What is Oral Interpretation?
Oral interpretation is reading from the printed page with the purpose of interpreting what is read so that its meaning is conveyed to those who are listening and watching. Successful oral interpretation demands that the speaker must know the material well enough that he or she can interpret fully and accurately the ideas, meanings, and beauties placed in the composition by the author. To do this capably, a burden of careful, almost meticulous preparation is placed on the reader. Much attention must be given to understanding what the author is saying.
Oral Interpretation or Acting?
Oral Interpretation Assignment
This assignment requires you to present a 3-5 minute oral interpretation of a piece of literature (prose or poetry). This selection may be a portion of a novel, a short story, a children’s story, or a group of poems / song lyrics.
You are required to introduce the piece either at the beginning of the presentation or after the first poem / section of the cutting. This introduction must be at least 30 seconds long and include the following:
If your presentation contains more than one text (song, poem, part of a fiction text), you will provide a transition between them. The transition should include:
It is best if the transitions can be delivered directly to the audience - not read from your script. To do this, take a look at the transition before looking up at the audience.
You are required to introduce the piece either at the beginning of the presentation or after the first poem / section of the cutting. This introduction must be at least 30 seconds long and include the following:
- Attention-getter (a relevant quotation, question, or story)
- Description of the storyline, theme, or common idea
- Author(s)' name(s)
- Title(s) of the selections in the presentation
If your presentation contains more than one text (song, poem, part of a fiction text), you will provide a transition between them. The transition should include:
- a transitional phrase - "In my next poem," "My second song," "Later in the story,"
- a description of what is to come - "Robert Frost shows the importance of our decisions"
- the title of the poem of song (you do not need to include the title if the cutting is from the same text) - "The Road Not Taken"
It is best if the transitions can be delivered directly to the audience - not read from your script. To do this, take a look at the transition before looking up at the audience.
Choosing a Selection for Oral Interpretation
Choosing a selection is not easy; it is hard work. Your selection should be made on several important bases.
- The selection should be suitable to you as its reader. In other words, choose something that you are capable of preparing and later interpreting. Choose prose or poetry that you enjoy.
- For this particular reading experience it will probably be advisable that you do an interpretation that does not require characterization other than your own. Of course, if you have had sufficient experience so that you are qualified to portray different characters and make the necessary transitions involved in presenting more than one character, then go ahead with such a choice of subject.
- Give close attention to your prospective audience and occasion. Your choice of a selection must be applicable to both. Choose prose or poetry that you not only like, but that your audience may like.
- Choose literature that has lasting value and meaning - also called "literary merit."