Presentational communication: speaking and writing. The student communicates using appropriate and applicable grammatical structures and processes in the target language at the specified proficiency levels. The presentational mode refers to the creation of oral and written messages in the target language. The student's presentation is comprehensible to an audience unaccustomed to interacting with language learners

Standards Alignment

• TEKS.114.43.03A primary
  plan, produce, and present, with some ease and clarity of expression, spoken presentational communications that are supported with cited examples in multiple paragraph length discourse to explain, express opinions, describe, and narrate on topics that communicate information on a variety of geographic, scientific, historical, artistic, social, or political features of target culture communities; and
• TEKS.114.43.03B primary
  plan and produce, with some ease and clarity of expression, written presentational communications that are supported with cited examples in multiple paragraph length discourse to explain, express opinions, describe, and narrate on topics that communicate information on a variety of geographic, scientific, historical, artistic, social, or political features of target culture communities. Source: The provisions of this §114.43 adopted to be effective July 15, 2014, 39 TexReg 5385.

Lesson Overview

This lesson focuses on developing Grade 12 students' ability to plan, produce, and present spoken and written communications in the target language. Students will use appropriate grammatical structures and processes to create oral and written messages that are clear and comprehensible to audiences unfamiliar with language learners. The communications will include multiple-paragraph discourse supported by cited examples to explain, express opinions, describe, and narrate on various cultural topics related to geographic, scientific, historical, artistic, social, or political features of target culture communities. The lesson is grounded in TEKS standards and designed for homeschool-style instruction with direct teaching, guided practice, and reflection.

Learning Objectives

• Plan, produce, and present spoken presentational communications with some ease and clarity of expression, supported by cited examples in multiple-paragraph discourse to explain, express opinions, describe, and narrate on cultural topics.
• Plan and produce written presentational communications with some ease and clarity of expression, supported by cited examples in multiple-paragraph discourse to explain, express opinions, describe, and narrate on cultural topics.

Success Criteria

• Students create spoken presentations that are clear and comprehensible to an audience unaccustomed to interacting with language learners.
• Students write multiple-paragraph texts that explain, describe, narrate, and express opinions on cultural topics with appropriate grammatical structures and cited examples.
• Students use appropriate vocabulary and grammatical structures relevant to the target language and cultural context.
• Students support their spoken and written communications with relevant examples from geographic, scientific, historical, artistic, social, or political features of target culture communities.

Prerequisite Knowledge

Students should have intermediate high to advanced mid proficiency in the target language, including knowledge of relevant grammatical structures and vocabulary to produce extended discourse. They should be familiar with basic cultural features of the target language communities and have experience with oral and written communication in the target language.

Key Vocabulary

• Presentational communication
• Grammatical structures
• Discourse
• Cited examples
• Narrate
• Describe
• Express opinions
• Target culture communities
• Geographic features
• Scientific features
• Historical features
• Artistic features
• Social features
• Political features

Materials and Resources

• Audio recordings of sample spoken presentations in the target language
• Written examples of multiple-paragraph discourse on cultural topics
• Graphic organizers for planning presentations
• Rubrics for assessing spoken and written presentations
• Access to dictionaries or language reference materials

Teacher Preparation

• Prepare sample spoken presentations demonstrating clarity and use of cited examples on cultural topics.
• Select written texts exemplifying multiple-paragraph discourse with appropriate grammatical structures.
• Develop graphic organizers to guide students in planning their presentations.
• Create rubrics aligned with TEKS standards to assess clarity, content, and grammatical accuracy.
• Familiarize with cultural topics relevant to the target language communities to support student understanding and examples.

Detailed Lesson Notes

Understanding Presentational Communication

Presentational communication involves creating oral and written messages in the target language intended for an audience that may not be familiar with language learners. It requires planning and organizing ideas clearly and using appropriate grammatical structures to produce messages that are comprehensible and engaging. In this lesson, students will focus on explaining, expressing opinions, describing, and narrating about cultural topics related to geographic, scientific, historical, artistic, social, or political features of the target culture communities.

Planning and Producing Spoken Presentations

Students should learn to plan their spoken presentations by selecting a topic, organizing ideas into multiple paragraphs or sections, and supporting their points with cited examples. They need to practice clarity of expression and appropriate pronunciation to ensure their message is understandable to listeners unaccustomed to interacting with language learners. Using graphic organizers can help students structure their discourse logically. Teachers should model presentations and provide feedback on content, language use, and delivery.

Planning and Producing Written Presentations

Writing multiple-paragraph texts requires students to organize their ideas coherently, use appropriate transitions, and support their explanations, opinions, descriptions, or narratives with cited examples. Students should focus on grammatical accuracy and vocabulary appropriate to the target language and cultural context. Teachers can provide written samples and guide students through drafting, revising, and editing processes to improve clarity and coherence.

Incorporating Cultural Content

The lesson emphasizes communicating information about the target culture's geographic, scientific, historical, artistic, social, or political features. Students should research or be provided with relevant information and examples to include in their presentations. This cultural content enriches their messages and demonstrates understanding of the target culture, which is essential for meaningful presentational communication.

Supporting Language Accuracy and Fluency

Teachers should model correct pronunciation, vocabulary, and grammatical structures, providing clear, comprehensible input. Repeated practice with feedback helps students build confidence and accuracy. Encouraging students to self-monitor and peer-review can also enhance language use. Focus on structures and vocabulary relevant to the cultural topics and presentational mode.

Worked Examples

Classroom Activity

Work individually or in pairs to fill out the graphic organizer, outlining the main ideas and supporting examples for their presentation.

Guided Practice

Independent Practice

1. Foundational: What is presentational communication in the context of learning a target language?
2. Developing: List three types of cultural features that students might include in their presentational communications about target culture communities.
3. Application: You are asked to write a multiple-paragraph text describing a social tradition in the target culture. How would you organize your writing and support your description?
4. Analysis: Analyze how using cited examples in a spoken presentation improves clarity and audience understanding, especially for listeners unaccustomed to language learners.
5. Challenge: Evaluate a spoken presentation that lacks clear organization and examples. What impact would this have on the audience's understanding, and how could the presenter improve to meet TEKS standards?

Independent Practice Teacher Answer Key

1. 1. Presentational communication is creating oral or written messages in the target language intended for an audience, focusing on clear and organized expression that is understandable to listeners or readers unfamiliar with language learners.
2. 2. Geographic features, historical features, and artistic features.
3. 3. Organize the writing with an introduction, several paragraphs each focusing on an aspect of the social tradition, and a conclusion. Support the description with cited examples such as specific practices, dates, or cultural significance to explain and describe clearly.
4. 4. Cited examples provide concrete details that support the speaker's points, making abstract ideas more understandable. They help organize the presentation logically and give the audience familiar reference points, which improves clarity and comprehension for listeners who may not be used to hearing language learners.
5. 5. Without clear organization and examples, the audience may find the presentation confusing and difficult to follow, reducing comprehension. To improve, the presenter should plan the presentation with a clear structure (introduction, main points, conclusion) and include cited examples to support ideas, ensuring clarity and alignment with TEKS standards.

Guiding Questions

• How can you organize your ideas clearly for your audience?
• What examples from the target culture can support your points?
• How do grammatical structures help make your message clear?
• What vocabulary is important to describe cultural features?
• How can you ensure your presentation is understandable to someone unfamiliar with language learners?

Common Misconceptions

• Presentational communication is just about speaking, not writing.
• Using complex vocabulary alone makes a presentation clear.
• Presentations do not need to be organized if the speaker knows the topic well.
• Cited examples are optional and do not affect audience understanding.
• The audience is always familiar with language learners, so clarity is not important.

Differentiation

Assessment

• Observe student participation in planning and presenting spoken communications.
• Review outlines and drafts of written presentations for organization and content.
• Use questioning to check understanding of cultural features and language structures.
• Students orally summarize a cultural topic using at least two cited examples.
• Write a short paragraph explaining an opinion about a cultural feature with supporting reasons.
• Evaluate a recorded spoken presentation for clarity, organization, and use of cited examples.
• Assess a written multiple-paragraph text on a cultural topic for grammatical accuracy and cultural content.

Answer Guide

• What is presentational communication?
  Answer: Creating oral or written messages in the target language that are clear, organized, and understandable to an audience unfamiliar with language learners.
• Name three cultural features to include in presentations.
  Answer: Geographic, historical, and artistic features.
• How to organize a multiple-paragraph text describing a social tradition?
  Answer: Introduction, several paragraphs each describing an aspect with cited examples, and a conclusion.
• Why do cited examples improve clarity in presentations?
  Answer: They provide concrete details that support points and help the audience understand abstract ideas.
• How to improve a disorganized presentation lacking examples?
  Answer: Plan a clear structure and include cited examples to support ideas for better clarity and comprehension.

Real-Life Application

Encourage students to interview family members or community members about cultural traditions and prepare a short presentational communication in the target language to share their findings with the class.

Homework or Home Connection

• Encourage students to interview family members or community members about cultural traditions and prepare a short presentational communication in the target language to share their findings with the class.

Lesson Summary

This lesson develops students' ability to plan, produce, and present clear and organized spoken and written communications in the target language. By focusing on cultural topics and supporting their discourse with cited examples, students learn to explain, describe, narrate, and express opinions effectively. The lesson aligns with TEKS standards and emphasizes clarity, appropriate grammar, and cultural understanding to ensure presentations are comprehensible to audiences unfamiliar with language learners.

Teacher Notes

Use the exact standards alignment and retrieved-source provenance stored with this enrichment.

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