Pre-seminar Procedures

Students are often given pre-texts and pre-listenings before the seminar to prepare. Students are expected to read and listen to texts carefully by making detailed notes and come to the seminar fully prepared.

A Seminar Test 

• Students work together in groups of 4-6
• Teachers provide a set of questions.
• Students discuss for 25-30 minutes (approx 5 mins per person)
• Students summarise the key points in the last 5 mins
• Students CAN refer to their texts and notes
• Teachers monitor and give feedback at the end.

The seminar process

• The group are called into a room and they sit around a table.
• The questions are given out and students have 2 minutes to read and prepare by taking notes.
• The seminar begins with an opening statement – we’re here today to discuss…
• The students then begin to discuss the first question.
• Each student should make a contribution by referring to their notes / texts.
• The seminar should flow with students adding to what was previously said.
• Once everyone agrees the question has been addressed in full, then they move onto the next question.
• Important:  not all the questions have to be answered but they should be discussed in order.
• Once the students begin to approach 25 minutes, they should bring it to an end by each one summarising a main point raised.

key points to a seminar

• It should be a flowing conversation with everyone involved and contributing.
• The teacher / tutor should not intervene if it goes quiet but let the students manage the discussion.
• Students have to show confidence and demonstrate thorough awareness of the texts.
• Dominant students are penalised for not sharing and including others.
• Students should be penalised for just reading notes.
• Key debate phrases should be used to should conversation skills – agreeing, disagreeing, interrupting, etc…

Seminar Speaking Criteria x2

There is a basic seminar speaking criteria to assess seminar speaking skills which has four key criteria: Language accuracy, language range, pronunciation and communicative effectiveness. Also, another seminar criteria that includes ‘reference to materials’. Example / Level: ***** [B1/B2/C1] TEACHER MEMBERSHIP

Delivery

1. Cope with nerves – breathe deeply; it calms you down and stops you from talking too quickly.
2. Control your voice – speak clearly and try to sound interesting by changing intonation and rhythm.
3. Watch your body language – try to give the impression that you are relaxed and confident.
4. Maintain an eye contact with your audience – it keeps them interested in what you are saying. For this reason, you should not read.
5. Provide visual information – but do not give too many facts at a time, give your audience enough time to take them in.
6. Keep attention by asking questions which you are going to answer yourself.

Basic outline / structure

1. Introduction – introduce the topic / some basic background / Thesis ( your stance or argument)
2. Outline – provide basic bullet points on the key parts of the presentation
3. Main body – divide the main body into sections
4. Evaluation – always include evaluation. This can be a separate section or part of the main body.
5. Conclusion – summarise key points, restate the thesis and make a recommendation / suggestion / prediction.
6. Reference List – create one slide with all your sources
7. Questions –  be prepared to answer questions

 Advanced
Signposting Language –

key language phrases for presentation

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Presentation Speaking Criteria

This is a basic criteria to assess presentation speaking skills. It has three key criteria: Language accuracy & language range,  fluency & pronunciation, and  presentation & engagement.  Example / Level: ***** [B1/B2/C1] TEACHER MEMBERSHIP