National 5EnglishSQARevision Notes5. Performance Spoken LanguageHow to Approach Performance Spoken LanguagePerformance Spoken Language Skills

Performance Spoken Language Skills (SQA National 5 English): Revision Note

Exam code: X824 75

Nick Redgrove

Written by: Nick Redgrove

Reviewed by: Deb Orrock

Updated on

Your Spoken Language assessment is your opportunity to show how well you can communicate clearly, confidently and effectively. It tests both your speaking and listening skills.

The following guide contains information on: 

  • Core Spoken Language skills

  • Verbal and non-verbal skills

  • Language and vocabulary

Core Spoken Language skills 

To pass your spoken language performance, you need to show ability in all four areas below. Each one focuses on a different aspect of effective speaking and listening.

Skill 1: Using detailed and relevant ideas with a clear structure





How can you demonstrate this skill?

  • Include relevant ideas, opinions, information or personal experiences

  • Organise your talk or discussion clearly:

    • In a presentation, this means having a clear opening, a well-organised middle section and a strong conclusion

    • In a group discussion, this means taking turns, building on or challenging ideas, summarising key points 

  • Stay focused on topic, task, purpose and audience throughout

Skill 2: Communicate meaning effectively





How can you demonstrate this skill?

  • Use appropriate vocabulary and tone for your purpose and audience:

    • Choose language that clearly expresses your ideas and fits your situation

  • Speak with clarity and accuracy:

    • Make sure your grammar and phrasing help your audience understand you easily

Skill 3: Use non-verbal communication



How can you demonstrate this skill?

  • Use body language, facial expressions, gestures and tone of voice to support and emphasise what you’re saying:

    • There are many ways to communicate without using words

Skill 4: Show good listening skills




How can you demonstrate this skill?

  • Listen carefully and respond thoughtfully to what others say:

    • In a group discussion, this means giving relevant, meaningful replies to others’ ideas

    • In a presentation, it means responding appropriately and clearly to questions from your audience

  • Your listening will be assessed by how well your responses show understanding 

Verbal and non-verbal skills

To communicate clearly and confidently, you need to use both verbal (spoken) and non-verbal (body language, gestures, eye contact) skills. These help you to engage the audience and make your presentation more interesting to listen to. Here are some verbal and non-verbal techniques you could include:

Verbal

Non-verbal

Crafted openings and endings 

Presence and posture

Emotive language

Voice projection

Direct address

Eye contact

Vocabulary for effect

Pace

Use of questions

Tone

Rhetorical devices

Gestures

Use of humour/irony

Use of props

Language and vocabulary

One of the key things your assessor will focus on is your use of language and vocabulary during your spoken language performance. Your word choices demonstrate how well you understand how to use language to engage and influence your audience. 


To do this successfully you should:


  • Vary your vocabulary:

    • Avoid repeating the same words or phrases and consider different ways to express your ideas

  • Choose specific words and phrases:

    • Use vocabulary that helps to convey your message and ideas 

  • Match your language to your purpose and audience:

    • If you are giving a formal talk, use sophisticated language

    • If your presentation is more personal or creative, you could use humour or emotion to connect to your audience

  • Use rhetorical techniques:

    • Devices such as rhetorical questions, direct address and repetition can make your presentation / discussion more persuasive

  • Vary your sentence structure:

    • Use a range of sentence structures to change the pace and rhythm of what you are saying

Language devices

You should use a range of language devices to make your spoken language performance more engaging. Here are some useful devices which you might use:

Language device

What it is

Why use it

Anecdotes 

Short, personal stories or examples

  • Use it to illustrate a point, make your topic more relatable or to add humour or emotion

Rhetorical questions

Questions that do not require answer 

  • Use it to make your audience think or challenge their opinion

Hyperbole

Exaggeration to make something seem more dramatic that it is

  • Use it to add emphasis or humour

Emotive language

Words that create strong feelings

  • Use it for persuasive or reflective topics to make the audience sympathetic, excited, concerned etc.

Direct address

Speaking directly to the audience

  • Use it to make your audience feel involved and engaged in what you are saying

Repetition

Repeating key words or phrases

  • Use it to reinforce important ideas and make them more memorable

Statistics or facts

Factual information

  • Use it to add credibility to your topic

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    Author
    Reviewer
    Nick Redgrove

    Author: Nick Redgrove

    Expertise: English Content Creator

    Nick is a graduate of the University of Cambridge and King’s College London. He started his career in journalism and publishing, working as an editor on a political magazine and a number of books, before training as an English teacher. After nearly 10 years working in London schools, where he held leadership positions in English departments and within a Sixth Form, he moved on to become an examiner and education consultant. With more than a decade of experience as a tutor, Nick specialises in English, but has also taught Politics, Classical Civilisation and Religious Studies.

    Deb Orrock

    Reviewer: Deb Orrock

    Expertise: English Content Creator

    Deb is a graduate of Lancaster University and The University of Wolverhampton. After some time travelling and a successful career in the travel industry, she re-trained in education, specialising in literacy. She has over 16 years’ experience of working in education, teaching English Literature, English Language, Functional Skills English, ESOL and on Access to HE courses. She has also held curriculum and quality manager roles, and worked with organisations on embedding literacy and numeracy into vocational curriculums. She most recently managed a post-16 English curriculum as well as writing educational content and resources.