1. N5/Higher Talk Advice and Structure Tips

2. Cue Cards
Once you have written out your cue cards you will stick them to an A3 sheet of white paper so they are all in front of you when you do your talk.
This means you can only write on one side of the card.
Your sheet will then be photocopied so you can use your cue cards for your talk while your teacher assesses your performance using the photocopied version.
Intro
Point 1
Point 2
Point 3
Point 4
Point 5
Point 6
End

3. Each cue card should have…
1. A point heading e.g. if your talk is on euthanasia your first point might be about changing the law in the UK so your heading could be “Changing the law”.
Changing the law
________________

4. Each main cue card should have…
2. your argument in bullet points or numbers. One could be the argument itself, one could be for evidence and one could be for your opinion
E.g.
i) if people want to euthanise themselves they have to travel as far as Switzerland, far away from the support of their loved ones.
ii) 300 people left the UK to end their lives last year, far away from their families, alone and unable to say goodbye.
Iii) we should not allow this state of affairs to continue – let vulnerable people who have lived with pain for too long die in their own country – it is only right that we change the law in the UK.

5. Each main cue card should have…
A linking word or phrase that leads on to the next argument (cue card).
E.g. Moreover, Further to this, Also, Another strong argument, Moreover, on the one hand, On the other hand, This is not the only argument…

6. Introduction Start with an interesting, engaging phrase:
i) E.g. a rhetorical question, a startling statistic, an emotional appeal or a bold statement: “How would you feel if you had to live the next twenty years in horrific pain?”
ii) Make it clear what your topic is and what your over all opinion is going to be: “I feel that euthanasia is not acceptable on any grounds.”
iii) Signpost your points in advance: “I will be discussing different types of euthanasia, freedom of choice, medical practice, the law, quality of life and religion”.

7. Conclusion Your conclusion should include:
i) a summing up of your main argument: “I have shown that euthanasia is wrong by for example proving beyond any doubt that there is little personal choice and explaining how a law on assisted dying would be impractical”.
Ii) A strong reiteration of your belief: “So we must not allow euthanasia to become law – it is immoral and impractical”.
Iii) A final statement to resonate with the listener: “How would you feel if it was your loved one living with unbearable pain?”
Do not just stop or tail off or end on a “that was my talk…”

8. Features and techniques that should be evident in your talk
i) Rich or complex vocabulary: “innumerable” instead of “a lot of”.
ii) Varied sentence structure: “Euthanasia must be stopped”. “Euthansia, without any question, is the right thing to do and we should legalise it”.
iii) Relevant register or appopriate vocabulary for your subject – so for euthansia: voluntary, involuntary, assisted, termination.
Unless there is an example of these in your talk it cannot pass

9. Performance
Things you should be doing consistently throughout your talk:
Eye contact
Gesture
Tone variance
Keeping up a suitable pace
Things you should avoid:
Hesitation
Repetition of arguments
Talking too fast or too slow (pace)

10. Top Tips Relax and don’t allow nerves to get the better of you.
Practice your talk in front of a mirror to avoid hesitation and stage fright.
Highlight key points with bold colours or underlining so that they stand out and keep you right.
You could even mark eye contact and gesture at particular points on your cue cards to make sure you do them.
Keep your head up so you can easily project your voice.
If you forget a point come back to it.
Free your hands so you can gesture when necessary.
If you do experience a hesitation or a freeze collect yourself and carry on as you can still pass…