Speech Assignment Sheet {Use this as a how-to manual} [be sure to read this item in its entirety] [If links do not work, just scroll down]

page last updated 9/14

 Oral Comm.
  LS-F'14

 

 -- MAJOR PRESENTATION #1 -- 

- ORAL INTERPRETATION + REACTION STATEMENT -

 a.k.a. making the written word speak  ver. 3

  14th Ed.


Some Frequently Asked Questions. Click or scroll down.

> ORAL INTERPRETATION (OF LITERATURE). WHAT IS IT?

> ORAL INTERPRETATION (OF LITERATURE). WHAT IT'S NOT.

> WHY IS THIS BEING USED AS OUR FIRST MAJOR PRESENTATION?

> WHAT CAN THIS PRESENTATION ACCOMPLISH FOR AN ORAL COMMUNICATOR-IN-THE-MAKING ?

> EXACTLY WHAT IS THE FORMAT OF THE PRESENTATION ITSELF?

>WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE IN ORDER TO PREPARE FOR THIS PRESENTATION?

> WHAT NEEDS TO BE HANDED IN:   IN ADVANCE?   ON DAY-OF-PRESENTATION?

> WHEN WILL THESE PRESENTATIONS OCCUR?   WHO SPEAKS WHEN?


> ORAL INTERPRETATION ( OF LITERATURE). WHAT IS IT?

 Oral Interpretation involves the oral presenter reading aloud the actual words as created by the author.

 

 Because  expressive writings work best for reading aloud, the full name of this presentation style is actually "Oral Interpretation of Literature."  However, for our purposes this semester, we will be stretching the definition a little. Therefore, you can choose from a wider range of written material than typical "literature" sources.

 

 


 

> ORAL INTERPRETATION (OF LITERATURE). WHAT IT'S NOT.

Sometimes people misunderstand the title, Oral Interpretation, to mean that the presenter's role is to talk ABOUT the literature selection. 

 

Actually the "interpretation" is the vocal & physical coloring the presenter gives to the author's exact, original words while reading them aloud, verbatim.

 

 


 

> WHY IS THIS OUR FIRST MAJOR PRESENTATION?

Oral Interpretation of Literature puts the emphasis on several of the presenter's "external" skills. The presenter doesn't have to spend as much time researching and structuring  & then creating a full speech, most of the preparation time will be devoted to rehearsing the selection aloud--using the voice & body to make the words "come alive" to a listener. This focus is well suited to early in the semester since we have not yet covered creating & structuring extemporaneous speeches but we have addressed voice and delivery.

 

It is possible to take a course called Oral Interpretation which goes into more detail about the art of language & the structure of literature genres. For our purposes in this class, the focus is on VOCAL Competence (via Chap 15 (13th ed = Ch14) & Voice slide show & class activities), PHYSICAL Competence (via Chap 15 (13th ed = Ch14) & class activities), and LANGUAGE Awareness ((via Chaps  4 & 14  (13th ed = Ch3) & class activities)  

 

 


 

> WHAT IS THIS PRESENTATION DESIGNED TO ACCOMPLISH FOR YOUR ORAL COMMUNICATION SKILLS?

 In this presentation, you will get to use Vocal Variety , Physical  Gestures/Movement  &  Overall Animation in order to make the written  excerpts/selections "come alive" for your listeners. [i.e. by bringing out the emotion, meaning, and theme of the selection(s)].  This is great practice & a  foundation for being more meaningful with all of the words that come out of your mouth-- no matter what type of communication you are engaged in.

 

 


 

> EXACTLY WHAT IS THE FORMAT OF THE PRESENTATION ITSELF?

 This presentation is one of the few times this semester that  you will be assigned to use "Manuscript" delivery style  [i.e. you will be reading your "literature"  selection(s) aloud:   word-for-word,  but you  ALSO need to maintain frequent eye contact.]  You'll make use of your vocal and physical skills to make the words "come alive" for your listeners. F'14 variation: After you read aloud your chosen paragraph, you then will read a 1-2 minute prepared statement considing of your thoughful reaction to the MESSAGE in the excerpt you have chosen to Interpret orally.

 

 


 

> WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE IN ORDER TO PREPARE FOR THIS PRESENTATION?

PREPARATIONHere's the sequence at a glance:   

 

   1. Select ANY paragraph from this linked article: Faking Cultural Literacy [If link doesn't work, try searching online in New York Times Op-Ed section published  May 25, 2014, p. SR1 in the NY edition]

   2. Analyze Your Selection. Consider the writer's message in that paragraph & in the Op-Ed essay as a whole.

   3. Submit a Preliminary Analysis Paper [specifications listed below]

 

   4. Devise an Introduction, a Conclusion, and a Transition to get you from the exxcerpt to your prepared reaction statement.

 

   5. Practice (i.e. Rehearse) the Presentation [including reading the excerpt + the reaction aloud with feeling, vocal & physical skill]

 

   6. If necessary, revise the emailed Analysis Paper as specified by your Professor's emailed feedback.  Have a hard copy ready to be submitted on your scheduled "day of presentation"--BEFORE you give your presentation. You will NOT want to wait until the last minute to print it out!

 

   7 Keep Practicing.

 


 

 

PREPARATION:  Here are the details one by one :

 

1. Select your Readings.

 

    

    

For Section LS:   Everyone's presentation will be based on the same general theme taken from the topical  Op-Ed piece: "Faking Cultural Literacy". 

 

   You probably will want to look more deeply into the concept of Op-Ed writing , the definition(s) of Cultural Literacy as well as other items that have been written on the topic. Depending upon which paragraph you select for your focus, you may also find some relevance to the concept of leadership.

If you

 

 

 

         WHERE TO LOOK :

    

 

- Although for  this particular project, your excerpt must come from the designated article, for future reference, please be aware that the best selections for Oral Interpretation are ones such as  stories, poems, plays, essays, articles, etc.,  which fit these 3 criteria:  

     (1) fairly easy for a speaker to read aloud   
        (2) interesting for the AUDIENCE in this class to listen to.

        (3) somehow "relevant"  to your personal background, interests, culture, etc.

- NB: Most of the paragraphs in this essay are about the same length but it's possible that you may need to use more than one paragraph within your presentation in order to fulfill the overall timing requirement [see presentation details below]If you are presenting more than one paragraph, they do not have to be adjacent to each other in the original article.

 

 


 

 2. Analyze Your Selections

Next, complete a careful  Analysis  of your paragraph(s).  This is necessary because  you really need to understand and appreciate the inner workings of the selection(s), in order to present it/them effectively for others to understand and experience the writer's work.   This step also will help you develop your preliminary & final analysis papers as assigned below.

 

For your analysis, take note of such things as:  language styleword choice the overall writing style , the structure of the selection , the author's underlying message your own thoughts/reactions which were sparked by the selection. In particular, consider the concepts we discussed during our recent language workshop ( e.g. tool/culture/art

 


 

 

   3. Submit a Preliminary Analysis Paper (via email)

 

Contents of the "ANALYSIS PAPER"  =  these four items, only:

             -> Topic sentence  (of each selected paragraph)

          -> Summary (of each selected paragraph -approx. 2-3 sentences per summary)

        -> Theme (of each selected paragraph - approx. 2-3 sentences per paragraph)

            -> Reaction (a 1-2 sentence preview of your reaction statement on the topic.)

 

See submission details below.

 

 


 

 

   4. Devise an Introduction, a Conclusion, and any transitions that may be appropriate.

Structuring the Presentation:  In addition to reading the actual selection(s) out loud to your audience [verbatim] , there are other components to the presentation. As an oral interpreter, your goal is to prepare your listeners to understand and appreciate what you are reading to them and to ensure that they understand the main points  & underlying message of the selection(s)  you have read. Therefore, you also will need to:

     A. Devise an INTRODUCTION (30 sec - 1 minute in length)

     B. If needed, devise TRANSITIONS (to use between excerpts/selections / 1-2 sentences each) 

    C. If appropriate, devise a CONCLUSION (30 sec - 1minute in length )

 

 


 

 

   5.  Practice  the Presentation [including orally reading the selections aloud with feeling, vocal & physical skill]

 

Delivery : Be sure to read what your text has to say about  the "Manuscript" method of speech delivery. AND, don't forget the importance of using eye contact, vocal variety, & natural gestures-- even when you are reading from a "manuscript."

 


 

 

   6. Revise the (emailed) Preliminary Analysis Paper, as directed by the annotations in  your Professor's response.

 

Be sure to have a hard copy of your revised Analysis Paper ready to be submitted BEFORE you give presentation. Do NOT wait until the last minute to print it out!

 


 

 

   7 Keep Practicing.

 

 


 

 

 

OPTIONAL VARIATION -- If you would like to maximize your options for moral support & buddy system feedback,  this presentation can be done as a collaboration between 2 people.  However, if you  select  this alternative, please note  that:   

EACH INDIVIDUAL WILL PREPARE  /  REHEARSE  /  SUBMIT  SEPARATELY,

AND EACH PERSON WILL BE GRADED SEPARATELY.

 

 

     

 

 


 

    

>HOW LONG WILL THE PRESENTATION BE?

TIMING The entire presentation should total  3 - 4 min.  This includes the introduction +  the actual selection(s) + any transitions that you think are appropriate  +  and the conclusion.  Note: the only way you can determine the length of any type of oral presentation is to time a practice session.

 

 


 

> WHAT NEEDS TO BE HANDED IN: IN ADVANCE?  ON DAY-OF-PRESENTATION?

FOR SUBMISSION:  Each speaker is required to prepare &  submit an "ANALYSIS PAPER" The preliminary version is due in advance, no-later-than the date listed below. The final, revised version is due to be handed to the professor on the "day off" --  before the presentation  begins. 

The Analysis Paper consists only of  the following 4 items-- 

 Contents of the "ANALYSIS PAPER"  =

       -> Topic Sentence  (of each selected paragraph)

       -> Summary (of each selected paragraph -approx. 2-3 sentences each)

      -> Theme (of each selected paragraph - approx. 2-3 sentences each)

      -> Reaction Statement Preview (approx.  1-2 sentences)

NB: "Summary"   =  what happens in the selection; i.e. plot   / " Theme= what the selection is about; i.e. the writer's underlying message

   


Due in advance:

>> email Submission of a  Preliminary Analysis Paper: ( as described above)  is due no later than Weds 9/24 -  4:00pm -- EARLIER SUBMISSION IS RECOMMENDED in order to receive a timely response.


Due on day-of-presentation:
 
The "HARD COPY" of your  Revised Analysis Paper is due on YOUR assigned Day-of-Presentation: BEFORE you give the presentation. Do NOT wait until the last minute to print it out!

 

Remember, the contents of the  "ANALYSIS PAPER"  = 4 items only

           -> Topic sentence  (of each selected paragraph)

         -> Summary (of each selected paragraph -approx. 2-3 sentences per summary)

        -> Theme (of each selected paragraph - approx. 2-3 sentences per paragraph)

            -> Reaction (a 1-2 sentence preview of your reaction statement on the topic.)

 

 

 


> WHEN WILL THESE PRESENTATIONS OCCUR?    WHO SPEAKS WHEN?

This semester, presentations begin on  LS:  Mon  9/29 Refer to your  class's specific Presentation schedule page to be finalized by 9/26 5pm   in order to find out the specific date you are scheduled to speak & the date you are scheduled to serve as a written evaluator.  This  Presentation Schedule <listing Speakers &  Evaluators>  also will be accessible via the course calendar as well as via the Presentation Schedule shortcut button on Dr. Plummer's main web page.

 You are always welcome to volunteer for a particular presentation date, but once the schedule is published/posted (generally 2-3 days before the presentations begin), no changes can be made unless YOU make arrangements to switch slots with someone. If you do, be sure to notify me of any switches asap. 

 



 

                                                                                                                                                         updated 9/9/14]