OUMH1303: ENGLISH FOR ORAL COMMUNICATION

Answer a)
The speech type that will best describe my speech is informative speech. As a president of the
PTA, I will need to brief the details that have been discussed previously with parents and
teachers. As this information is raised from previous meeting, informative speech is the most
suitable type as it involved parents-teacher discussion concerning the poor academic
performance involving three major subjects which are Mathematics, Science and English
Language. Therefore, through informative speech, a description of problems identified and
methods to overcome it could be explained to the intended audiences.

Answer b)
The problems that the PTA needs to address are:

• Parent’s concern about their children poor academic performance in Mathematics,

Science and English Language subjects.
• Methods to improve teaching and learning in these particular subjects.
• To find solutions to overcome insufficient funds to carry out its project for the school.

Actions that can be taken by PTA are:

• In order to raise funds, the PTA could organize charity events or sales, mini carnival
or agree to pay certain amount of fees to the association.
• PTA should encourage their teachers especially in Mathematics, Science and English
Language to try new techniques in teaching and learning to attract students. Such new
techniques may include electronic medium such as internet, or any other means.
• PTA should ensure that parents are well-informed about any particular weakness that
their children have in studies through academic report, via telephone, SMS and any
other medium.

Answer c)

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Form of oral communication that will be used for the intended PTA speech is intercultural
communication. Parents and teachers may not come from only one background, ethnicity
or culture; therefore it is important for the speaker to identify the diversity and make effort
to ensure that the speech could attract all audiences to engage in it. The model of
communication that would deliver the message clearly to its audiences is; interactive
model.

This is because interactive model provide a dynamic opportunity for both listener and
speaker to listen, speak and give the feedbacks each times. Furthermore, this type of
model is suitable as both listener and speaker are engage in the same matters to be
discussed.

Answer d)

The social context of the speech is to ensure that the language use is familiar and
understandable to all in the audiences. Such way to deliver the speech is through a
conversational style where speaker could talk rather informal in order to attract audiences
to listen. The speaker could use different intonation, familiar choice of words to the
audiences and many others. It is necessary for the speaker to avoid sensitive issues that
may offend anyone in the audiences whether it is a fact or just assumptions.

References

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1. Exley, H., Thanks Heaven for Teachers, 1997,United Kingdom, Exley Publications
Ltd.
2. N.A, Social Context, March 2010, available at:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_environment
3. N.A., Topic 1 Communication:An Overview, 2010, Lecture Notes.
Wadsworth.
4. Wood, J. T.,Communication in our lives (4th ed.), 2009,Belmont, CA: Thomson-
Wadsworth.