B. Foundations of Language · Reading Longer Words and Sentences

Speaking to an Audience: Purpose, Voice, Body and Words

B1.3 B1.4 B1.5 A1About 40 minutes

Learning goals

I can name my purpose and my audience before I speak.
I can connect with my audience, for example with a friendly greeting, a question or eye contact.
I can plan my talk so it is clear and in an order that makes sense.
I can use expression, gestures and body language to help show what I mean.
I can choose exact words, new vocabulary and complete, connected sentences when I speak.

Words to know

purpose
The reason you are speaking, such as to inform, to explain how, to persuade, to entertain or to ask.

audience
The people who are listening to you.

rapport
A friendly connection between the speaker and the audience. It makes listeners want to listen.

expression
How your voice sounds: loud or soft, fast or slow, happy, serious or excited.

gesture
A movement of your hands, arms or head that helps show meaning, like pointing or nodding.

cohesive
Sticking together. Cohesive sentences connect to each other so the listener can follow.

Remember from Grade 2

In Grade 2 you learned to think about your purpose and audience, to take turns and stay on topic, and to use your voice, face, gestures and body to show meaning. You also used linking words like first, because and so.

In Grade 3, you will learn to connect with your audience, plan a clear talk, and choose words and sentences that make your ideas easy to follow.

Step 1: purpose and audience

Before you speak, ask yourself two questions:

Why am I speaking? (my purpose)
Who is listening? (my audience)

The answers change how you speak.

Purpose	Example	Audience	Formal or informal?
To inform (tell facts)	A talk about the life cycle of a frog	Your class	Formal
To explain how	Teaching your little cousin how to build a snow fort	A 5-year-old	Informal
To persuade (convince)	Asking the principal for a new class game	The principal	Formal
To entertain	Telling a funny story at dinner	Your family	Informal

Purpose and audience change how we speak

Step 2: connect with your audience (build rapport)

Rapport is a friendly connection with your listeners. When people feel connected to you, they want to listen.

Ways to build rapport:

Greet your audience: "Good morning, everyone!"
Look at your listeners and smile (or face them, if eye contact is hard for you).
Ask a question to hook them: "Have you ever seen a moose up close?"
Talk about something they care about. For little kids, use simple words and fun examples. For adults, be polite and clear.
Thank them at the end.

Step 3: plan so it's clear and in order

A clear talk has a beginning, a middle and an end.

Beginning: a hook and what your talk is about.
Middle: your ideas in an order that makes sense, with details or examples.
End: a short wrap-up: "So, that is why..." and "Thank you for listening."

Stay on your topic. If an idea doesn't fit, leave it out.

A clear talk is built like a hamburger: a beginning and an end hold the middle ideas together.

Step 4: use your voice and body

Your voice and body add meaning to your words.

Tool	What to do	How it helps meaning
🗣️ Volume	Loud enough for the person at the back	Everyone can hear
⏱️ Pace	Not too fast; slow down for important parts	Listeners can keep up
⏸️ Pause	Stop for a moment before or after a big idea	Makes the idea stand out
🎭 Expression	Sound excited, serious or surprised to match the idea	Shows feelings and what matters
👉 Gestures	Point, show size with your hands, count on your fingers	Helps listeners picture things
🧍 Body language	Stand tall, face the audience, keep still feet	Shows confidence and respect

Voice and body tools

The tools a speaker uses: a clear voice, a friendly face, helpful gestures and a calm, tall body.

Expression can change the meaning

Say "We have a test today" three ways: happy, worried and bored. The words stay the same, but the listener hears three different messages! Your expression should match what you mean.

Just for fun

What if you gave your whole talk in a tiny whisper? Your audience would lean in so far, they might tip right off their chairs! That's why volume matters.

Step 5: choose your words and sentences

Exact words: say "a towering spruce tree" instead of "a big tree".
New vocabulary: use words you have learned, like habitat, estimate or community, and explain them if your audience might not know them.
Complete sentences: "The fox has a bushy tail." not "Fox... tail... bushy."
Cohesive sentences connect to each other with linking words: first, also, for example, because, but, however, after that, finally, as a result.

Worked example

Let's plan a short talk

Your purpose: inform your class about your favourite winter activity. Your audience: your Grade 3 class. Plan a talk that is clear and connects with the audience.

Hook (rapport): "Good morning! Raise your hand if you have ever been tobogganing."
Topic: "Today I will tell you about tobogganing, my favourite winter activity."
Middle, in order, with linking words: "First, you need a hill with lots of packed snow. Also, you need a helmet. Then, you sit on the toboggan and push off. The best part is the whoosh at the bottom!" (Use a gesture: slide your hand down like a hill.)
Voice: slow down and pause before "the best part". Sound excited on whoosh.
End: "So, if you want a fun way to spend a snowy day, try tobogganing. Thank you for listening!"

A clear talk with a hook, ideas in order, linking words, expression and gestures that match the meaning, and a thank you.

Worked example

Let's fix a talk that is hard to follow

Read Kai's talk: "Um, dogs. They are good. And my dog, um, ate my sock. And dogs need walks. And they are good."

How can Kai make it clearer?

Add a hook and a topic: "Hi everyone! Today I will tell you why dogs make great pets."
Use exact words: instead of good, say loyal and playful.
Put ideas in order with linking words: "First, dogs are loyal. Also, they are playful. For example, my dog Biscuit loves to play tug."
Leave out ideas that don't fit, or make them fit: "But dogs also need care, because they need walks every day."
End: "So, dogs make great pets. Thank you!"

Kai's new talk has a beginning, middle and end, exact words and linking words, so it is clear and cohesive.

Hands-on activity

Two-minute talk show

You need: an object from home that you like (a toy, a mitten, a photo, a rock), and a grown-up audience.

Decide your purpose (inform, explain or entertain) and audience.
Plan on a sticky note or paper: hook, 3 ideas in order, ending.
Practise once in front of a mirror. Add at least one gesture and one pause.
Give your talk. Your audience gives you two stars and a wish: two things you did well and one thing to try next time.
Now give the same talk to a different audience, like a stuffed animal pretending to be a 4-year-old. What did you change?

Look for: a greeting or hook, ideas in order, linking words, a voice loud enough to hear, and a thank you at the end.

Your turn

You want to convince your family to visit a provincial park. What is your purpose?

Give one way to build rapport with your audience at the start of a talk.

Make this word more exact: "The wind was bad."

Put these in a clear order with linking words: put on boots / go outside / put on snow pants.

What gesture could you use when you say "The fish was this long"?

Should you talk to the principal in a formal or informal way?

Why might you pause before an important idea?

More practice: warm-up

What is an audience?

Name one purpose for speaking.

Is "Hey, wanna play?" formal or informal?

What three parts should a clear talk have?

Name one linking word.

More practice: on your own

Write a hook question for a talk about owls.

Join these two sentences with a linking word: I wore my mittens. My hands were cold.

Kai is talking about a scary storm but is smiling and speaking in a happy, bouncy voice. What should he change and why?

How would you explain "habitat" to a 5-year-old?

Your talk about hockey has this idea: "My grandma likes tea." What should you do with it?

Challenge

Plan a 3-sentence talk to persuade your class to read your favourite book. Use one linking word.

Explain how the same news, "We got a puppy," might sound different when told to your best friend and when told to your teacher.

Rewrite this so the sentences are cohesive: "Maple trees have sap. Sap is boiled. It makes syrup. It is sweet."

Check your understanding

Quiz

Asking your parents to let you join a soccer team is a talk to:

Which is the best way to build rapport at the start of a talk?

Which sentence uses a more exact word?

Which linking word shows a result?

Why do speakers use gestures?

Which is the best ending for a talk?

For parents and teachers

Big idea: Grade 3 speakers plan for their purpose and audience, build rapport (B1.3), use expression, gestures and body language that support meaning (B1.4), and choose precise words, new vocabulary and connected (cohesive) sentences (B1.5).

How to help at home:

Before your child tells you something important, ask: "What's your purpose? Who's your audience?"
Give real speaking jobs: ordering at a restaurant, phoning a relative, explaining a game to a younger child.
Use "two stars and a wish" for feedback so it stays positive.

Common difficulties:

Filler words (um, like, and then... and then...). Have your child plan 3 ideas on a sticky note and use linking words.
Going off topic. Ask: "Does that fit your topic?"
Nervousness. Practise with a stuffed animal audience first.

Note: Eye contact, gestures and ways of showing respect vary across cultures and for children who are neurodivergent or have disabilities. Accept other ways of connecting, like facing the audience, and value clear ideas over a single "correct" body language. Children who use sign language, AAC devices or who are learning English can meet these goals in their own way of communicating.