LEARNERS' NICHE

O-Level English Language

In the course of my teaching I have been asked numerous questions about attempting the English Language Paper by students and my co-teachers alike. I have been fortunate to have attended specific training sessions regarding the GCE O’ Level English Language Paper 1&2 and had ample opportunity to practise and share my learning with my students over a considerable period. I have created this niche to continue sharing my knowledge based on experience with my students and all teachers who wish to join me. They are more than welcome to share their own teaching-learning experiences with us all on this podium and help me in making this a successful learning medium.

Thankyou.

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 Paper Blues

A preliminary guideline for O-level students:-

The English Language Examination consists of two papers.

§  Paper 1 : Directed Writing & Essay Writing

§  Paper 2 : Comprehension   & Summary Writing

Students are well aware of the requirement of each paper and each part. They are given enough practice in the school room to be familiar with the question pattern and paper format, including total marks for each segment.

I am aware that all schools offering O level classes have a good range of syllabus books and reference books which the students can use regularly for language development and all required skills.

I will simply go through each segment in what one might say ‘the layman’s language’ to explain the ‘nitty gritty’ of the syllabus. Every year there are students who go through the entire exercise dutifully, yet at the end of the year draw a complete blank and may be found asking questions such as :

“Miss, how do we end the letter?”

“Miss, which side of the page should we sign off?

“ Oh Please Miss, just one question…can I give two answers  for a  comprehension   

   question?”    

“ Ma’am can we write more than 15 content points in the summary?”

 And the funniest part is, or perhaps tragic, that they will be asking you these questions minutes before entering the examination hall!          

I will go through each segment methodically.  We will take one part at a time. Please read through the small, seemingly insignificant details carefully, because they are the ones that can take you from a B+ to an A and further to A+.

Remember, every single mark counts. Do not ignore the 1 mark questions.  They can make all the difference. 

 I hope students will be able to  remove a lot of nagging doubts through this ‘niche’ and teachers will have a clearer understanding of points to be emphasized in class.

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The Directed Writing Task

A preliminary guideline for O-level students:-The Directed Writing Task is the first question in the Paper 1. It is a compulsory question and offers no choices. There are different genres of writing and you are required to write on only one of them.

You must therefore practise each of the following thoroughly:-

·         Letter Writing ( formal, informal)

·         Account Writing ( two types)

·         Report Writing

·         Article ( magazine, newspaper)

·         Leaflet  ( all types)

·         Statement

·         Speech

The Directed Writing question consists of  the rubric and content points. The rubric  presents a situation and the content points ask questions related to the situation. You are required to write a detailed answer in view of the situation and choose the kind of writing it demands.  There are between 3-7 content points. You are awarded marks for writing in accordance with question and the detail you provide. It is advisable to mark FAP and TSR immediately on the rubric before you begin to write your answer. This will help you write relevantly and accurately.

Use of correct English is extremely important in all parts of the paper. This is a formal paper and only formal writing is allowed. Marks are deducted for use of slang or inappropriate language.

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 Writing the Speech

Speech writing is one of the less frequent questions that appears in the O-Level examination, but is very strong on students’ nerves. They are often found worrying about what to write and how to write if they are faced with the task.

Let me put their minds to rest. Speech writing is as simple as speaking out your mind on a certain topic. We are in actual life, giving speeches all the time. When our parents stand up and put down a list of rules we have to follow, and tell us what behavior they expect from us, they are giving a speech. When in school, the teacher greets you in the morning and outlines the day’s schedule or talks of any ongoing situation or project she/he too is giving a speech. The only difference is that students are required to write down what they wish to say to an audience, in an exam.

Since in a speech, one person is addressing other people, it is bound to be in the first person. There are some very preliminary points that we must not forget about writing a speech. It must always begin with a greeting, in accordance with the subject of the speech and end on a note of thanks. The language must be formal and correct. The tone must be, again, in accordance with the kind of audience present. Remember that a speech is made to inform people of your opinion, views or plans, and therefore must be very clear and effective in order to leave a lasting impression.

I shall be discussing the format and specifications of speech writing in detail below.  My notes include extractions from a book ‘Public Speaking for Business and Community’ and I will attempt to mould them to suit the requirement of the student.

Speeches are usually written out in essay form, and thus may follow the Aristotelian rule that all good writings contain a beginning, a middle, and an end. In order to make your speech impressive, organize your content sensibly. Remember, you must keep in your mind that although you are writing the speech, it is in actual form being read, or spoken. The listener will have only one chance to hear each word, each sentence, and if clarity is not maintained, your chance to affect the listener will be gone. (That means, you will also lose your chance to impress the examiner.)

It is prudent to divide your speech into three parts mentally before you even begin writing, and carefully plan what and how much you are going to say in each part. The easiest way would be to write the three parts under three headings in your rough notes.

                               I.            Introduction to the speech: 10-15 percent

                            II.            The body of the speech     : 70-80 percent

                         III.            Conclusion of the speech  : 10-15 percent

Introduction

Always make your introduction as effective as possible. Even though it is short, it is the  most crucial part in that it sets the tone for your speech, indicates what you are going to talk ( or write) about , and serves to awaken the interest of your audience or lose it. Remember, if the audience is not with you at the beginning, they will not be with you at the end. The following approaches  will be helpful in making your introduction interesting :-

·         Refer to the audience.

·         Refer to the occasion.

·         Refer to the subject.

·         Refer to a quote.

·         Use a startling statement.

·         Use a rhetorical question.

·         Use humour.

You may use some of these approaches in combination. Make sure that your introduction connects logically and smoothly to the body of your speech.

Body

This part carries the bulk of your speech. You have the chance to communicate your thoughts fully to your audience and convince them or impress them. Unlike other forms of writing, ‘repetition’ and ‘redundancy’ are not only allowed but appreciated in speeches, since the objective of a speech is to make people ‘retain’ ideas. Your ideas.  It is advisable to follow this saying while writing the body of your speech :

‘Tell them what you are going to tell them , tell them, and then tell them what you told them.’

Conclusion

This is rather a tricky part and no less important than the rest of your speech. Very frequently speakers ( writers) get carried away by the first part of their speech and do not know when to stop or how to round off smoothly. They either keep rambling on, or stop so abruptly, the audience almost  miss the point. They are ignoring the theory that what is said in the last is most remembered and followed. Having the last word is an art in itself. How skillfully you use this art is entirely up to you.

A good conclusion should consider the following points:

·         Let the audience know that you are ending.

·         Reiterate what you want listeners or readers to understand about your topic.

·         Leave a final impression.

·         End in a meaningful manner.

Make your final words count. You may repeat the pattern you used for the introduction of your speech i.e.

·         Refer to the audience again.

·         Refer to the occasion again.

·         Refer to the subject again.

·         Refer to a quote.

·         Refer to a story or anecdote.

·         Refer to a rhetorical question.

·         Issue an appeal or challenge the audience to action.

·         Summarise your key points and ideas.

Remember

The Directed Writing Question makes speech writing very easy for the students. They have content points, a rubric and a word limit. Therefore they should not worry about what to write and how to write it. They simply have to follow the instructions and write in accordance with the content points. However, they can make the speech attractive and well worth remembering by using the strategies stated above.

I shall  discuss the different  types of speeches and how they should be attempted in the next post. Please feel free to ask any questions (related to topic ) you have in mind.

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Types of Speeches

We have determined the specific pattern of writing a speech previously and now we can move on to the different kinds of speeches that we can be required to make (in the case of an examination, write). Let me make one point clear. We do not learn language simply to sit in an examination. Language is life itself and whatever we learn while studying it will certainly be applied in practical life at all times. We need to make speeches frequently once we enter the vocational field and must be prepared adequately to address any kind of audience in the course of a career or advanced studies.

There are many occasions when a speech is needed. However four types of speeches are most common :

·         Speech of Self-Introduction

·         The Personal Experience Speech

·         Informative  Speech

·         Persuasive Speech

All these are practised both in personal and professional life. Therefore it is easy to attempt a question that requires any one kind of the above. Students should be able to tackle these with a little background knowledge on format and layout of each. The rubric in the Directed Writing question helps them to stay focused and write only what is relevant.

The Speech of Self-Introduction

This is the first formal speech that a student or a professional is expected to make. Almost all students are asked to stand up and introduce themselves to the rest of the class on first day of school or if they are a new arrival. In offices, communication centers and business careers too, this is a common practice. We all like to know about each other and the self-introduction speech is an excellent opportunity to inform and be informed of another person’s views, stance in life and ( to some extent) capability. It also serves to break the ice in an unfamiliar environment.

You may begin by providing your basic biographical information such as your name, age, your home town and your reasons to be there. As your speech progresses give your audience a glimpse of your personal life, your interests and ambitions and your long-term goals in life.  Do not for get to thank the audience for their time and attention.

Students must remember that even though they will be writing the speech, it must ‘sound’ good. They should always write in the 1^st person, begin with a greeting and end on a note of thanks. The task is made easy for them by providing content points which will guide them about ‘what’ they need to write.

The Personal Experience Speech

This is a logical continuation of the self-introduction speech. You are asked to describe an experience that has affected you strongly and is significant enough to have left a lasting impression on your life. You may narrate the change such an event has brought in your personality, your approach to life and to your personal views. Make it interesting enough and effective enough for your audience to feel they can change too.

This kind of speech should not be too long or it might lose the audience’s interest. However in the Directed Writing task you are given a word limit and content points to follow so you need not worry too much about rambling. Make sure that your audience understand your motive explicitly and get a clear message. Keep in mind the following points:

·         Your narrative must have value for the people you are addressing.

·         Cover the basic journalistic questions-who? what? when? where?

·         Your language must be descriptive enough to provide a visual scene.

·         Be selective enough to omit unnecessary details.

·         Make smooth transitions from scene to scene.

Your credibility can be established through sincerity and honesty in your words. You are in fact revealing yourself to your audience. How truthfully you do it will determine how effected they will be.

As students, you have the greatest chance to be asked to write a personal –experience speech. Remember, the examiners are very much aware of your age group and your limitations in exposure to life. They will always set you a question that is closest to home. We all have personal experiences, and we can all relate them to friends. Develop the skill to relate them in an impressive manner.

The Informative/Persuasive Speech

As is evident from the title, both kinds of speeches are given to inform or persuade an audience. They are bracketed together because they follow the same pattern and the same objective: informing your audience; persuading your audience.

These speeches are personally valuable to the audience. Be sure your information is tightly organized. Remember your task is to inform. Or persuade. Try to pass on your knowledge and experience clearly, in an interesting manner. Use of rhetoric can attract the audience more successfully than a long, boring narrative. They will also guide the audience from one part of your speech to the next. You may ask questions that force them to response in one way or the other. i.e. ‘We all know the effect of meditation, don’t we?’ ‘We all agree that inflation is the reason of all our troubles, right ?’  etc.

As in all speeches, do not forget the complimentary greeting and note of thanks.

You can begin to practise writing speeches now. Your task is made easier by specific instructions in the directed writing question. Keep in mind that your speech must always be interesting for the audience. Use correct English. Write formally. Avoid using slang at all times.

Good Luck!

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