Courseversity

Lesson

Formal presentations

Primary EducationGrade 6English & Language ArtsCV-PRI-G06-ELA-U01-L0745–60 min

You will learn

  • Plan structure.
  • Use formal language.
  • Use visuals.
  • Deliver with confidence.

Version 0.2 · expanded edition · built from cited public sources Content is based on the official frameworks and sources listed under Sources and standards. No official endorsement is claimed. Written in the style of common primary school assessments. No exam result is promised.

Student lesson

The lesson in 60 seconds

  1. Plan the structure.
  2. Write key points, not a script.
  3. Use visuals.
  4. Rehearse delivery.

Words to know

formal presentation
a prepared talk to an audience in formal language
structure
introduction, main points and conclusion
pace
the speed of speaking
posture
how you stand

1. Discover: The science assembly

Chidi prepares a formal presentation on recycling for the school assembly. Structure: introduction (a question), three main points, conclusion. He writes key points on cards, uses formal language (Good morning, Principal and fellow pupils), shows a chart, controls his pace and stands tall with good posture. He rehearses with a timer.

Think: Which preparations made his talk formal and confident?

2. Understand: Speaking formally

Idea 1: Structure

A formal presentation has an introduction, main points and conclusion.

Idea 2: Language

Use formal language: a respectful greeting, complete sentences and no slang.

Idea 3: Delivery

Control pace, voice and posture; use cue cards, not a word-for-word script; make eye contact.

Remember: A formal presentation uses clear structure, formal language, visuals and confident, rehearsed delivery.

3. Worked examples

Example 1 (I show you): Structure

What was his structure?

  1. Three parts.

Answer: introduction, three main points and conclusion

Example 2 (We do it together): Language

Give a formal phrase.

  1. Greeting.

Answer: Good morning, Principal and fellow pupils

Example 3 (You try): Prep

How did he prepare?

Show the steps and answer
  1. Rehearse.

Answer: he rehearsed with a timer

Did you know?

Speakers often rehearse out loud at least three times.

Why this matters

Formal presentation skills are needed for school, work and public life.

4. Explore: Present formally

Give a short formal talk.

  1. Choose a topic.
  2. Plan three points.
  3. Make cue cards.
  4. Rehearse and present.
Think about it: what did you notice?

You can present formally.

5. Practise

Say it in a sentence

Use these starters when you talk about the lesson. Say them out loud.

  • Good morning, ___.
  • Today I will talk about ___.
  • My first point is ___.
  • Thank you for listening.

Guided practice

Question 1. A prepared talk in formal language is a ___ presentation.

formal

Question 2. Introduction, main points and conclusion form the ___.

structure

Question 3. The speed of speaking is the ___.

pace

Independent practice

Level 1: Start

  1. A prepared talk in formal language is a ___ presentation.
  2. Introduction, main points and conclusion form the ___.
  3. The speed of speaking is the ___.
  4. How you stand is your ___.
  5. Chidi spoke on ___.

Level 2: Grow

  1. Where did he present?
  2. What did he write on cards?
  3. What did he show?

Level 3: Stretch

  1. Should you read word-for-word?
  2. Should you rehearse?
  3. Should language be formal?

Answers are in the answer key below. Try first, then check.

6. Apply: English in everyday life

Plan a three-minute formal talk with a structure and cue cards.

Show a sample answer

a talk plan

Another one. Rehearse a one-minute formal talk for a family member.

Show a sample answer

a completed task

7. Common mistakes

Mistake: Rushing without checking.
Fix: Slow down and check your work.
Another mistake: Skipping the worked example.
Fix: Study the example first, then try.

8. Lesson summary and revision card

I can…

  • I can plan structure.
  • I can use formal language.
  • I can use visuals.
  • I can deliver with confidence.

9. Check and master

Answer all 14 questions. You will see feedback after each one.

1. A formal presentation uses ___ language.

2. Structure includes introduction, points and ___.

3. Pace is the ___ of speaking.

4. Posture is how you ___.

5. Which is a formal greeting?

6. What should cue cards hold?

7. What helps confidence?

8. What makes a talk clear?

9. Which pace is best?

10. Which posture is best?

11. What should visuals do?

12. Why present formally?

Challenge 1. Which closes a formal talk well?

Challenge 2. Which is a formal sentence?

Your result appears here after you answer every question.

10. Key takeaways

  • Plan the structure.
  • Write key points, not a script.
  • Use visuals.
  • Rehearse delivery.

11. Next lesson

Next lesson: Introductory debates. Keep going with the next idea in this course.

Exam practice

These questions are written in the style of common school and international primary assessments. Try them on your own, without looking back. Then check your answers in the marking guide. The marks are shown in brackets.

  1. What is a formal presentation? [1 mark]
  2. Name the parts of its structure. [3 marks]
  3. Give two delivery tips. [2 marks]
  4. Why use cue cards? [1 mark]
  5. Explain how to prepare a formal talk. [3 marks]

Total: 10 marks.

Marking guide and model answers
  1. a prepared talk to an audience in formal language [1]
  2. introduction [1]; main points [1]; conclusion [1]
  3. steady pace [1]; good posture or eye contact [1]
  4. to remember key points without reading a script [1]
  5. plan structure and key points [1]; use formal language and visuals [1]; rehearse delivery [1]

Score guide: 9 to 10 = secure. 6 to 8 = nearly there, revise the parts you missed. Under 6 = work through the lesson again with a grown-up.

Printable worksheet

  1. A prepared talk in formal language is a ___ presentation.
  2. Introduction, main points and conclusion form the ___.
  3. The speed of speaking is the ___.
  4. How you stand is your ___.
  5. Chidi spoke on ___.
  6. Where did he present?
  7. What did he write on cards?
  8. What did he show?
  9. Should you read word-for-word?
  10. Should you rehearse?

Homework

Rehearse a one-minute formal talk for a family member.

Answer key and marking scheme

Question Expected response Marks
1. A prepared talk in formal language is a ___ presentation. formal 1
2. Introduction, main points and conclusion form the ___. structure 1
3. The speed of speaking is the ___. pace 1
4. How you stand is your ___. posture 1
5. Chidi spoke on ___. recycling 1
6. Where did he present? at school assembly 1
7. What did he write on cards? key points 1
8. What did he show? a chart 1
9. Should you read word-for-word? no 1
10. Should you rehearse? yes 1
Total 10

Independent practice answers. Level 1: 1 formal; 2 structure; 3 pace; 4 posture; 5 recycling. Level 2: 1 at school assembly; 2 key points; 3 a chart. Level 3: 1 no; 2 yes; 3 yes.

Quiz answers: 1 B, 2 C, 3 A, 4 B, 5 C, 6 A, 7 B, 8 C, 9 A, 10 B, 11 C, 12 A, Challenge 1 B, Challenge 2 C.

Mastery and remediation

Objective Bronze (Developing) Silver (Proficient) Gold (Advanced)
O1 Plan structure Shows this with help from an adult or a picture Does this independently and explains how they know Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation
O2 Use formal language Shows this with help from an adult or a picture Does this independently and explains how they know Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation
O3 Use visuals Shows this with help from an adult or a picture Does this independently and explains how they know Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation
O4 Deliver with confidence Shows this with help from an adult or a picture Does this independently and explains how they know Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation

Courseversity badge thresholds (overall quiz score): Gold = 90–100%; Silver = 80–89.9%; Bronze = 70–79.9%. A badge is never a full record of progress.

If a learner struggles

  1. Find the misconception: Rushing without checking. Slow down and check your work.
  2. Explain another way: use real objects, pictures or actions first, then words.
  3. Show a simpler example: Re-read the examples slowly and use the sentence frames.
  4. Guided practice: work through one example together and let the learner try the next one.
  5. Reassess: use the quiz again or the worksheet.
  6. Move on when the learner shows Silver-level evidence independently.

For parents and guardians

In this lesson your child practises a key Grade 3 English skill with clear examples and a quiz. You do not need to be an expert to help.

  • Listen while your child explains the idea.
  • Ask for one new example.
  • Praise effort and careful work.
  • Ask “how do you know?” after each answer, and listen.
  • Praise effort, not only right answers. Mistakes are how we learn.
  • Ten to fifteen minutes a day is better than one long session.

Teacher package

1–5. Objectives, prerequisites, materials, preparation, duration

Lesson objectives. Learners will: plan structure; use formal language; use visuals; deliver with confidence.

Prerequisite knowledge. Evaluating presentations.

Materials. Chart paper or board, pencils, picture or word cards, a reading book if available. Low-resource options: use chalk or charcoal on a board or wall, drawings in the sand, and objects from the classroom instead of printed materials.

Preparation. Write the key words and examples on the board or on cards before the lesson.

Suggested duration. 45–60 minutes. It can be split into two shorter sessions.

6–9. Teaching procedure, explanation notes, guided and independent activities

Introduction (5 min). Introduce the idea with the opening example.

Explanation (10 min). Teach the key words.

Guided activity (10 min). Practise together.

Independent activity (10 min). Check understanding with the quiz.

Assessment and reflection (5 min). Ask each learner to say one thing they learned and how they know it.

Key questions. What is the key idea? Can I give my own example?

Teacher explanation notes. Move from the spoken word to pictures and then to print. Read aloud often, point to the words, and let learners hear and say before they read and write.

10–12. Differentiation, formative assessment, common misconceptions

Support. Use the sentence frames and work with a partner. Extension. Create a harder example of your own.

Formative assessment. Listen to learners read and explain, ask “how do you know?”, and check the independent work.

Misconceptions. Rushing without checking. Slow down and check your work.

13–15. Assessment questions, answer keys, marking scheme

Use the quiz, the 10-mark exam practice and the worksheet on this page. All answers and marking guides are in the answer sections above. Re-check every answer before use.

16–19. Remediation, enrichment, homework, teacher reflection

Remediation. Re-read the examples slowly and use the sentence frames. Enrichment. Make up your own example and teach it to someone at home. Homework. See above.

Teacher reflection. After teaching, record: which ideas learners understood; which misconceptions occurred; which activities worked; which learners need more practice; and what to improve next time.

Sources and standards

This lesson is based on the sources below, and no official endorsement is claimed. Reference starting points: Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts, Cambridge Primary and the IB Primary Years Programme. Where a standard code is named, it points to the official framework.

Official standards for this topic area. Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts (official site): Grade 6 » Speaking & Listening. These pages list the standards that cover this topic area; read them alongside the lesson.

Research used to shape this lesson. Common Core SL.6.4 and SL.6.6 (present claims and findings, sequencing ideas logically; adapt speech to a variety of contexts and tasks, demonstrating command of formal English); Cambridge Primary English Stage 6 (presenting). These sources informed the lesson.

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