Unit 11 — Public Speaking: A Short Talk

Track E · Klasse 8 · Niveau E

Template: Activate → Input → Practise → Produce → Reflect.
Niveau: E. class test (“Klassenarbeit”) at Niveau E (45 BE).

Learning objectives Link to heading

  • I can deliver a 2-minute monologue with three movements (hook, body, close).
  • I can use signposting phrases for spoken English.
  • I can listen to a peer’s talk and give one specific piece of feedback.

Bildungsplan alignment Link to heading

  • 3.2.1 Soziokulturelles Orientierungswissen / Themen
  • 3.2.3.1 Hör-/Hörsehverstehen
  • 3.2.3.4 Sprechen – zusammenhängendes monologisches Sprechen
  • 3.2.3.7 Verfügen über sprachliche Mittel – Wortschatz

(Source: https://www.bildungsplaene-bw.de/,Lde/LS/BP2016BW/ALLG/SEK1/E1)

Lead-in story Link to heading

Hawa is preparing a talk. The rule: two minutes, no slides, one object you bring with you. Hawa is bringing a small green spoon. Jonas is bringing a single cloud photo printed on paper. Mr. Ade is bringing a calmly worried face, which he has done before.

1. Activate Link to heading

Hook scan. Listen to three first lines from different talks. Which one would you keep listening to? Why?

2. Input Link to heading

Structure — three movements Link to heading

  1. Hook (15 sec): a question, a small object, a strong sentence.
  2. Body (90 sec): three short points, each with one specific example.
  3. Close (15 sec): a sentence the audience can carry out of the room.

Signposts for spoken English Link to heading

Today I’d like to talk about … / Let me start with … / Firstly … Secondly … Lastly … / What this means is … / In short … / So, that’s why I … / Thank you for listening.

3. Practise Link to heading

Niveau E — controlled Link to heading

  1. Match: hook → grab attention; body → make 3 points; close → leave one idea.
  2. Choose a hook for the importance of break time: a question / a single object / a strong sentence.

Niveau E — productive Link to heading

  1. Draft the bullets for your own 2-minute talk on a topic of your choice.
Answer key

Controlled. 1. correct. 2. open.

Productive. 3. Open.

4. Produce Link to heading

Class talks. Each student delivers a 2-minute monologue with the three movements + one object. After every talk, one classmate gives feedback in one English sentence using I noticed that … / What worked was … / One thing you could try is …

Sample Link to heading

This small green spoon belongs to my grandmother. She has stirred more meals with it than I have eaten in my life. Today I want to talk about three things small objects can do that big speeches cannot. Firstly, they remember things we forget. Secondly, they fit in pockets — they travel with us. Lastly, they are honest — a worn handle is a kind of biography. Thank you for listening.

5. Reflect Link to heading

  • I can deliver a 2-minute monologue with three movements.
  • I can use 5 spoken-English signposts.
  • I can give one specific piece of feedback in English.

One thing in your notebook: Write one sentence using something you learned in this Unit.

Exam example Link to heading

class test ("Klassenarbeit") — Niveau E (45 minutes)
Time. 45 minutes. Total. 45 points.

Task 1 — Listening (10 BE) Link to heading

Listen twice.

“Today I’d like to talk about break time. Firstly, break time is when most school friendships actually happen. Secondly, it is when teachers see what kind of class they really have. Lastly, it is the only time that doesn’t have a goal. So in short, break time matters more than the timetable suggests. Thank you for listening.”

  1. Topic: ___ . 2. Three points: ___ . 3. Closing: ___ . 4. Sign-off: ___ .

Task 2 — Reading (12 BE) Link to heading

Read the sample monologue above. Answer.

  1. Hook: ___ . 2. Three points: ___ . 3. Object: ___ . 4. Closing: ___ .

Task 3 — Use of English (10 BE) Link to heading

Insert the right signpost.

  1. ___ I’d like to talk about my favourite teacher.
  2. ___ , break time matters.
  3. ___ , let me say something obvious.
  4. ___ for listening.

Task 4 — Writing (13 BE) Link to heading

Write a 2-minute talk script (~150 words) using the three movements + one object.

Answer key
T1. break time, friendships happen / teachers see real class / no goal, break time matters more than timetable suggests, Thank you for listening. T2. the green spoon belongs to grandmother; small objects remember / fit in pockets / are honest; the spoon; Thank you for listening. T3. Today / In short / Firstly / Thank you. T4. Open.
Notenschlüssel (von 45)
| 42–45 | 1 | 36–41 | 2 | 30–35 | 3 | | 22–29 | 4 | 13–21 | 5 | 0–12 | 6 |

Downloads Link to heading

**Slide deck timing.** 45 minutes total. Lead-in 4 min · Activate 5 min · Input 14 min · Practise 8 min · Produce 11 min · Reflect 3 min.

Differentiation. Below Niveau E (mixed group): provide a support card with the key structure. Above Niveau E: extension question linking to the next Unit.

Common pitfalls Link to heading

  • Reading word-for-word from a page → flat. Bullets only.
  • Vague hooks (Today I want to talk about an interesting topic) → boring.
  • Skipping the close → audience does not know it ended.

Further reading / listening Link to heading

  • TED-Ed — short student talks.
  • BBC Sounds — Short Cuts.

Downloads

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