your speech many times, so you can now be confident in your ability to share your information. You will sound more spontaneous and personal if you speak to the audience rather than read to them from your piece of paper.
Eye contact
Understand that your voice will follow your eyes. When you begin your talk, try looking 20 to 30 centimetres above the heads of the people in the back row to help you project your voice. As your talk progresses, look at other sections of the audience so that everybody feels included. Never keep your eyes on the one person or one section of the audience. The rest of the audience will feel left out.
Avoid distracting mannerisms
Mannerisms can be very distracting. A lack of confidence can lead speakers to adopt a variety of awkward mannerisms. Avoid twiddling with your hair, waving your arms around too frequently, walking around the platform, covering your mouth with your hand, pulling your ear. Such mannerisms tell the audience that you are nervous and not in control. Thorough preparation, concentration and practice will help you eradicate them.
Dealing with mistakes
It is very human to make a mistake. If you lose concentration and use the wrong word, quickly correct yourself. Take a few deep breaths and continue. However frequent mistakes indicate you have not done enough preparation or practice. Don’t be surprised if your teacher suggests you need to do more work!
Prompt cards
Speakers find prompt cards useful and reassuring. They should be the size of your palm so that you hold them unobtrusively in your hand. Prepare a card for each section of your talk. On the card, write significant words which will prompt your memory. It’s comforting to know you have help, just in case your mind goes blank.
Timing
Make the task more manageable by allocating time to your three sections. Here is a suggested guide.
Introduction 30 seconds – 1 minute
Main Body 4 to 5 minutes
Conclusion 30 seconds – 1 minute
Total 5-7 minutes
G&T Enrichment Oral Task – J. Swift