'AS' Orals

Tips for Preparation of the AS Oral

AS Oral Discussion Questions to clarify presentation and to test opinion:

Study these notes in conjunction with the mark scheme, which you must keep in mind as you prepare.

Roleplay

1 Check the role of the examiner. Do you need Du or Sie? A major mistake if you get it wrong. Then it follows that you need Dir or Ihnen and Dein(e) or Ihr(e).

2 Don't get panicked by specific vocabulary. You can find the important vocab from your instructions and any specialist words are given in addition. So for example "licensed restaurant" can be got across as "Wir könnten zu Mittag essen und ein Glas Wein trinken." And " factory shop" by "Es gibt dort ein Geschäft".

3 Your first task is to ask the two bullet-pointed questions on your sheet. Make them snappy and get them out of the way . Eg "Wohin möchtest du fahren?" "Welche Ausflüge möchten Sie machen?" and "Was möchten Sie auch machen?" Revise how to ask questions. (See Aktion Grammatik)

4 Then you have to explain the 4 bulleted points in as much detail as you can. (See marks for "response to written text" grid 1A.)

5 Finally the last task may require you to sum up the task, possibly persuade the examiner to do something and to express a personal opinion.

6 Try to be as natural as possible, avoiding hesitancy (See marks for "response to examiner" grid 1B.)

7 Remember 2/3 marks go for your response, ie how much you say and only 1/3 for the grammar. In the roleplay the grammar should take care of itself.

Presentation and follow-up Discussion

If you look at the mark scheme you will see that there are almost as many marks (15) for your ability to answer open-ended questions, express opinions and react spontaneously in the 7/8 minute discussion as there are for making the initial 2/3 minute factual presentation (20). You must therefore think carefully how best to deploy your material.

Presentation

It is a good idea have a question for your title eg "Wie kann ein kleines Land wie Liechtenstein so erfolgreich sein?

Then as subheadings you could include location, banking, industry, tourism, the people.

If you want to look at history try "Wie hat die Geschichte Liechtensteins die heutige politische und wirtschaftliche Lage beeinflusst?" Then as subheadings you could include the prince, the world wars, the EWR and the EU.

If you look at schools try "Welche Unterschiede gibt es zwischen den FL und den englischen Schulsystemen und was sind ihre Stärken?" Then include length of study, Matura/A-level, curriculum, advantages and disadvantages.

Asking a question allows you to reach a firm conclusion.

This presentation needs to be packed with relevant facts (see mark grid 1D "good"). However save some in reserve as you will have 8 minutes to fill later.

Give just enough to arouse the examiner's interest and fulfill the mark criteria. Say where you got the info from to show evidence of "wider reading" or in your case research eg NZZ or LG Magazin.

Plan carefully so the paragraphs follow in a logical order. Speak emphatically as though you mean it and as naturally as possible to avoid sounding stilted. Do not go too fast but do not drag or um and ah!

Check what you may bring with you - a diagram, eye-catching notes eg spider chart, picture or map is good to pin your ideas to in addition to your cue card with your 5 main headings. Learn your material by heart and time yourself out loud so that you get all your five points in during the 2/3 minutes. This will enhance the planning mark.

Discussion

You must give the examiner 5 headings for this part. They may be the same as or different from your cue card for the presentation.

Here we are looking for your ideas, your opinions, your ability to argue!

If you look at the mark scheme grid 1E you will see that it all hinges on the number of non-factual questions you can answer: "Warum hast du dieses Thema gewählt?" "Wie findest du dieses System?" " Was meinst du zu .?" " Hältst du es für richtig, dass FL durch die Geldwäscherei reich geworden ist?" "Was meinte dein Austauschpartner dazu?" "Was hast du von deinem Besuch/deiner Forschung gelernt?" "Wenn du Deutscher wärst, würdest du Wehrdienst oder Zivildienst machen? ­ Warum?"

You may need more facts as well but could also reiterate what you said previously "Wie ich schon gesagt habe, .."

You may wish to disagree with the examiner "Doch!" "Das stimmt gar nicht" or agree ""Ja eben!" "Ich bin auch der Meinung!" (see Rod Hares' notes on Ja- Nein- Jeinsager)

Fluency here includes the speed of your reaction to the examiner. If you have to stall for time try "Na ja!" "Moment mal! Ich muss es mir überlegen"

Work on your accent (grid 1E) throughout the year. Listen to tapes and copy them. Tape yourself and work on the problem areas.

You need to pay attention to grammar (grid 1F) especially verb endings, word-order, gender and cases, whilst remembering to introduce wenn/weil/ obwohl and relative clauses.

Finally remember that 35/45 marks are for your material, facts and opinions. Good luck!

MCGP March 2003
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*****Warum hast du dieses Thema gewählt?

*****Woher hast du die Information?

Was ist, deiner Meinung nach, das Wichtigste/Schönste daran?

Warum ist diese Frage heutzutage so wichtig?

Du hast früher gesagt, .warum?

Inwiefern ist das ein deutsches Problem?

Wie könnte man solche Probleme verhüten?

Was wäre die beste Lösung, meinst du?

Welche Rolle spielt .?

Was sind deiner Meinung nach die Vorteile/Nachteile von ..?

Man sagt, .. stimmt das eigentlich?

Sollten wir dieses System in GB einführen? Wieso? Warum nicht?

Was bedeutet das für die Deutschen/Liechtensteiner/Schweizer/Österreicher/Einwohner?

Hältst du es für richtig, dass,..?

Wie kann man so etwas rechtfertigen?

Das kann doch nicht stimmen oder?

Was wäre passiert, wenn .?

Wie haben die Deutschen/Liechtensteiner reagiert, als ..?

Wie hat die Regierung/dein(e) Partner(in) reagiert, als ?

Wie hast du dazu reagiert?

Wie hättest du reagiert, wenn..?

Wie würdest du reagieren wenn .?

Nehmen wir an, du seist/hättest .

Was hätte man sonst tun können/müssen/sollen?

*****Was hast du hauptsächlich von diesem Thema/deinem Besuch gelernt?

*****Gibt es noch etwas, dass du sagen/besprechen wolltest?

M C G Phillips 03 03