11 Oral Response Assignment Instructions

General Outline

• Individual assignment that integrates reading and listening inputs and synthesizes that information in the form of an oral response (5-7 minutes).
• Builds on online classwork and homework related to a reading text (When speaking a new language, what matters most is your attitude, not your accuracy) and a listening text (The secrets of learning a new language).
• Calls for students to critically assess how the texts are associated and what insights and conclusions can be derived from those associations.
• Asks students to upload their audio file to Assignments on Sakai.

Specific Instructions

• To successfully complete this assignment, it is very important to understand each input carefully. In addition to your in-class work with the reading and listening texts, explore them carefully again—make further notes on the listening and annotate the reading text with questions and comments. Note any language difficulties, especially in relation to vocabulary, phrases or clauses you do not understand. Raise these concerns with your teacher if necessary. The more you have mastered the meaning of each text, the better you will be able to relate them to each other.
• Using the table below, brainstorm the following: key ideas; similarities between the two texts; differences between the two; key associations; and finally, conclusions resulting from those associations. As you are filling in the table, ask yourself the following questions:
  •  What is the purpose of each text?
    • To inform? To persuade? To evoke emotion? To inspire? To correct the record?
  • Who is the intended audience of each text?
    • The average person? Peers within the field? Adversaries who argue differently? Certain groups within society?
  • What is the main idea of each text?
    • What are the respective key points or positions?
  • How are the texts associated?
    • • Similar theme? Similar or dissimilar audience? Similar or competing perspectives? Similar or dissimilar conclusions?
  • What are your resulting conclusions?
    • • What can be implied by the associations of the two texts? Is one stance or position weakened or strengthened in light of the other? Or conversely, does one approach build on the other or provide further support? Or does each text necessitate the other in some way? How is the theme enhanced by the two approaches?

• After your brainstorming table is filled in, begin to form an outline of your response. Your outline can follow the template below:
  • Introduction
    • text and listening titles and author/speaker
    • brief summary statement that captures the key associations and derived conclusion
  • Key Ideas
    • When speaking a new language, what matters most is your attitude, not your accuracy
    • The secrets of learning a new language
  • Associations
    • due to similarities (in depth)
    • due to differences (in depth)
  • Derived conclusions
    • your argument for what is implied by the associations
• With a completed outline, it is now time to compose your oral response. Remember it must be 5-7 minutes. Your teacher will help you develop your response, but it is necessary to complete all the above steps first
• When your response is complete, practice it thoroughly to be sure that your timing and clarity are optimized.
• Finally, record your performance and upload the audio file to the Assignment tool on Sakai. Your teacher will direct you regarding this.

NOTE: Please refer to the provided rubric to understand how the assignment will be marked. This is an individual assessment.