Connection of Ideas between Paragraphs
Objectives
- Combines narration and description to provide a fully response
- Includes relevant details and support
- Incorporates transitions to strengthen organization
How do I speak in a paragraph?
What is a paragraph?
When you think of the word paragraph, you most likely think of writing. You would picture the written words, the formatting, and the tips you have learned about writing clearly. Although this is not a writing course, let's take a second to review the features of a good written paragraph and apply them to speaking.
A good paragraph is:
- focused on one topic
- controlled by a topic sentence which limits how much the writer will include on the topic
- supported only by relevant points (reasons, details, examples, steps, etc)
- made of a variety of sentences with clear boundaries
- concluded with restatement of the main idea, a call to action, or a transition to a new paragraph on a related idea
These same principles apply to spoken paragraphs. For a listener to identify your speaking as organized into paragraphs, your ideas would need to be presented in a similar fashion. If we were to simplify these ideas and put them into language we would more typically use to describe spoken English, it might look something like this:
A good spoken paragraph:
- is focused on the topic
- does not include too much information or information that is unnecessary
- includes clear ideas that do not take the speaker too long to share (no rambling or tangents)
- acknowledges the speaking environment and the expectations for turn taking (length of the paragraph should vary)
- have a clear conclusion or transition into a new idea
Basically, a paragraph includes everything you need, and nothing more. The essential information should be presented clearly. The speaker should understand if a spoken paragraph in the specific context would mean 2-3 sentences or 10-15. The content may benefit from the use of transitional words or phrases like we discuss in the lesson Speaking Strategy: Organization & Transitions.
Creating a complete idea
Another point made in the description of an Advanced Mid speaker is the ability to combine narrations and descriptions.
- Narration
- sharing a sequence of events or activities and connecting them logically, emphasis in language learning on appropriate use of tense and aspect
- Description
- the use of qualifiers (adjectives, prepositional phrases, dependent clauses) to give details about a person, place, thing, event, or process, emphasis in language learning on word choice and grammatical complexity
Why would an advanced speaker want to combine narrations and descriptions? Read the following sentences and think about the difference between them.
I went to the park with my dog. We walked on the trails. The trails were not well-maintained. I decided to go home early. If the parks are better maintained, I think more people will want to spend more time there.
Early yesterday morning, I went to the local park with my dog. We walked for a short time on the old trails around the duck pond. The trails were not well-maintained. The boards on the bridge felt weak and the path was very muddy. I decided to go home early. If the parks are better maintained, I think more people will want to spend more time there.
The basic information narrating the sequence of events is the same in both versions of the story. However, the added descriptive elements add grammatical complexity, interest for the listener, and a stronger support for the concluding opinion. A spoken paragraph should have a good balance between these types of speaking. Having too much narration without description feels like reading an agenda. It becomes boring for the listener. Having too much description can overwhelm the points you are trying to make. As you speak, think about whether the details you are about to include are sufficiently developed without being distracting. Watch the listeners for cues that they might be getting bored by lack of detail or confused by an abundance of detail.
Exercise 1: Listen & Speak
For this practice, we will use political speeches. Politicians address a large number of topics from a very specific point of view and for a very clear purpose. Additionally, the strength of their speeches is often directly tied to how well they connect their ideas and combine facts, narratives, and descriptions. They have to connect with their audiences emotionally and intellectually on their topics. Below is an example of a political speech from Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a politician well-known in the United States for her strong position on environmental policy.
When you listen, think about the following questions:
- Where would you mark the beginning and end of a spoken paragraph?
- What descriptive language examples do you notice? How does she use this descriptive language to add to her narration?
Speaking Practice
- What is your opinion on climate change and what governments should do in response to these concerns?
- Politicians often have a few specific topics (known as platforms) that they focus on when they speak to their audience. What are some of the areas of concern that you care about most when listening to the current or potential leaders in your country or community?
- Has your community ever been impacted by a natural disaster? Narrate and describe about that experience. What did people do in response? How did life change in your community because of the event?
- She talks about the future and the impact of the climate crisis on the rising generation. How do you imagine the world will be 50 years from now? What positive changes will happen? What negative changes do you anticipate?
Exercise 2: Listen & Speak
Below is an example of a political speech from Former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, who served in that office under President George W. Bush and during the tragic events of September 11th, 2001 at the World Trade Center in New York City.
When you listen, think about the following questions:
- Where would you mark the beginning and end of a spoken paragraph?
- What descriptive language examples do you notice? How does she use this descriptive language to add to her narration?
Speaking Practice
- What is your opinion on foreign policy and how governments should respond to issues in other countries?
- Nations have defining moments that citizens remember as changing their country. The events on September 11th, 2001 is that for the United States. What events do you think changed your country? What happened? How did people feel in the moment? What continued impacts of that event do you see today?
- This speech is from years ago. How has the world changed since 2012? What do you think the major issues in the world are today?
- This speaker has a very clear point of view, one you may not agree with. How do you discuss political policy with someone you don't see eye to eye with? In a class full of students from various nationalities, how can we create a safe environment to discuss topics that can feel very sensitive?
Exercise 3: Partner Activity - Model Paragraphs
- With a partner, choose an example video of a politician discussing a topic.
- Watch the video and take notes about the organization.
- How are the spoken paragraphs divided?
- How does the speaker use narrations and descriptions?
- How much detail does the speaker include to support the main idea?
- Practice summarizing the points the speaker makes in the video. Focus on trying to get a similar balance of narrations, descriptions, and details. Your summary should not be as long as the original video, but should include all of the essential information.
- After you practice the summary with your partner, you will be reassigned to a new partner.
- Present your summary of the video to your partner.
- Listen carefully to your partner's example.
- Discuss how the balance of organization is the same or different between your two examples.
Exercise 4: Group Activity - Formal Debate
- Your teacher will divide the class into groups and assign a topic and roles for the debate.
- One member of the group will present an introduction and conclusion to your assigned position on the debate.
- One(+) member(s) of the group will present the rebuttals to the opposite position's points.
- The remaining members of the group will present the supporting reasons and examples
- The debate will follow this format. Steps with an * can be repeated.
- The opposing team presents their introduction
- The affirmative team presents their introduction
- *The opposing team presents a point
- *Short break to prepare the rebuttal
- *The affirmative team presents their rebuttal
- *The affirmative team presents a point
- *Short break to prepare the rebuttal
- *The opposing team presents their rebuttal
- The opposing team presents their conclusion
- The affirmative team presents their conclusion
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