Speaking without a page
Source A: Look up and speak — an original school-newsletter opinion article
A speaker who knows the subject should be able to put the page down. That is the principle behind our proposal for next term: every pupil will give one short presentation without written notes. We spend years helping students produce work for a reader. We should also help them communicate an idea directly to people sitting in front of them.
Notes can become a wall. A pupil who has written every sentence may concentrate on reaching the next line rather than noticing whether anybody understands the present one. The delivery stays the same if listeners look puzzled, laugh or ask for an example. Without a script, the speaker has to know the main argument well enough to find another route through it. That is useful preparation for an interview, a discussion or explaining a decision at work.
The exercise need not be cruel. Pupils could choose a familiar subject, prepare in pairs and begin with two minutes. Teachers would explain the task and provide opportunities to practise before the assessed presentation. A forgotten word would not automatically spoil the performance. Finding another way to express the idea might demonstrate understanding more convincingly than reciting an exact phrase.
Some students will be nervous. That is not a reason to deny them the achievement of discovering that they can continue. We should judge how clearly the idea reaches the audience rather than how impressive the opening sounds. Equally, we cannot remove every difficulty before asking someone to learn. A modest requirement, applied to everyone, would make this an ordinary part of school rather than an exceptional challenge reserved for the confident.
Afterwards, each pupil could reflect on one moment when the audience influenced the explanation. The point is not a flawless performance. It is communication which remains alive after the prepared page has been taken away.
Source B: What my small card does — an original student commentary
My presentation card contains seven words and two dates. It does not contain the talk. When I glance at it, I am checking which example comes next, not borrowing an understanding I failed to acquire. If the school bans that card, it may discover how well I can remember a sequence under pressure. That is not necessarily the same as discovering how clearly I can explain an idea.
I agree that reading a full script can make a presentation difficult to follow. Last year I wrote an introduction which sounded elegant on paper and became breathless when spoken. Practising with a classmate helped me shorten it. She also noticed that I looked down precisely when I wanted the audience to examine an object. The useful change was learning when to use the page, rather than proving I could survive without one.
There are subjects where exact information matters. A historical date, a quoted phrase or a technical term should not become less accurate so that the speaker appears more spontaneous. A brief prompt can keep those details available while leaving the explanation flexible. Professional speakers use different forms of support; we should not assume that every unsupported performance is more genuine.
I would welcome practice which gradually reduces dependence on a script. Let pupils try the same explanation with a full draft, a few prompts and perhaps no notes, then discuss what changes for the listener. Some will find they speak more freely. Others will make better use of a small card. A single rule may make judging simpler while making the purpose less clear.
We still need expectations. Notes should be brief enough to support contact with the audience, and teachers should check that the speaker understands what is being said. But support need not be the opposite of challenge. Sometimes it is the thing which lets a pupil attempt a harder explanation.
Your school council is discussing a proposal that each pupil should give a short assessed presentation without notes. Write a speech to the council giving your views.
Use your own words and base your response on both sources. In your response:
Write about 250 to 350 words. Up to 10 marks are available for reading and up to 25 marks for writing.
60 exam-style questions on CIE IGCSE English Language 5.2.3 Question 1(b) directed writing task. Each one has a worked solution and a mark scheme showing where the marks go.