The same message in different places
Words are like clothes. You wear a T-shirt to play and a school uniform to class. In the same way you choose casual or formal words to suit the situation.
Three things decide it: who is listening, where you are, and why you are speaking. Formal means polite, careful and complete. Casual means friendly and relaxed.
Friend, teacher, crowd
- With a friend (casual): short words, everyday talk. "Hey, want to play?"
- With a teacher or elder (polite): respectful words, full sentences. "Excuse me, may I ask a question?"
- In a big hall (clear and short): simple words, short sentences, one idea at a time, a slow and loud voice. "Friends, today I will show one idea."
Avoid words that are too hard for your listeners. Avoid slang in a formal place and avoid stiff words with close friends. Never use rude words anywhere.
Using materials effectively
Materials are things you show while speaking: a chart, a picture, a model, slides or an object.
- One idea per picture.
- Big letters, few words. The back row must read it.
- Simple colours so numbers stand out.
- Point, then explain. Do not read the chart word by word.
- Face the listeners, not the board.
If the chart is crowded, remove things until one idea is left.
Try it
Ask for the same thing (a glass of water) in three styles: to a friend, to a teacher and to a hall of people. Then draw one simple chart of your daily water glasses and explain it in two sentences, pointing to it.
Key formulas and definitions
- Words = who + where + why
- W-P-L: Who is listening, Place, Length
- Casual: friends. Polite: teachers, elders. Clear and short: crowds
- Chart: one idea, big letters, few words, point then explain
Worked examples
1. Rewrite "Gimme your notes" for a teacher.
"Excuse me, may I see your notes, please?" It is polite and in full sentences.
2. You speak to 200 students. Fix: "Well, um, today there are like many things I want to maybe say about water, but first, um..."
"Friends, today I will tell you one thing about water: we waste too much." It is short, clear and has one idea.
3. A chart has twelve bars, six colours and long writing. How do you improve it for a talk?
Keep only the three most important bars, use one or two colours, and write a very short title in big letters. Then point to the tallest bar and explain it.
Common mistakes
- Using the same words for a friend, a teacher and a crowd.
- Using slang in a formal place, or very stiff words with close friends.
- Long, complicated sentences in a big hall.
- Reading a crowded chart out loud instead of pointing and explaining.