being updated for F'18


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 9/2018

 Oral Comm.
LS-F'18

 

 -- MAJOR PRESENTATION #1 -- 

- ORAL INTERPRETATION + REACTION STATEMENT -

 a.k.a. making the written word speak  ver. 3.1(b)

  15/14th 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  & Voice slide show & class activities), PHYSICAL Competence (via Chap 15  & class activities), and LANGUAGE Awareness ((via Chaps  4 & 14 & 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.  Addition for this semester: After you  have read your chosen paragraphs aloud to us, you then will read a 1-2 minute statement that you have prepared which expresses your thoughtful reaction to the MESSAGE in the excerpt you have just presented. {so although this  statement will be in your own words, it still will be delivered using  manuscript delivery style}

 

 


 

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

PREPARATIONHere's the sequence at a glance:   

 

   1. Look up the New York Times' regularly occurring column known as The Corner Office -currently written by David Gelles / originally by Adam Bryant - {This link is a sample only}  Read through several of the columns/interviews & select one that you would like to read & present on -- in class. Select ANY 2-3  paragraphs from the particular column/interview that you have chosen to use.   [If this sample link doesn't work, try searching online in the New York Times  site for "Corner Office" . Please be aware that for non-subscribers, the NY Times has per-month  limitations on how many times you can access their online content.  Alternately, you could go through the Library's NY Times online archive ] If you are really ambitious, Mr Bryant has published a collection of his interviews- which you  find in a library or a  good bookstore.

 

   2. Analyze Your Selection. Consider both the writer's & the interviewee's messages in those paragraphs & in the Column/Interview 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 actual excerpt to your prepared reaction statement.

 

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

 

   6. If necessary, revise the emailed Analysis Paper according to your Professor's emailed feedback. Be sure to have a hard copy of your revised Analysis Paper ready to be submitted on your scheduled "day of presentation"-- This is due 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 New York Times column feature: "Corner Office"   by  David Gelles|Adam Bryant

 

   You can base your presentation on ANY one of the Corner Office columns.   Because this column is built around interviews with individuals in management/leadership positions, you are likely to encounter approaches and/or innovations that impinge upon leadership effectiveness even if they are not leadership techniques, per se.  The columnist has done MANY interviews, so I do not expect  any two people in this class to select the same one for this assignment.  In addition, all of these articles derive from transcripts of oral communication; therefore, it is likely the language will lend itself comfortably to Oral Interpretation-type  presentations as an "Oral Reading." (Remember what your textbook says about ORAL STYLE. )

 

 

 

 

         WHERE TO LOOK :

    

 

- Although for  this particular project, your excerpt must come from the designated column, for future reference, please be aware that the best selections for Oral Interpretation are ones which use eloquent language--such as stories, poems, plays, essays, articles, etc. Ensure that your selected item/excerpt 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 central theme,  personal background, interests, culture, etc.

- NB:  In order to achieve the assigned timing  for this presentation, you may need to use 2 - 3 or even 4 paragraph excerpts from the column 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  read them aloud in such a way that your listeners can understand and experience the writer's work.   Also, This analytic step 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 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 recommended 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 your scheduled day-of-presentation --  before you start. 

 

The Analysis Paper is very simple and 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 per summary statement)

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

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

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

   


Due in advance:

>> emailed submission of a PRELIMINARY Analysis Paper: (containing the 4 items described above) is due no later than Fri  9/21 -  5:00pm - 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.)

 

 

key points

 


> WHEN WILL THESE PRESENTATIONS OCCUR?    WHO SPEAKS WHEN?

This semester, presentations begin on  LS:  Weds 9/26/18 Refer to your  class's specific Presentation schedule page to be finalized by 9/24late   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. 

 



 

                                                                      [last updated  9/14/18]