Practice Speaking in front of the whole class can be scary. One way to calm your nerves is to practice ahead of time. The better you know your story, the calmer you will feel. Write your introduction and conclusion on note cards. Write each detail of your personal narrative on a separate card. Use keywords and phrases to help you remember the details. Put the cards in time order. Read them over carefully to make sure all the details are important. Practice telling your story several times. You might stand in front of a mirror, or you might ask a friend or family member to listen to you. Look at your note cards to help you remember what you want to say, but don’t just read them aloud. Use a tone of voice that shows how you felt about the experience.
Listening Tips In an oral personal narrative, the listener is as important as the speaker. Follow these tips when you listen to another student’s personal narrative: •
ook at the speaker so he or she knows you are L paying attention.
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isten to the introduction and try to guess what L the narrative will be about.
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Picture the story in your mind as the speaker talks.
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isten for the speaker’s tone of voice to know how L he or she felt about the experience.
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ive the speaker some positive feedback at the end G of his or her presentation.
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