Tips for Oral
(1) Reading Aloud
1a) Fluency
- Chunking of meaningful units
- Appropriate pauses
- No jerky, hesitant delivery
Appropriate pauses
- Comma, conjunction: Short pause
- Full-stop: Long pause
- Ending of paragraph: Longer pause – 3 sec
1b) Articulation
- Clear pronunciation of words
- Beginning & ending sounds
- Stress & unstressed syllables
- Sentence stress
- “up-tone” or “down-tone” at the end of sentences
1c) Expression
- Vary your tone & pitch to express feelings
- Dramatic use of voice especially when there are speech marks or dialogues.
(2) Picture Discussion
Two methods for organising your response for Picture Discussion:METHOD (1)
5 Questions to ask:
- What happened before?
- What is happening now?
- What will happen next?
- What is the impact of the action/event?
- What suggestions can you make to improve the situation?
OR
METHOD (2)
D-I-E-O Method:
DESCRIBE
- Describe the appearance of and the probable relationship between people (e.g. there is an elderly well-dressed gentleman standing beside a young girl in a frilly dress. I think he is probably her grandfather and he could be accompanying her for...)
INTERPRET
- Interpret the actions and feelings (what is s/he doing? What does her/his facial expression tell you about her/his feelings?)
ELABORATE
- Explain and elaborate further (Why is s/he doing that? Why does s/he feel that way?)
Share your OPINION
- Share your opinions and feelings clearly. (What is your stand? Why do you think so? What suggestions to improvements can you make? What can be learnt from this scene?)
1. Identify the setting/scene
This picture shows/depicts a scene at a Book Fair.
2. Make some general comments about the action in the picture
(Objects) There seems to be a colourful variety of booths at the Book Fair. Some booths are promoting English reading material, while others have Mother Tongue books on display. There are different types of genre available for sale.
(Time) I think that this Book Fair is most likely taking place on a weekend, as it seem to have attracted a big crowd of both working adults and school-going aged children.
3. Talk about the sub-focal points of the picture generally
(description) There is a well-dressed lady looking at the cover of a book at a booth that seems to sell books targeted at young readers as I see illustrations of young children and animals on their covers. (interpretation/elaboration) Perhaps she is mother and she is considering if she should purchase it for her child. (opinion) I think that it is good that she is exposing her young child to books at a young age. Her taking time to visit a Book Fair shows me that she knows the value of reading and wants to cultivate a habit of reading in her child.
(description) There is also a boy at the Book Worm booth looking avidly at a storybook. The bespectacled man beside him is listening to the promoter quite intently. He is smiling and seems to like the contents of the book she is showing to him. (interpretation/elaboration) I think he is the boy's father and he is interested in purchasing the book series for his son to read. (opinion) I am glad to see that the young boy is so interested in reading and how his father is willing to invest money into his language learning.
4a. Lastly, ZERO IN on the focal point of the picture & comment on / interpret / elaborate on the action/event
(description) There is a young girl standing in front of the information counter who is crying badly. A woman in uniform is patting her back and trying to console her. Another man in a similar uniform seems to be making an announcement over the public announcement system. I think they are both part of the event's security personnel. (interpretation) Perhaps the little girl has lost her parents as she looks afraid and very upset. Therefore, I think that is why the staff are trying their best to comfort the wailing girl and help her locate her mother. (description) There is a woman walking hurriedly in their direction of the information help desk with a look of relief on her face. (interpretation) I think she is the young girl's mother. She must have quickly rushed over upon hearing the description of her daughter over the P.A. system. I think that the young girl must have felt frightened when she lost sight of her mother. (elaboration) It must be scary to be lost in a crowded and large event such as a Book Fair. I think that her mother must have been equally worried and would have been frantically searching around the maze of booths for her.
(opinion) I feel that this frightening experience could have been avoided. The young girl and her mother should have held on more tightly to each other. Also, her mother should not have allowed her daughter to wander off on her own, or to loose sight of her whereabouts in such a bustling place. The young girl could have been less engrossed in the book she might have been reading and followed instructions to follow her mother closely. I would rather the mother be strict with her daughter than for the young girl to experience this traumatic experience that could have lasted for hours if she weren't brought to the information counter.
4b. Predict what will happen next
I think that the young girl would be extremely relieved to see her mother as well when they are happily reunited with one another. The mother will probably thank the security personnel profusely for their assistance in helping her locate her missing daughter. The young girl would most likely be more careful in staying close-by to her mother or may be very tired from all her crying and frightening experience, and want to return back home to rest.
5. Conclusion
In conclusion, it is important for young children and mothers to be mindful of safety especially during crowded events such as a Book Fair. However, I am very glad to see that many parents would bring their children to a Book Fair as it is crucial for them to set a healthy healthy home culture of reading. Especially in this digital day and age where many young people spend a considerable amount of time on theirs or their parents' smart phones and computers, it is essential to still develop the good habit of reading.
(3) Conversation
Three strategies to organise your response:Strategy (1)
Using P.R.E.P
Reason – support your point of view with reasons
Example – give examples to illustrate your point
my Point/Stand – re-state your point of view & take a stand
Strategy (2)
Zooming in/out method (From general to specifics or vice versa)
Strategy (3)
Clock method (Recall the past, talk about the present & predict the future)
Possible Conversation Topics:
1.Topics that deal with your personal
experiences
E.g.1A
: What
do you like about your school?
1.Introductory Statement(
positive): Point/Stand
2.Reason
1 : + personal experience (Examples)
3.Reason 2 : +
personal experience (examples)
4.Reason 3 : +
personal experience (examples)
5.Concluding Statement : Affirmation
of 1
(restating
Point/Stand)
E.g.1B
: Tell
us an act of honesty you have done or witnessed?
1.
Introductory Statement( positive):
2.
Before
: What is (are) the event (s) leading to the incident/act?
3.
During
: What happened during the incident?
4.
After : What happened as a result?
5.
Concluding Statement : Recommendation or Affirmation of 1
2.
Topics that deal with your personal opinions
eg: What
do you think are some qualities in a good friend?
Possible Conversation Topics:
E.g.2A
: Would
you like to keep a pet? Why?
1.
Introductory Statement( positive): Point/Stand
2.
Reason 1 : +
personal experience (Examples)
3.
Reason 2 : + personal experience (examples)
4.
Reason 3 : + personal experience (examples)
5.
Concluding Statement : Affirmation of 1 (restating
Point/Stand)
(Other
strategies 2: past, present and future approach)
E.g.2B
: What
books do you like to read? Why?
1.
Introductory Statement( positive): Point/Stand
2.
Reason 1 : +
personal experience (Examples)
3.
Reason 2 : + personal experience (examples)
4.
Reason 3 : + personal experience (examples)
5.
Concluding Statement : Affirmation of 1 (restating
Point/Stand)
(Other
strategies 1 : from general to specifics)
Summary Key Points for Conversation:
- Have a point of view
- Be ready to give details about your views (be as detailed as possible)
- Be ready to give reasons to support your views
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