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Oral Communication in English For Speakers of Other Languages  |  Theatre in Action

THE INSTRUCTIVE TALK:

 

Your aim is to help your audience remember the key points so they can do this for themselves.

Your audience must be a specified peer group.

 

The key here is to define the audience and the intention of the talk clearly.  Then a clear distinction can be made between the informative  and the instructive talk.

 

For example a talk that tells that –

 Lizards have four legs

 Lizard tails drop off easily

 Lizards inhabit specific areas…

      and so on…………….INFORMS.

 

Whereas a talk that tells that –

To keep a lizard for observation you will need –

A suitable environment – specifications

To avoid damage to tails – safety measures

To ensure health and leg growth food is required – type, frequency, amount

      and so on……. …….INSTRUCTS.

 

An informative talk should leave the audience with more knowledge BUT an instructive talk will leave the audience with information which can be acted upon.   This should be explicit in the talk.

 

The true distinction can be achieved only when the speaker knows exactly:

 who the audience is and

 what they want the audience to be able to accomplish as a result of the talk. 

 

As in all talks you should aim to:

• Develop an introduction, a body and a conclusion
• Suit the content to your audience
• Use an extempore style of speaking
• Structure your ideas so they are logical and can  be easily followed
• Link the main points
• Keep within the time limit
• Use clear visual aids to support your points

 

A possible structure for an instructional talk:.

 

Purpose:         To instruct a specific peer group

                         audience how to do something

 

Structure:       

Ø      Introduce the goal: eg…By the end of this talk you will know how to make your own sock puppet -  or …what to do in the event of a fire in the dormitory.

Ø      List the materials/ideas needed

Ø      Break information into steps

Ø      Give the steps in order

Ø      Repeat main steps briefly at end.

 

Remember:

 You can start each new step with a verb

For example: choose – mix – cut – walk – push – unfold – make – untie  etc….

•   To give detailed information or reasons

•   To use a variety of instructional techniques.

•   To use language and ideas that relate directly to your audience and your topic.

                                                                     

Some instructional techniques:

State clearly what it is you want your audience to know by the end of the talk

Choose appropriate ways to make that message clear for your audience

•       speak clearly and confidently

•       use easy to follow steps

•       repeat key points as you go

•       recap key points in different words

•       use strong clear visual aids

•       consider using memory aids such as

• -          mnemonics

-          sayings

-          patterns

-         demonstrations,

SIX MAGIC QUESTIONS —A checklist for you or your students to     ask of an instructive talk 1    Is there a clear purpose to instruct?  2    Is it achievable within the time frame?  3    Is it suited to the specified peer group?  4    Is it something new or extending, or would they already know this?  5    Does it use instructive techniques to reinforce that instruction? 6         If I were one of that specified       audience would I feel reasonably       confident using the given       instructions?

 Source: Speech New Zealand - August 2008

 

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