GoalPrepare and rehearse a group talk about a cause, on paper.
New words
cause · a goal or problem that people care about and work forrole · the part that one group member hasspeaking order · the order in which members speakrehearse · to practise a talk before you give it for real
Explanation
A good group talk needs preparation. Choose a cause that could help other people, for example saving water or keeping streets clean. Then follow these steps. One: give each member a role and write what that person will share. Two: confirm the speaking order. Three: check one another’s notes and sources, because mistakes in your own work are hard to notice. Four: do a practice run, or rehearsal, as a group, and fix any problems you find, such as a part that is too long. Five: in a real call, you would also check that the connection works. Six: if a problem is too hard, go to your teacher. Practise the way it will happen: use the ‘muted’ rule, so only the speaker talks, and look up as if at a camera. After the talk, think about it: how did your notes help, did your role suit you, how did the team work, and how did the rules of a digital citizen help?
Step
What the group does
1. roles
each member writes their part
2. speaking order
agree who speaks first, second…
3. check
read each other’s notes and sources
4. practice run
rehearse and fix problems
5. ask your teacher
for help with anything you cannot solve
Worked examples
Order
Speaker
Part
1
Salma
the problem
2
Karim
two facts
3
Habiba
three tips
4
Youssef
thanks and a question
A plan for a talk about saving water. Salma opens by saying what the problem is. Karim gives two facts. Habiba gives three tips. Youssef closes with thanks and a question. The order is written on a card.
Note
After checking
The Nile flows south into the sea.
The Nile flows north towards the Mediterranean Sea.
Checking each other’s notes. Karim’s note says ‘The Nile flows south into the sea.’ Habiba checks the source and finds that the Nile flows north towards the Mediterranean Sea. Karim fixes his note. A friend’s eyes found the mistake.
practice run→part is too long→cut it down→practise again
A practice run finds a problem: Marwan’s part takes four minutes and the group has two minutes in all. They cut the part to thirty seconds. Without a practice run they would have found out too late.
Class activity
Rehearsal. In groups of four, plan a talk of two minutes about a cause on paper: each member’s part, the speaking order and the sources. Check one another’s notes. Do a practice run with the ‘muted’ rule, so that only the speaker talks, and listen to the feedback: two things that were good and one thing to improve. Then answer: how did your notes help, what was your role, and how did the team work?
Practice
1
Why should group members check one another’s notes?
Mistakes in your own work are hard to notice.
2
What is the speaking order for?
So everyone knows when to speak and nobody interrupts.
3
What can a practice run show you?
Problems to fix, such as a part that is too long.
4
Name one rule of a digital citizen that helps in a video meeting.
For example: be polite, wait for your turn, do not share the link.
