Here are some key points that make someone a good speaker:
- Clear pronunciation so the listener can understand what is being said. The speaker needs to form words correctly.
- Using appropriate intonation (rising and falling of the voice) and stress on important words to make the meaning clear.
- Pausing in the right places so the speech has a natural flow and rhythm.
- Choosing vocabulary that fits the topic and level of the listener. Too simple or complex words may confuse.
- Speaking fluently without too many pauses or hesitations. The message is conveyed smoothly.
Accuracy is especially important in formal situations like presentations, debates or exams where precise communication is expected.
2. University of Nottingham Ningbo China
Centre for English Language Education
Listening and Speaking in Academic Contexts
Preliminary Year, Semester 1, 2011
Discussion Exam
3. DiscussionExam
General instructions:
• 4 randomly chosen students
• topic taken from any unit in Lecture Ready 3
• 12 minutes + 2 minutes preparation time
• the discussion is recorded
• the group discussion is marked using 5
criteria, each worth 20%.
4. Procedure:
• The group will be given a question related to one of
the topics from Lecture Ready 3, chapters 1 to 10
inclusive.
• Read through the question and think about what you
have read or heard about this topic.
• There will be two minutes to prepare for the
discussion.
• Each student will be provided with a small piece of
paper to make notes.
• If you wish to ask another group member a question
about the topic you should do so in English.
• It is acceptable to ask questions about the meaning
of the question during the discussion but the
question and answer must be in English.
5. Preamble to Questions
You will be given a card with the following information on it.
Read the following question and think about
the problems involved.
In your discussion you should mention:
• which stakeholders are involved
• how the situation affects them
• differing opinions about this topic
• your own opinion(s).
7. To obtain a good mark in these criteria you
need to do the following:
•Fluency
Speak without hesitation, on topic, without
having to pause to search for words.
• Vocabulary
Use the vocabulary relevant to the topics in
Lecture Ready 3 plus relevant vocabulary from
AVU.
• Pronunciation
Use word and sentence stress and
appropriate intonation.
Your voice should always be clear.
8. To obtain a good mark in these criteria you
need to do the following:
•Interaction
Consistently engage and sustain interaction.
Listen and respond supportively and
effectively.
Make sure all group members speak and help
others if necessary.
• Content
Be extremely well informed and relevant.
Completely fulfill requirements of the task.
Be able to talk about articles or lectures
related to the question.
Answer the question given.
9. Assessment
Speaking test assessment is based on:
• your ability to communicate effectively
• your ability to use a variety of and appropriate
vocabulary and sentence structures
• your ability to take initiative in a conversation
• general fluency
• good organization of ideas
• relevance of content
10. You should:
• develop your ideas as much as possible
• speak as much as possible
• link your ideas together, and use appropriate
linking structures between you and the other
participants
• attempt to use complicated sentence structures
and vocabulary
11. • use a variety of sentence structures – simple,
compound and complex
• use a variety of vocabulary – synonyms,
different word forms, pronouns, idiomatic
language
• have an appropriate balance between formal
and informal language
• use self-correction if necessary
12. Discussion ideas
It is not necessary for everybody to agree but
all group members should explain their point
of view and try to persuade the others.
You could talk about all or some of the
following:
13. • background information
• short term/long term effects
• different stakeholders’ views
• causes /effects
• advantages/disadvantages
• similarities/differences
• different criteria e.g. price, environmental impact,
difficulty of implementation
14. • an analysis - why, how
• an evaluation - e.g. useful/not useful
• strengths/weaknesses
• opportunities/threats
15. You should:
• support with details e.g. facts,
examples, reasons, figures
• include information from your readings -
authors’ points of view
• not use vague language e.g. important, good,
bad, etc. - give exact details and information
• express your own opinion
• study all the topics in the book.
16. Advice and tips
The tutor will say: “Start your discussion now.”
A suggested way to discuss the topic:
One of the students should read out the
question and ask the others about it.
Example:
• What do you know about this topic?
• Who would like to start?
• Where shall we begin?
• What did we learn about this in class?
17. There are a number of other ways to start a
discussion.
Here are some that you can use:
• Ask for opinions about the topic.
• Mention an article you have read about the
topic.
• Mention a lecture or broadcast you have
heard.
• Suggest a definition for a key term.
18. Expressions you might find useful:
Asking for opinions about the topic.
•So, what does anybody think about this?
•Do you think this is a big problem?
Mention an article you have read about the topic
/ something you have heard.
•There’s an article by XXXX about this.
•We saw a lecture in class which was related to
this topic.
•I found something about this when I was
surfing on the web.
•There was something about this on the BBC
last week.
19. Suggest a definition for a key term.
•When he says ‘Chinese’ is he talking about
the language or the culture?
•When I say ‘modern’ I mean during the last
ten years.
•‘Expensive’ is a little difficult to define. I
mean something which is above the
average price.
Give an example.
•I mean the kind of modern Chinese
language you can hear on CCTV.
•For me innovation means some really new
idea, like mobile phones when they first
came out.
20. If there are any words in the question which are
unclear or confusing, ask for a definition or
explanation.
Example:
• I’m not sure what they mean by the word
xxxx.
• Could somebody tell me what xxxx means?
• I think xxxx has several meanings.
• What does anybody think it means here?
• What do you think they mean by xxxx in this
sentence?
21. The group should spend a little time discussing
the meaning of the question and mention
relevant articles they have read.
Example:
• The article in Lecture Ready 3 talked about
this. They said …
• That was in the Lecture Ready 3 article. I think
the main idea was…
• I read another article on this topic. It was an
online article from the BBC and it said…
• There was something about this on the CNN
news. They said…
22. The aim of the discussion is for you all to add
together the information you have and to use it
to improve your understanding of the topic.
Students may have the same opinions or
different ones. You should always mention
different points of view whether or not you
agree with them.
Example:
• I think this is quite true but some people
might not think so because…
• I agree with you but I read an article which
gave the opposite point of view.
• It is true that xxxx but only in some cases.
23. Do listen to the others and show that you have
been listening. Check if you are not sure.
Example:
• Did you mean to say that…?
• Could you clarify what you meant by…?
• Sorry, I’m not quite sure that I could follow
your idea.
• Could you give an example?
• So, do you mean that…?
24. The tutor will tell you that you have one minute
left so somebody should sum up.
Example:
• So, the main idea that we have discussed is …
• It seems that the main point in this discussion
is…
• We all agree that the main problem here is…
• Actually we don’t all have the same point of
view. Two of us think xxxx and the other two
think yyyy.
25. Do not:
• pause too much or for too long
• repeat words or phrases at the beginning of
sentences
• say “that’s all” or "I’m finished” at the end of
an answer, instead use falling intonation to
indicate you have finished speaking
• give very short answers
28. Before the exam
• Try to analyze your speech to discover any
weaknesses you may have and then work to
improve those areas.
• Take any and every opportunity to use English.
• Listen to a variety of English speakers and
think about how they speak in different
situations.
29. Good speech
Questions: • Perfect pronunciation
• What makes someone • Correct intonation
a good speaker? • Appropriate pausing
• When do you need to • Suitable stress
speak accurately?
• Accurate grammar
• When is just getting
your message across • Fitting vocabulary
enough? • Fluency (continuing to
speak)
