IN+THEIR+WORDS

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=NIUE HIGH SCHOOL – ENGLISH DEPARTMENT =


= “In Their Words” =

Supports internal assessment for:

Credits: 4
= **Student Instructions Sheet** =


 * In this activity you will:**
 * ** plan and deliver a presentation that includes either a dramatic performance or a prepared reading, followed by an oral commentary [or segments of such interspersed with oral commentary] **
 * **integrate a range of oral and visual language techniques**

Using class text studies or self selected texts [that have first been approved by your teacher] as starting points, select or adapt one of these approaches: One possible adaptation could be to introduce and deliver segments of dramatic performances or prepared readings of texts, interspersed with supporting seminar style oral commentary. Both the **dramatic performance or prepared reading** component as well as the **oral commentary** component are expected to feature reasonably equally. Neither component should dominate your presentation.
 * § Introducing and presenting a dramatic performance [such as a monologue or dramatisation] as a selected character, then stepping out of role and presenting a seminar style oral commentary
 * § Introducing and delivering a prepared reading of a texts[s] [such as poems, column or opinion pieces, or short story or extended text extracts], followed by a seminar style oral commentary on the text[s] presented.

This activity is designed so that it can be integrated easily with literature studies in your English programme. Your prepared reading or dramatisation and commentary could be developed from response to unfamiliar texts studies; or from class studies of short stories, poetry, novel, film or a Shakespearean play; or from texts covered in theme study work.

Your presentation will be structured and your delivery techniques carefully planned and rehearsed. You should use **appropriate presentation techniques.** could be integrated. As you construct your presentation, check with your teacher that the techniques and resources you plan to use in your presentation are suitable and appropriate for your purpose.
 * § In the **dramatic performances / prepared readings component** of your presentation, give careful thought as to how appropriate dramatic techniques [such as the use of voice, movement, props, and costume] could be integrated.
 * § In the **oral commentary component**of your presentation, give careful thought as to how
 * o presentation techniques [such as the use of voice, body language and sustained audience contact]
 * o audio / visual resources [such as whiteboard, data projector, video or DVD, photocopied resources]

Your individual presentation will be at least six minutes long. If other student(s) are included, the whole presentation will extend beyond six minutes. You may decide to include other student(s) reading lines or parts of the text. Students in supporting roles will not be the focus for assessment. If you decide to include other students, you should ensure that you have adequately rehearsed together so that they can effectively support your performance.

It is possible for two [or more] students to perform and to be assessed. Group performances will be significantly longer than individual ones in order to provide teachers with sufficient opportunity to assess each student involved. In such cases, each student must have a significant role as sufficient evidence is needed to assess each individual. Each student must also present an individual oral commentary. The combined duration of each student’s individual performance and commentary in a group performance situation will be at least six minutes. You must check with your teacher before preparing a group performance to ensure that your proposed performance will fulfil these requirements.

You will use homework and class time to prepare your presentation. You will deliver your presentation in class.


 * For __both components__ of the presentation, you will be assessed on how well you:**
 * **construct and deliver an effective presentation.**
 * **develop and support idea(s).**
 * **use a range of appropriate presentation techniques for a specific purpose and audience.**

Task 1: Selecting and developing a text for a dramatic performance or prepared reading

a) Know your text well. Select your performance or reading from a text[s] that you understand and enjoy. You should select a text that will also offer sufficient scope to complete the second component of your presentation, an oral commentary about key aspects of the text performed. As you work through Task 1 planning your performance or reading, you should note down points that you could speak about in the commentary.

b) Select a text [or extracts] which offers plenty of potential to give a dramatic performance, or will provide you with opportunities to deliver an effective prepared reading.

c) If you are developing text for a dramatic performance:


 * As a step towards selecting a text, you could read a number of monologues from New Zealand plays at: []


 * For a drama, you might develop a text for performance by combining different sections of the text. This could be a useful strategy to bring out contrasting aspects of a character’s personality. A student performing as Hamlet might develop a script using lines from one scene where Hamlet is angry and ready to take action in order to seek revenge for his father’s murder, contrasted with lines where he is unsure and doubting his ability to take action. To link separate sections in this way, you will need to outline in your introduction that your performance incorporates different sections of the play; or step out of role during the performance to explain the shift in scene and character.


 * For other texts, you could also develop your own script for performance. You could develop a dramatisation to bring to life one or more characters from a novel, short story or other text. You may decide to use a ‘Reader’s Theatre’ approach to develop a script. For more ideas on ‘Reader’s Theatre’ approaches, you could begin by visiting: []; or []

d) If you are developing text[s] for a prepared reading:


 * As a step towards selecting text[s] for a prepared reading, you could read a number of New Zealand poems at []. You could also read column or opinion pieces in a range of publications including major daily and weekend newspapers, //New Zealand Listener//, //North and South//, and //Metro.//


 * You might also select two complementary or contrasting texts or extracts. You could choose poems or text extracts revealing the writers’ differing attitudes to the same subject. As a starting point, you could examine texts selected for the examination papers for Achievement Standard 3.5 ‘Respond critically to unfamiliar prose and poetry texts’ which often include complementary or contrasting prose and poetry texts.


 * Examine the structure of the text[s] intended for reading. How does the writer use particular devices, such as patterns of language or imagery? In preparing your reading, you might emphasise such aspects in order to deepen and extend a reader's understanding and enjoyment of text.


 * You may need to edit the text so that it is an appropriate length. If editing is required, examine the text carefully to ensure that your revisions still contain essential ideas, stylistic or structural elements.

e) As a class, brainstorm and share other strategies for developing texts for dramatic performances or prepared readings.

f) It is essential that you prepare a **concise introduction** so that your audience gains a clear idea of the context of your performance or reading. In your introduction, you should clearly describe:
 * the place in a full text from which an extract for reading or performance is taken
 * the significance of the text, for example in:
 * revealing theme
 * establishing mood
 * understanding character
 * highlighting crisis
 * relevant details about the author.

<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">g) An effective introduction gains the attention and interest of the audience. As a class, brainstorm and share other strategies for introducing dramatic performances or prepared readings.


 * <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">Task 2: Developing presentation techniques for a dramatic performance or prepared reading **

<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">a) Carefully read the text you will deliver to understand its meaning in some detail. If you are presenting an extract, make sure that you understand its significance and place in the context of the complete text.

<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">b) During this process, you should adapt the text as necessary to help you ‘read between the lines.’ You could rewrite sections to help you understand meanings or emotions behind the text.

<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">c) Photocopy the text you will use. Work through your whole text make annotations identifying how you will use presentation techniques in specific places to help convey meaning:


 * <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">how could you incorporate inflection or shifts in your tone and variation in your pace? Your speed and tone or pitch should match your mood. You might speak quickly to help convey a excitement or tension, or speak slowly and deliberately to suggest determination or seriousness.


 * <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">how could you incorporate volume and emphasis to match your emotional state? Vary your volume. Make your voice boom out, or whisper, to match your feelings.


 * <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">how could you incorporate pausing? Pausing can develop a sense of expectation, importance or tension.


 * <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">how could you incorporate stance, movement or positioning? Draw in your audience by addressing them directly. Consider where you should stand. Block out how you should move within the space you will use. In a dramatic performance, how old and physically active is your character? How will this influence the way your character moves?


 * <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">how could you incorporate facial expression? As with your voice, use expressions and eye contact to reflect feelings and emotions. For example, you might look away or look down to convey feelings of self doubt or reflection.


 * <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">You could incorporate a prop or a item of costume suitable for a classroom performance or reading. If appropriate, you may be able to include lighting, set, music or other sound effects in your performance.

<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">d) As a class, brainstorm and share other appropriate presentation techniques.

e) If you are including other students in supporting roles reading lines or parts of the text, you should ensure that you have adequately **rehearsed together** so that they can effectively support your performance.

<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">f) Complete several rehearsals. Add to your annotations to help you achieve your intended interpretation. Evaluate whether the techniques you are using are appropriate and effective. Your emphasis must be on achieving fluency so that your audience gains a deeper understanding of your text.


 * <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">Task 3: Developing an effective oral commentary **

a) Your commentary will also be carefully planned and rehearsed. You should use a **seminar style** delivery for this component of your presentation. As you prepare this component, remember that both the **dramatic performance or prepared reading** as well as the **oral commentary** are expected to feature reasonably equally. Neither component should dominate your presentation.

b) Look back at your work in Task 1 when you noted down points that you could speak about in the commentary as you planned your performance or reading. You will need to clearly establish links between the two components.

c) You should plan to make some brief relevant points **explaining or commenting on key aspects** of your performance or reading. If you presented a dramatic performance, you could step out of role and deconstruct aspects of your character. If you presented a prepared reading, you could comment on themes or ideas raised in the text. You should also make a link to your introduction that you developed in Task 1.

d) As a starting point, use this template to plan your commentary:


 * // 1: Link to the introduction for the performance or prepared reading: //**

//Eg: aspects of your character revealed in performance; significance of ideas presented in reading.//
 * // 2: Main focus for your commentary: //**


 * // 3: First main point: //**


 * //Supported by://**
 * **//Examples / short quotations://** |||| **//Your comments://** ||


 * // 4: Second and further main points: //**(repeating the structure from 3)


 * // 5: Conclusion ://** What points will you make in summary?


 * //<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">6: Summary / final observations / closure: //**


 * <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">d) ****<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">As a class, brainstorm and share **<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">other appropriate approaches for commentaries.

e) As you work with your material to prepare this component in your presentation, consider how you can most effectively use a range of **appropriate presentation techniques**:
 * o body language, including the use of stance, gesture, facial expression
 * o variation in voice, including the use of tone, volume, pace, stress
 * o sustained audience contact
 * o audio / visual resources, such as whiteboard, data projector, video, DVD, posters, photocopied resources. You will need to practise incorporating any resources in order to integrate them successfully. For example, an OHT will not be effective if it is merely switched on and left in the background. You should be prepared to point to important points as you speak to your audience and in doing so, integrate the resource into your commentary. Likewise, a Powerpoint presentation will have little impact if you simply read out the projected text. Your audience can read what is displayed. You must practise ‘talking to’ or expanding your Powerpoint material, not simply repeating it.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">f) ****<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">As a class, brainstorm and share **<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">other appropriate presentation techniques**.**


 * <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">Task 4: Rehearsal and final delivery **

<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">a) You must **rehearse** your presentation: <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">Your total presentation should be at least 6 minutes long.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">to achieve the necessary **degree of familiarity** with your **material**.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">to ensure that you **integrate delivery techniques** effectively. You might focus your rehearsal on separate components:
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">dramatic performances / prepared readings component
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">oral commentary component

<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">b) Rehearse your presentation with a partner or in a small group so that other students can give you feedback. As well as giving you valuable feedback, this process will help other students consider how techniques can be effectively incorporated into their own presentations.

c) Before delivering your presentation, look at the exemplars [exemplars for this activity will be made available to schools on DVD during 2006]. Discuss their strengths and areas they could be improved. You can base your presentation on approaches shown in the exemplars, but you may not repeat any material from the exemplars.

**<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">NAME:____________________________ **

//<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">“In their words” //
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">Assessment schedule: AS90725 Construct and deliver an oral presentation **


 * || =<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Descriptor = || =<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Example = ||
 * =<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Achievement = || Construct and deliver a presentation which communicates with an audience.

Develop and support idea(s).

Use a range of appropriate presentation techniques for a specific audience and purpose. || Refer to achievement exemplars. ||
 * =<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Merit = || Construct and deliver a presentation which communicates effectively with an audience.

Develop and support detailed idea(s).

Combine a range of appropriate presentation techniques for a specific audience and purpose. || =<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Refer to merit exemplars. = ||
 * =<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Excellence = || Construct and deliver an effective presentation which convinces and / or challenges an audience.

Develop and support detailed idea(s), showing insight and / or originality.

Integrate a range of appropriate presentation techniques for a specific audience and purpose. || Refer to excellence exemplars. ||

GRADE: ___________