Effective Oral Communication

ELAL Learning Outcomes (Knowledge) - Effective communication considers: voice quality and audibility; and articulation and clarity.

Preparation supports effective communication through relaxation, breathing techniques, and focus.

Presentations can be delivered in different ways, including ..., digital stories, and recorded interviews.

This lesson gives students the opportunity to explore effective oral communication in digital presentation format. Using iMovie or Flipgrid, students will hone their oral presentation skills by preparing and delivering a newscast, then reflecting on the challenges they encountered and identifying ways to enhance their oral presentation skills.

Lesson:

Objective: Students will identify the qualities of a good oral presentation. Students will learn how to prepare and record digitally. Students will reflect on challenges and ways to improve their skills.

Activity and Discussion:

What's Good: Newscast for Kids

Invite students to watch the above newscast and to notice how Vivian presents the information. After watching, ask the following questions: Where is she looking? How does she talk? Is her face expressive? What gestures does she use? How near or far is she from the camera? What is the background like?

In groups of 2 or 3, students will write a What's Good newscast script. The teacher may need to help students identify or find ideas for what is good news in their community. This may require a bit of research. A local newspaper (online) is a good place to start. Two or three news items is all that is needed.

Once the script is prepared and reviewed, features of the platform that will be used should be reviewed with the students. Some students may know how to use iMovie but some will not, so reviewing all features gives equal access to information to all students.

Next, students will practice and begin to record their newscasts. Remind students that this is a learning process and that it does not have to be perfect. We learn from our mistakes and make improvements.

Reflection:

Students will watch and comment on each others' newscasts. I use the 2 stars and a suggestion method for commenting. Always start with what the students did well and then make positively-worded suggestions for next time. 

This lesson can be used in Division II as well. Learning to communicate effectively using media is a skill that needs to be practiced and refined.