Creative and Critical Thinking

ASSIGNMENT 2: What is Oral Language?

Learning Target (Curricular Competencies):

  • Apply appropriate strategies to comprehend written, oral, visual, and multimodal texts
  • Respond to text in personal, creative, and critical ways

Oral Language is the system through which we use spoken words to express knowledge, ideas, and feelings.  There are many features we use to make our spoken language more effective.

These include: 

  • rhetorical question – ask a question which doesn’t need to be answered to get your audience thinking about their own opinions
  • hyperbole – is an exaggeration often used to add humour or emphasis
  • imperative – a command word used to grab attention
  • listing – of examples and words to support an idea
  • alliteration – using words starting with the same letter to make it memorable.
  • repetition - used to emphasize important points

Oral language uses a variety of voice techniques, as well. The following list shows you how and why you can vary your voice:

  • pace – fast to show excitement, slow to show importance
  • pitch – high to show excitement, low to show importance and authority
  • intonation – the rise and fall of your voice when you speak
  • inflection – when your voice goes up at the end of the sentence as if you were asking a question
  • >tone – feeling needs to suit the words said
  • volume – loud to show excitement, soft to show fear
  • pause – a planned rest in your speaking to emphasize an idea.

Source:  http://www.studyit.org.nz/subjects/english/english2/5/subjectcontent/orallanguage/

ok then.....What makes a great speech or oral presentation?

Task:

Your assignment is to read the article published in Forbes.com on how to give a great speech and then summarize the main ideas.  Use one of the graphic organizers (concept map would work) at the top of the course as you read.  Then organize your reading notes into a final list of tips for potential speech givers.  Submit both in your final assignment.  

Assessment:  Below you will find the exemplary criteria used to assess the assignment.  

Learning Target: (Exemplary 6/6): Exemplary comprehension of the task and clear accomplishment of the objective.  Student demonstrates exemplary active reading skills to comprehend and respond to text in personal, creative, and critical ways.  All activities are complete. Ideas generated are thoughtful and unique.

Written Expression:  Exemplary (6/6):  Sentence structure and vocabulary are varied, skillfully written, and carefully chosen.  Work has been proofread and there are few or no errors in spelling, capitalization, punctuation, and grammar.  Content contributes to the central idea and makes insightful connections with logical organization.

Submission: 

Use the "1.2 What is Oral Language?" link on the main page of this section of the course to upload your assignment to your teacher for marking.