Remember that you will now be dealing with multiple texts (usually a main article, one or two smaller supporting/contrasting articles, and a visual source). This requires you to approach your language analysis essays in a new way. You have two options regarding how you structure your responses:
Option 1: Segmented Approach
Discuss each article and visual source in turn, beginning with the main article, then turning to supporting articles and ending with visual sources.
Option 2: Integrated Approach
Discuss the articles in tandem, guided by the main article.
Use the structure of the main article (i.e. its arguments) to structure your response.
Discuss supporting articles when they raise a COMPLEMENTARY or CONTRASTING argument to the main article.
While, strictly speaking, it is possible to do well with either approach, the second approach (integrating your analysis) will nearly always result in better analysis and better marks. You should therefore be trying to use this approach, especially in your practise responses, and use the more basic ‘segmented’ approach only if you have trouble identifying the core arguments.
Re-read (and re-re-read) Life of Galileo in preparation for our context study, and read Every Man in this Village is a Liar, as we are scheduled to beginning it before the end of term. There is a useful app on Life of Galileo in the app store called ‘LA Theatre Works – The Life of Galileo’ that provides an audio version of the play. It is quite cheap at about $4 and is worth considering.
Here is a quick literary crit on Life of Galileo from the perspective of the Encountering Conflict context that you may find useful to help focus your reading of the text: Life of Galileo – Encountering Conflict
TASK 2: LANGUAGE ANALYSIS
Your homework in relation to language analysis is to (1) carefully read over the text and sample responses for ‘Overprotective Parenting’ and then (2) write at least two practise responses of your own using the following articles:
Know your persuasive techniques. Use section 3 (all activities) of Using Language to Persuade to revise and let me know of any questions. Use the Engage Education Wiki to revise techniques: http://wiki.engageeducation.org.au/english/#links-6195
As you know, I will be away on camp this week, so you will need to continue working through All About Eve on your own. Below you can find the work that you will need to complete this week. I will also upload a copy to my blog on STL Link. Please read through this carefully before you start working so you know what you need to get through!
Also, a quick update on oral marks: no marks are being released for any class until Monday 15 February. For those of you who are prone to believing rumours, I need to clarify that no class has been ‘given’ their marks back yet. Some students found a glitch in the new SchoolBox system that allowed them to see their grades as they were being uploaded, rather than at the release date, but this was promptly fixed.
Writing Prompts
Begin each class with approximately 15 minutes of silent writing in order to focus your attention and begin exploring different ideas regarding various aspects of the text.
Class 1 Writing Prompt: All About Eve is all about ambition.
Class 2 Writing Prompt: Eve may have achieved fame, but she will never be a “true star” like Margo.
Class 3 Writing Prompt: Who is the true antagonist of the play: Eve or Addison?
If you want some extra practise you can use these prompts too:
Discuss the significance of the title ‘All About Eve’
Is Addison De Witt really an impartial observer?
Quotes: How well do you know the film?
Go through the quotes on pages 62-77 of your AAE Booklet.
Identify who says each quote. You may need to use script if you are unsure.
If you feel that the quote is relevant to a particular theme or idea, identify which one it applies to (use the list on pages 57-58 to identify relevant themes/ideas). Colour coding is highly advisable!
Spend approximately half a period on this task and aim to identify at least the first 9 pages of quotes. You can then continue this in your own time in order to continue building your familiarity with the film and gathering evidence for use in essays.
Character Traits
Look at the vocabulary list on pages 3 and 4 of the AAE booklet.
Begin by going through the terms and find definitions for any terms you are unfamiliar with.
Select top 5 words/qualities for each of the 6 characters.
Each word supported by at least one quote (or other piece of evidence) that could be used to illustrate this quality.
When recording your quotes, try to also use them in a sentence that ties the quote to the trait and the character being discussed.
Chapter Analysis
To move us through the next section of the film, you will each take responsibility for one or two chapters (depending on their length and the number of questions they have). The questions are found on pages 25-32 of the AAE Booklet.
For your allocated chapter(s) you will need to:
Answer ALL of the questions for your chapter(s) with short paragraphs of around 4 to 6 sentences.
Find AT LEAST 3 crucial quotes in your scene(s) and explain their significance in around 2 or 3 sentences.
Include any other useful quotes you come across, and add screenshots if you notice any important elements of mise-en-scene, symbolism, etc.
Put your final answers into PowerPoint slides. Have 1 slide per answer/quote, with a title slide at the beginning that identifies your chapter. Make sure you include the question/quote at the top of its relevant slide.
You will be responsible to the rest of the class for your chapter. Email your completed slides to me by the end of the week (i.e. Friday) as a PPT document and be prepared to present them at the start of our first class next week.
Chapter allocations are as follows:
Name
Chapter
Luke
8 and 9
Angela
10
Julian
11
Katy
12
Bryce
13
Samuel
14
Meg
15
Ryan
16
Olivia
17
Harrison
18 and 23
Sophie
19 and 20
Hannah
21 and 22
Andrew
24
You need to have ALL of the above work completed before I return on Monday 15 February.
If you get through the work quickly, or want to get ahead, then work through chapters 25, 26 and 27. We will need to move through these chapters quickly when I return, but they are very important.
Year 12 English Podcast
A few years ago, the English team had a go at making its own podcast. The idea disappeared for a while, but this year the year 12 English team has decided that we’d like to give it a go.
You can also look through some of the older episodes for anything that is still relevant (the course has changed a bit since then, although there is still some AAE material there).
Approaching this week
Good luck this week! This week will require you to complete mainly individual work, so use your class time efficiently and make sure you are apportioning time appropriately. For example, you may want to keep to the following schedule:
Class 1
Writing prompt 1
Quotes activity
Revise allocated chapter(s) using the running sheet and script, and re-watch it at least twice for homework, taking notes.
Class 2
Writing prompt 2
Character traits activity
Begin writing up answers to chapter(s)
Class 3
Writing prompt 3
Work on answers to chapter(s) and put them together into a PowerPoint
Homework would consist of completing any unfinished tasks, revising materials for upcoming class and moving ahead with studying the finale of the film if all other tasks are complete.
REMINDER: Email your completed slides to me by the end of the week as a PPT document and be prepared to present them at the start of our first class next week.
Good luck this week, and I will see you when I return from camp!
Please make sure you complete the following tasks over the weekend:
Task 1: Email me any spare periods and lunchtime/after school times when you are free so I can organise Individual Feedback Sessions (IFSs). Please email me before the end of Friday so I can get things organised for the week I return, and have a piece of writing ready for the first week.
Task 2: Redevelop the paragraph you wrote today into two paragraphs. These should be more detailed than what you did in class. There are various approaches you could take: you could write one paragraph dealing with each of Bill and Addison’s perspectives; you could write one paragraph on the ideas they share about the theatre and the importance it plays in people’s lives, and then a longer paragraph exploring the differences that exist between these views.
Task 3: Add a third paragraph discussing the role that the theatre plays for Margo. Consider how she is introduced, what other characters say about her and the fragility that she feels about her own place in this world (linking with ideas of ambition, fame and ageing could be useful here). It is ok to focus on the early sections of the film
Task 4: I’m curious about the state your revision calendars are in. Send me a photo by the time I return from camp…
Task 1: For your allocated question from Chapter 3 (question 7, 8 or 10), write a TEEL paragraph, including evidence to support your answer. You may wish to draw upon examples from elsewhere in the film to provide contrasts or illustrations for your ideas.
Please email me your TEEL paragraph either tonight or tomorrow. We will be using them at the start of next period.
Task2: We covered chapters 4 to 6 today in class. If you were taking good notes, you will find that you have addressed many (but not all) of questions 11 to 21 from your running sheet. Go back through your notes carefully and match your answers to the questions. For any questions that you have not got answers to in your notes, go back and answer them.
Welcome to year 12, class of 2016! I hope you had a good break, because it’s time to hit the ground running!
Congratulations on making it through your first assessment task – the persuasive oral presentations. We will now be studying All About Eve for the next few weeks.
Your homework for next class is as follows:
Finish making notes on your scene from All About Eve and be ready to present your findings to the rest of the class at the beginning of our next lesson. I have included a copy of the questions below if you still need them.
Read through the Introductory PowerPoint on STL Link: Introductory PowerPoint. In particular, make notes on any terminology that you are unfamiliar with and how they relate to the film. You do not need to write answers to the questions in the PPT at this point, but you should definitely spend some time thinking about possible answers. (PDF Version is available here: All About Eve – Introduction)
Familiarise yourself with the materials in your showbags, and please remember to bring the spiral-bound script and booklet to each class.
If you have not yet done so, remember that you should have watched the film at least twice by this point. Make sure you are very familiar with the characters, plot and narrative structure.
Scene Questions
Part 1:
Who is in your scene?
What is happening in your scene?
When does your scene occur?
Part 2:
How does this scene drive the plot?
Comment on the mise en scene (including camera angles, lighting, costume, technical aspects and any symbols)
How does this scene connect to one or more themes? (use quotes were possible)
I have put together the following final set of resources to help you with your assessment task. Use these materials, along with the other resources posted in this blog and available elsewhere on STL Link, to assist you with the research, planning, drafting, refining and rehearsal of your persuasive oral presentations.
If you have not yet submitted a completed and detailed planning sheet, you must do so immediately if you want to receive feedback.
I will be in contact with everyone towards the end of the holidays (once timetables have been finalised) with details regarding when you will be presenting your speeches. Be prepared to present on the first day back.
All Slides on the Persuasive Oral Presentation
I have re-uploaded all of the slides regarding the persuasive oral presentation into the following SlideShare. They have been reorganised into what is (hopefully) a more logical order. If you need to revise any of the material covered in transition, I would recommend using these slides:
Don’t forget that you need to be looking through the examples of past persuasive oral presentations that received an A+ . While these speeches are of a high quality and do most things extremely well, they are by no means perfect. You should therefore analyse them carefully for what they do well and what could be improved.
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Example 1
Things that are done will in this speech:
Clear outline of issue.
Clear identification of contention.
Emotive language used effectively.
Rhetorical question used effectively.
Signposting used well later on in speech.
Rebuttal arguments dealt with well.
Things that could be improved:
Identification of and shifts between arguments could be made clearer.
Some of the underlying reasoning could be explained in more detail.
Tone starts off emotive and effective, but wanes as speech progresses. Humour shifts tone, but this results in a lack of consistency.
Smaller cue cards would have been less distracting.
Ending could be stronger.
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Example 2
Things that are done well in this speech:
Interesting hook to begin.
Clear outline of topic and contention.
Very good eye contact.
Very fluent delivery.
Good pacing.
Very good variation of tone.
Persuasive techniques are used: emotive language, colloquial language, expert evidence, listing, inclusive language, repetition, personal anecdote, appeals, etc.
Strong final message
What, in your opinion, could be improved?
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Example 3
Things that are done well in this speech:
Good eye contact.
Good fluency of delivery.
Very good pacing.
Good variation of tone.
Clear signposting between points.
Persuasive techniques are used: emotive language, attacks, alliteration, personal anecdotes, etc.
Argument is logical and rebuttal arguments are raised and dealt with.
Strong final message.
In your opinion, what could be improved?
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Example 4
In your opinion, what is done well in this speech?
In your opinion, what could be improved in this speech?
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Other Examples
The following speeches were not done for the VCE Persuasive Oral Presentation. They are generally longer than the 7 minutes allowed for this task, and are marked by a different, broader set of criteria. However, they are written and performed by high school students, and persuasive in nature, deal with issues debated in the media and demonstrate effective delivery. Follow the links to view the associated speech:
As a bare minimum, you must complete the following tasks before coming back to school at the start of term 1 next year:
Get your persuasive oral presentations ready for the first day back!
Read and/or view ALL of the texts for this year AT LEAST ONCE.
Begin annotating your texts.
Start to collect articles and ideas surrounding ‘Encountering Conflict’.
Research Databases
The awesome people in the CRC have put together this websiteto help you with the oral presentation. In particular, you will want to use Echo Online and Newsbank to help you with your research.
Remember that research is a time-consuming task, and it does require a lot of trawling before you can find the material that is of most use to you. You won’t use everything you read: after all, your goal is to find the best information, not the easiest or most readily accessible. Your research skills are part of the assessment criteria.
Referencing
Remember that you need to provide a bibliography with your presentation. If needs to follow a consistent citation style. It is recommended that you use the APA/Harvard system. You can find Mr Bourke’s notes here: APA Citation Guide (Potatoes)
The online referencing guide that was demonstrated in class can be found by following this link and selecting ‘Senior Bibliography’.
Any sources that you refer to in your presentation or which played a notable role in the formulation of your speech (including those which provided valuable background knowledge), should be referenced in your bibliography.
Class Notes: Hooks, Tone and Delivery
The slides from today’s class can be accessed here:
I would also recommend having a look at some of the resources that I have put up on the debating and public speaking STL Link site (learn.stleonards.vic.edu.au/debating/). They provide some useful ideas and examples regarding structure, content and delivery. However, do keep in mind that they haven’t been written with the VCE Oral Presentation in mind, so use your discretion.
Our first assessment task next year is the PERSUASIVE ORAL PRESENTATION. It will take place in the first week of term 1 (beginning on Wednesday 27 January).
The basics of the task are as follows:
This is a 5 to 7 minute oral presentation.
It must be persuasive. Persuasive techniques must be used.
It must be on an issue that has been in the Australian media since September 2015.
It must be researched and you must provide a fully referenced bibliography.
No technology or props (other than cue cards) can be used during your speech.
Your assessors will be looking at whether you have the ability to present complex ideas in a sustained, coherent and logical argument. You will need to demonstrate that you can skilfully use highly appropriate oral language conventions in order to engage an audience. You will need to show accurate and detailed knowledge, and the acknowledgement of sources where appropriate.
There is a lot of material that was provided to you earlier in the year when you first encountered this task. To aid in your revision, I have included all of it below in this now very long post. Go back over this material and revise it carefully, as many of these same things will be highly relevant to your upcoming oral.
Introducing the Year 11 Persuasive Oral Presentation
Your task is to prepare a 5 to 7 minute persuasive oral presentation on a current issue that has been discussed in the media. You will need to draw upon the ideas and techniques studied as part of the Language Analysis unit so far and demonstrate your understanding of them through presenting an informative, intelligent and engaging speech.
The notes from our last class can be found here, including the criteria that you will be assessed by.
It’s important that you pick an issue that has substance and which you can get passionate about. Have a look at what’s in the media and have a look at the different types of issues and approaches you can take:
You can now be selecting and researching the topic for your speech, with the aim of starting planning and/or writing your speech early next week. You should make use of the following resources when doing so:
A talk is much more than just the words you say. It needs to have variation: moments of light and shade, sections which build and sections which fall, and a shift in tone to match the changing content you are delivering.
Sometimes it can be useful to strip away any meaningful content and look at the importance of delivery in capturing, orientating and guiding an audience. While the following speech in completely meaningless in what is being said, pay close attention to how it is being presented, and note the shifts in the presenter’s tone, volume, pacing and gesture:
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After watching the above speech, consider the following questions:
What elements of delivery stood out for you in this performance? Identify as many different techniques as possible.
How did the construction of the speech accommodate these elements?
How did the nature of the speaker’s delivery change over the course of the speech?
It’s not enough to question authority. You need to speak with it.
Confidence is the basis of all public speaking. You can have an excellent, logical and factually supported argument, but if you don’t speak with confidence, you will have tremendous difficulty convincing anyone to follow you.
There are many things that we do that make us appear to be lacking in confidence. Our tone, words and stance all pay a crucial part. Learn to control these elements of your delivery, and you will appear confident regardless of how you actually feel.
Watch the below performance by Taylor Mali, and consider: what are the things we do when speaking that make us appear uncertain, uninformed or lacking in conviction?
After watching the above speech, consider the following questions:
How does our tone influence the meaning of our statements?
Why is vocal inflection at the end of sentences particularly important?
What vocabulary choices convey a disinterested, indecisive or unconvinced tone?
Why is it important to speak with conviction, confidence and authority?
What choices can you make when writing a speech that will help to achieve this?
It’s time to write!
You are now at the point when you can begin writing your speech! You should be using all of the lessons learned from the examples you’ve studied and be apply this in what should be the best piece of public speaking that you have ever completed in your life.
Structure is essential to a good speech. Because we can’t re-read your content if we miss something, you need to be clear and purposeful. Don’t forget the basic general structure of a speech that we covered in our first class on this topic:
You will have the opportunity to prepare your speech in detail, so you can play around with this structure and make it a bit less blatant. However, all of these elements should still be included in an order similar to this.
Please keep the following things in mind when writing your speech:
Include persuasive techniques: This is an explicit requirement of the task. You must include a range of persuasive language techniques that we have studied in class. Their usage should be clear and deliberate (i.e. when marking your presentation, I should be able to identify when a technique is used and how it is affecting the audience).
Make it easy on your audience: Having a clear statement of contention, a clear structure and signposting your arguments makes a huge difference to your audience. Remember that we are not reading your speech; we are listening to it, and this means that you need to us a different, clearer and simpler structure than a piece of writing. Return to your message at the end, leave us with a call to action and make it crystal clear what you’ve been arguing and what needs to be done.
Don’t waste your hour in the spotlight: You are asking for roughly five minutes of undivided and very close attention from roughly twenty different people who don’t really know why they should care about what you’re discussing. You need to earn the right to be listened to. Establish your authority, be engaging and speak with conviction. Make us believe in you and what you have to say. Construct a speech with this in mind.
Learning from others.
It is very useful to look at how other students have approached this task. Examples of this can be found on the Persuasive Oral page. Below are two examples of high scoring oral presentations from previous years. Watch them carefully and consider what elements are done well, and what elements could be improved, as they are also by no means perfect.
Topic: Banning ‘the bouncer’ in cricket
Things that are done well in this speech:
Good eye contact.
Good fluency of delivery.
Very good pacing.
Good variation of tone.
Clear signposting between points.
Persuasive techniques are used: emotive language, attacks, alliteration, personal anecdotes, etc.
Argument is logical and rebuttal arguments are raised and dealt with.
Strong final message.
In your opinion, what could be improved?
Topic: We need to go to Mars
Things that are done well in this speech:
Interesting hook to begin.
Clear outline of topic and contention.
Very good eye contact.
Very fluent delivery.
Good pacing.
Very good variation of tone.
Persuasive techniques are used: emotive language, colloquial language, expert evidence, listing, inclusive language, repetition, personal anecdote, appeals, etc.
Strong final message
What, in your opinion, could be improved?
Planning your Speech
You will need to begin planning your speech by filling in the following planning document. The more information and detail you include in your plan, the easier it will be to write your speech. Remember that you also need to be keeping a list of sources that you are using.
This planning sheet is due at the beginning of next week.
You must use persuasive techniques in your oral presentation. A number of techniques should be used, and you are seeking to demonstrate your knowledge of each technique by using it correctly and as effectively as possible.
Download and complete the following table. For each of the ten technique you will need to explain what its effect on the audience is when used effectively. For five of the techniques you will need to offer an opinion as to where it would work best in a persuasive speech (i.e. where and how should you use this technique.
This activity is designed to make you engage with the purpose behind using each technique and to consider how you can use it in your own speech before you begin planning and writing your script.
You can download a copy of the ‘Persuasive Techniques: Usage in an Oral Presentation’ table here and complete it in Word:
You should use this table to help revise relevant persuasive techniques and use it as a tool to help your write your speeches. Remember that you need to use a range of persuasive techniques (although not necessarily every technique mentioned in this table). Whenever you use a technique, you should actively reflect on what the intended effect on the audience is of using this technique in this way, and whether you are likely to achieve this goal.
Rebuttal Arguments
Generally speaking, a persuasive speech is made up of two types of arguments:
Positive Arguments: presenting arguments that support your point of view.
Rebuttal Arguments: responding to an opposing side’s argument, explaining why their approach is incorrect or should not be followed and why your side is better.
Most of your speech should be focussed on presenting positive material (i.e. the points/arguments that support your side of the issue). However, you should aim to include one rebuttal argument in your speech, as this shows that you have researched other points of view and have a detailed enough understanding of the topic to successfully explain why they are incorrect.
In general terms, a rebuttal argument should be structured as follows:
Briefly state an opposing argument.
Explain in detail why this argument is incorrect/inaccurate/should be given little weight/etc.
Explain why your position is the correct one/provides a better alternative.
While it isn’t as formal as what you will be producing, the following video provides an good example of a ‘rebuttal’ from the TV show The West Wing. Watch it carefully and consider:
What argument is the president responding to?
How does he rebut this argument?
Can you identify any persuasive techniques that are used to try and sway the audience?
Examples of Persuasive Speeches
Below are some examples of people giving persuasive speeches. Some are included because they are famous, some are included because they particularly effective, some will be by adults and some will be by secondary school students. Keep in mind that these speeches are often on contentious topics – be asking yourself ‘how persuasive are these speakers?’, not ‘do they support my preexisting views on these topics?’.
For each speech you watch, make sure you consider:
What is their contention?
What arguments do they put forward?
What persuasive techniques to they use?
What other means do they use to engage and persuade their audience?
What made their speech effective/ineffective?
Severn Cullis-Suzuki, ‘The Girl who Silenced the World’
Stephen Fry: ‘The Catholic Church is not a force for good’
Julia Gillard (2012): ‘Misogyny and Sexism Speech’
Nelson Mandela: ‘I Am the First Accused’ (speech at trial, 1964)
Charlie Chaplin, ‘I Don’t Want to be an Emperor’
Emma Watson, ‘Feminism’
‘Canadian Seal Hunts’
Lulutho Ngcongolo (WIDPSC 2014): ‘Gay Rights in Africa’
Congratulations! You have officially begun the final year of your secondary schooling! It is going to be a HUGE one – don’t underestimate it! – but hopefully it will be an awesome one too!
We’re going to have to hit the ground running with transition, as we have only three classes before the holidays, and your first assessment task takes place as soon as you get back. So let’s get to it!
Below are the slides from our first transition class. They are brief, but provide a quick overview of what’s coming up in year 12 as well as your first piece of assessment: the persuasive oral presentation. You can access them here:
