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ELA 5: How to Make an Oral Summary 169 Views


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Description:

Hm. So this is supposed to be a summary of a video about...summaries. Well, to summarize we just talk about summaries and—ugh, this is getting too complicated. Just watch the video if you need to know more.

Language:
English Language

Transcript

00:04

[Coop and Dino singing]

00:13

In life, we get called upon to make oral summaries constantly.

00:18

Okay, maybe not always the formal kind, but… …people ask, "What happened?" all the time. [Giant bird collides with a robot and falls to the city floor in an explosion]

00:23

Maybe they just should have been paying attention the first time, but…that’s beside the point.

00:28

Telling a reader what happened in the context of a story… [Page of a book tearing off and flying out the window]

00:31

…is not much different than telling someone what happened in a real-life situation.

00:35

You just have to think about how it started… …and how it ended. [Piece of paper attached to a mans windscreen]

00:39

What were the turning points? In other words…how did one thing lead to another?

00:45

As you start putting together your oral summary, consider a few things… [Girl on stage preparing to speak]

00:49

First, who’s your audience?

00:51

If your audience is a bunch of five-year-olds, and you want to talk about climate change…

00:55

…it’s probably best not to launch into concepts like adaptive capacity and afforestation.

01:02

Instead…maybe talk about how polar bears are losing their homes. [Children in the audience looking confused]

01:05

That’s probably more their speed.

01:08

Second, how long does this thing need to be? [Man checks his watch]

01:10

Make sure you’ve practiced in front of a mirror…

01:13

…or NOT in front of a mirror, depending on how bad your bedhead is… [Girl with bedhead staring in the mirror]

01:18

…and use a stopwatch to see if you’re going to go over the allotted time.

01:22

You don’t want it to be too short either…pack as much info as you can into that puppy, while [Man at the front of a class giving a presentation]

01:28

still leaving yourself about 30 to 45 seconds of leeway.

01:31

Third…do your research. It depends on the subject of your summary, of course…

01:35

…but if research is required for you to…sound like you know what you’re talking about…

01:41

…then, uh…make sure you know what you’re talking about.

01:44

And…organization is a biggie. [Organizational flow chart diagram]

01:47

We mentioned earlier how you should have an idea of where your story starts and ends…

01:52

…but also know where all the signposts are along the way… [Police shmoop car on a countryside road]

01:55

…you know, all the secondary stuff that lends detail and really helps sell that story of yours.

02:01

Don’t get caught up in telling too much.

02:03

People tend to get bored. Especially if they’re under the age of six. [Young children bored]

02:07

But…don’t tell too little, either.

02:09

Keep it simple… …but add a solid detail now and again to

02:13

help listeners picture what’s going on. Stories are always better with pictures… [Photos attached to a washing line]

02:17

…even if they aren’t of the physical, print & ink kind…

02:21

For example… …"Two people raced"… [Man and woman sprinting on a track]

02:23

…is different from… …"Annemarie and Ellen raced down the

02:26

sidewalk on the way home from school." The first could describe practically anything…

02:31

…while the second helps listeners get a precise picture of what's happening.

02:35

The second is more effective. If you just went the first way…

02:39

…maybe we’re talking about two old men in a nursing home who are trying to beat each [Old men in a nursing home racing for pudding]

02:43

other to the last bread pudding. Impossible to know.

02:46

So yeah…make sure you’ve got yourself a beginning, middle and end…

02:50

…be organized with your details…

02:52

…know your audience…

02:54

…get your timing down pat…

02:56

…do your research…

02:57

…keep it concise and to the point… [Coop pointing to an oral summary checklist]

02:59

…and make it interesting and colorful

03:01

…without taking any liberties. [Burglar running with statue of liberty and police car appears]

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