STUDENT / TEACHER INFORMATION

It is recommended that every student:

has a copy of the relevant assessment that is printed in the ORACY syllabus and is aware of the criteria for each section
is aware of the criteria on the report form
is aware of the skills / techniques of oral communication, particularly:
PROJECTION
POWER
PACE
PAUSE
practises aloud many times before the assessment -
Sections 1 2 & 3

Section 1 - Oral Presentation

ORAL COMMUNICATION = SPEAKING AND LISTENING
(assessed on both)

DO :

Choose topic - with which you are familiar - skill, interest, involved - FACTS and PERSONAL details
Prepare, select, organise, deliver
Make sure you have an
- arresting introduction
- interesting body
- strong conclusion

Deliver facts, thoughts, feelings, ideas, experiences, stories SPONTANEOUSLY
Mean what you say - enthusiasm - communicate with SINCERITY
Write headings on card (if you need to) and/or apply visual aids as cues to thinking
Keep hands free to communicate - non verbal communication
Plan your talk
practise aloud many times before the assessment
relax - confident poised body
be enthusiastic to share/communicate discoveries, thoughts, feelings, ideas etc
address your listeners with your eyes
arrest and hold attention of the listeners throughout - take them on a journey
lower jaw, open teeth and throw voice energetically so the listeners can catch the meaning
speak clearly
use appropriate pace
be aware of the value of "the precious pause"
use appropriate, flexible, pleasing, meaningful speech tunes - modulation
Use visuals - pictures, maps, objects, charts, diagrams to illustrate and enhance the spoken word.

DON'T:

Choose a topic that has very little meaning to you
Use palm cards on which essay is written
Memorise an essay
Read from written essay
Role play - perform or force the delivery
Let it happen on the day
Present to class before assessment day
Be tense - greatest fear of all is speaking in public
Look down at notes/card too often
Keep teeth closed
Whisper
Mumble
Speak quickly or rush from thought to thought - listeners need time to take in what you have said
Speak on a level tone - monotonous
Show visuals after you have finished or pass them around during talk

make sure that power point presentation will work on the day
be prepared and sure that it will work on the machine being used for the assessment - test before assessments begin
be aware of the time allocated to you - quick movement from one student to the other is necessary
consider the position of the screen
do not have essay written on screen - you may have headings
do not read from screen - focus on listeners and refer to screen when explaining pictures or diagrams
use a pointer e.g. ruler

Confidence Clarity Courtesy - Communicate/Connect/Share

DO:

Choose a story book that you have read and enjoyed
Select a meaningful passage with dialogue - under two minutes
Understand the meaning of all the words
Keep in mind that you are communicating the meaning and the mood to your listeners
Use your imagination to see the pictures, smell the smells, taste the tastes, hear the sounds and touch the objects as you read about them to the listeners
Bring the dialogue to life with appropriate vocal variations - become the characters vocally
Involve yourself completely in the situation
Stand comfortably - book up but not in front of face
Be aware of phrasing
Project the voice energetically
Be aware of the "precious pause" which enables you to control the delivery
Relax and use appropriate pace to suit the mood and meaning
Emphasise the important word/s in the phrase to make meaning clear
Use natural speech rhythms - make sense
Apply appropriate, meaningful and pleasing modulations of pitch
Practise aloud many times before the assessment day
Be familiar and confident with the passage
Apply eye contact - connect with the listeners
Listen to yourself as you practise

DON'T:

Confidence Clarity Courtesy - Communicate/Connect/Share

DO:

Choose a poem/drama/prose passage that you enjoy and want to share with the listeners
Choose a poem/drama/prose passage to suit your audience
Understand the meaning of all the words
Be secure with the words long before the assessment day
Keep in mind that you are communicating the meaning and the mood to your listeners
Take the printed words off the page and give them life
Use your imagination to see the pictures, smell the smells, taste the tastes, hear the sounds and touch the objects as you speak about them to the listeners
Bring dialogue to life with appropriate and meaningful vocal variations - become the characters vocally
Involve yourself completely in the situation
Stand comfortably / in role
Make sure gestures are spontaneous and enhance the spoken word
Be aware of phrasing
Project the voice energetically
Be aware of the "precious pause" which enables you to control the delivery and the listeners to take in what you are saying
Relax and use appropriate pace to suit the mood and meaning
Emphasise the important word/s in the phrase to make meaning clear
Use natural speech rhythms - make sense
Apply appropriate, meaningful and pleasing modulations of pitch
Practise aloud many times before the assessment day
Be familiar and confident with the chosen piece
Listen to yourself as you practise

DON'T:

Use unnecessary gestures
Speak too quickly
Fade away vocally at the end of phrases
Speak poetry with a metrical delivery. (Do emphasise / stress the important word in the phrase and this will communicate the meaning with natural speech rhythms)
Speak with repeated falling tunes
Speak on a monotone - level pitch

Confidence Clarity Courtesy - Communicate/Connect/Share

DO:

Develop your listening skills
Listen to, focus on and show interest in each speaker
Make sure you have a question ready after each speaker
Ask questions because you want to know
Learn by listening
Respond to questions enthusiastically with extended information
Respond/communicate with confidence, clarity and courtesy
Deliver your questions and answers with energetic vocal projection
Give full lively answers to questions
Be prepared for questions that could be asked after your presentation - Section 1
Demonstrate that you know more than you told us in Section 1
Focus on/eye contact the person to whom you are speaking
Respond clearly with appropriate vocabulary
Engage with the group
Relax and enjoy discussing your chosen topic with your listeners

DON'T:

ENJOY EXPLORING, DISCOVERING, PREPARING FOR THE ASSESSMENT.

HAVE FUN ON THE ASSESSMENT DAY - IT IS A DAY OF SHARING AND LEARNING.

RELAX - REMEMBER THAT YOU ARE THE PERSON IN AUTHORITY - SO TAKE CHARGE - BE IN CONTROL.

WE ARE ALL HERE TO LEARN FROM YOU - YOU ARE THE BOSS.