UNIVERSIDADE FEDERAL DE VIOSA

CURSO DE EXTENSO EM LNGUA INGLESA

ACTIVITY: Presentation on music

AIMS: For this presentation, you will give the class a glimpse into your favorite
band/singer or song or a combination of both band/singer and song.

GUIDELINES FOR THE ORAL PRESENTATION

GIVING SOME CONTEXT. Start by briefly saying why you chose that song and/or
singer/band. Adding some personal story may help to connect with the audience.
ANNOUNCING THE CONTENT OF YOUR TALK. This should prepare the audience for the
main points of your presentation, which may include:
If you wont focus on the band/singer, but instead you choose to focus on a
specific the song, then just briefly introduce the band/singer so that everyone
will know who sings it.
In order to talk about the song, you can bring background information, such as
date of release, genre, writers, etc. You may also include historical information
related to the time the song was released, for example, letting students know
what was happening in the world back then;
You can then explain what the song talks about, exploring some
passages/verses from the lyrics, vocabulary and metaphors;
If you choose to focus on a band/singer, highlight some biographical events
related to both personal life and career, such as when and where they were
born, started to sing, first hit, discography, awards and recognition, etc;
You can include any other piece of information you may find curious, such as
how they were discovered, first performance, musical influences, etc.
You can play a complete song or extracts. If you choose to play the whole song,
youll only have time for one (this should be the best option if you choose to
focus on a specific song and, in this case, you can also bring a video clip). On the
other hand, you can play some seconds of various songs to survey the band,
giving the students a chance to have a glimpse into the band/singer, songs
recorded and style.

TAKING THE DISCUSSION TO A NEXT LEVEL. Before concluding, you may choose to
discuss any specific issue (if any) associated to the song or band/singer. We all know
some bands/singers are associated to world causes and some songs are associated to
specific causes as well, such as hunger, environment, war, politics, stereotypes, etc.
Thus, this is when you have the opportunity to think more critically and state your
position on eventual issues under discussion.
GETTING THE PRESETANTION READY. Organize a PowerPoint presentation, use the
audio, videos or any kind of visual aid (tell the teacher in advance if youll need the
computer or DVD). Remember to use more pointers than whole sentences in the
slides. Try not to read your presentation but, instead, talk to the audience.
DELIVERING. Every presentation is an opportunity for practicing, then try to remember
to:
Speak naturally, watch your body language, and maintain eye contact with the
audience.
Practice. Rehearse the delivery of your presentation.
Try not to write your presentation. You may only want to write the main points
to help you organize your ideas and remember the order of your talk.
Demonstrate enthusiasm.
Incorporate images, pictures, graphics, and all kinds of visual information
possible.
ASSESSSMENT. For the purpose of the activity, an average presentation can be
evaluated at the levels of:
Organization & Content: The talk should be well organized and developed.
Remember to start your talk by giving a general view, then give more details on
the topic, and finally conclude by saying how meaningful this topic can be. Try
to stress the positive points, and if there should be any negative points, try to
offer questions for reflection or directions for dealing with the situation youre
demonstrating concern.
Fluency: A speech is generally fluent when its smooth and when the speaker
manages to be clear, so that everybody can understand him/her. Its not
related to how fast or slow one speaks, but to the natural use of language for
communication.
Grammar: Grammatical structures should be used accurately.
Vocabulary: Vocabulary should also be used accurately and word
choice should be appropriate. Search for the words you dont know and offer
the audience an explanation on the words you think they may not know.
Pronunciation: Knowing the correct pronunciation of the words is a
fundamental aspect for accurate understanding when delivering a speech.
Remember to articulate all the syllables, elongate some syllables to help with
sentence stress and use pauses instead of vocalizing your thoughts.
Visual: When visual aid is used properly, it adds to the presentation.