Le choix du sujet de la présentation orale
In Unit 1, Area of Study 1 (Interpersonal communication), students must give a short oral presentation in French on a topic linked to the individual and society, then respond to questions. A student, Chloé, proposes to present on 'Les réseaux sociaux chez les adolescents' using a two-minute video clip she found online, with her talk built almost entirely around recounting the video's content. Her teacher notes the task requires her own ideas and interaction, and that the presentation must be in French. Chloé argues that summarising a real French video shows her comprehension and that she has practised the vocabulary. She also plans to read a written script word for word. The assessment rubric allocates marks for content, range and accuracy of language, and responding to questions.
1. Explain whether Chloé's plan satisfies the requirements of the oral presentation task, and justify your judgement with reference to the nature of the task.
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Chloé's plan does not fully satisfy the task. The presentation must be an interpersonal task: the student presents her own ideas and then interacts by answering questions. Summarising a video is largely reproductive, not productive. It shows comprehension but does not demonstrate her ability to express a viewpoint or sustain her own line of argument.
Reading a script word for word undermines the interaction and the spontaneous use of language the task rewards. It may also reduce marks for fluency and range, because read-aloud delivery does not show control of language in real time.
The video can be used as a source, but it should support her own claims, give a concrete example, or be evaluated critically (e.g. is the video representative?). The bulk of the talk must be her analysis in French, and she must be ready to answer unscripted questions.
2. Rewrite the advice you would give Chloé so that she keeps her topic but meets the requirements, and explain the reasoning behind each change.
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Advice:
- Keep the topic but make it her own. She should state a position (e.g. 'Les réseaux sociaux font plus de mal que de bien aux adolescents') and support it with two or three arguments of her own, using the video only as one piece of evidence.
- Use notes, not a script. Key words on cue cards allow eye contact and more natural delivery, which supports marks for fluency and interaction.
- Prepare for questions by anticipating them. She should predict three likely questions (e.g. 'Et en France, est-ce différent ?') and practise answering without reading.
- Broaden the vocabulary deliberately. She should build a small bank of connectives and topic words (par exemple, en revanche, toutefois) to raise range and accuracy.
Reasoning: each change maps onto the assessed criteria (content, range, accuracy, responding to questions) and onto the interpersonal nature of the task. The topic stays valid because it links to the individual and society; only the process needed correcting.