Oral Exam Tips How to Connect Emotionally With Others Through Speech

By WR!TERS@WORK

Knowing how to reflect the correct emotions in your voice is a great part of speaking. When you see a teacher speak to the class, she may do so in an authoritative manner. Connecting emotionally with others through the power of speech is an important part of speaking. When you go for your PSLE English oral exam, you need to connect with the examiner through what you are saying. Having the appropriate emotions which match your content will help you achieve the highest number of marks in your PSLE English oral exam – here are 4 helpful tips to help you achieve the power of harnessing your emotions through your speech:

1. Body Language

Make sure you have the appropriate posture when you sit for your PSLE English oral exam. You should sit upright in your chair, alert and paying attention to the examiner. If you are supposed to sound sad, you can slump your shoulders or hang your head. Having good facial expressions when you talk about things will help you become more convincing. If you are supposed to deliver some good news or sound happy, smile and have a cheerful disposition. You need to truly feel the emotions you are supposed to feel in line with the context.

2. Believe in What You are Saying

If you have the confidence when you are speaking, it will sound far more convincing than if you did not believe in what you are saying. Having the confidence to do well in your oral exam comes from within – you need to believe that you will do well in order to do well. The more you think that you are not good at speaking, the more it will become a self-fulfilling prophecy. Sit up and speak in a confident manner. You can practise doing this in a mirror to see how you look. If you need more practise to gain more confidence, speak to more people, such as your teachers, parents, or friends to build your confidence when speaking in public.

3. Pay Attention to the Tone of Your Voice

The tone of your voice and the inflections in your voice are important in conveying what you are trying to say. If you are supposed to be angry about something, your voice will sound heated, and you will speak quickly. If you are supposed to sound sad about something, you will speak in a doleful tone, and you may even hang your head while you say it to look as defeated as you sound. Paying attention to the tone of voice you are supposed to have given the context will help you convey the correct emotions. If you are not sure about the tone of voice you are supposed to have, put yourself in the shoes of a person in that situation. How would they feel? What would they think? How would you feel if that happened to you?

To conclude, you should strive to have the appropriate emotions for the message you are trying to convey. There is no need to make everything a dramatic show and dance – overdoing will make the examiner raise his or her eyebrows at what you are trying to do – the emotions you convey through your speech should fit the situation and context. Students should think about the context of what they are trying to say – is the event they are talking about something they should be sad or angry about? How does their speaking style affect what they are trying to say? How would their style of speech make the listener feel?

Doing well in your oral exam is a combination of several skills – students not only need to have the requisite content knowledge, but also the speaking style which is eloquent and confident. Students typically get very little practise for the oral exam, as this is one of the aspects of the English curriculum which is often overlooked. For students who need more practice and confidence built up over time, Writers At Work can help them build their content knowledge and pick up good oral exam habits in time for the actual PSLE English oral exam!

Master the English Language with Writers At Work!

English is a compulsory subject which all students must undertake. However, mastering the English language is not something which happens overnight – it takes consistent practice and effort to learn the nuances of the language. Students must read more and practice writing to gradually improve. Cramming for a language subject nearer to the exams is an impossible feat. After all, Rome was not built in a day! Attaining such a skill will have positive implications for not only your child’s education in school, but also employment prospects in future.

At WRITERS AT WORK, we are committed to providing the smoothest learning experience for your child sitting for their English exams. With our carefully curated methods of teaching your child how to write well, your child will learn how to present their thoughts and arguments in a coherent and concise manner. WRITERS AT WORK reinforces your child’s language skills and provides a strong foundation for their academic success, keeping up with all aspects of their progress both inside and outside of the classroom to nurture them holistically. For more information about how WRITERS AT WORK makes a difference, feel free to explore our website and watch our YouTube videos!

If you are interested in our primary English tuition and secondary English tuition in Singapore, WRITERS AT WORK has expanded to 8 convenient locations. To find the nearest location that suits your needs, please explore our options. If you have any inquiries regarding our range of programs or class schedules, please feel free to contact WRITERS AT WORK!

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Is Creative Writing Good for Kids?

Creative writing is good for children as it teaches them how to use their imagination. Children have a vivid imagination and will enjoy coming up with different storylines and characters. Through the use of creative writing, children can express themselves using the English language, which is also good for their emotional development and maturity.

2. What are Good Creative Writing Topics?

A good start is to write about what you know. Students can start by writing about things that are familiar to them, such as school or family. Then, students can move on to more complex topics, requiring them to use their imagination about events which would be unlikely to happen in real life, such as a fairytale or an adventure story. Older students can write descriptive essays about being in a situation or about more abstract concepts, such as regret.

3. How to Begin a Story?

A good story should have just the right amount of exposition to illuminate the setting and the characters for the reader without giving away the entire plot. The story should begin where it is relevant, and the general gist of the situation should be outlined. The writer should know how to move the plot along from where they start easily, and the story should flow logically.

4. What are the Basic Steps in Creative Writing?

A good first step would be to plan out the story – it is important that the story follows a Plot Curve which has a logical sequence of events and a clear conclusion. The main and supporting characters should be clear – there should not be a whole village of characters – just enough to further the plot. Moreover, the central conflict of the story should be clear.