B. Foundations of Language · Listening, Speaking and Word Power

Speaking Clearly: Purpose, Audience, Paraphrasing and Restating

B1.3 A1.2About 40 minutes

Learning goals

I can name my purpose and audience before I speak, and plan my words to fit them.
I can paraphrase ideas from a source in my own words and say where they came from.
I can tell the difference between paraphrasing, summarizing and quoting.
I can organize a short talk with an opening, main points with transition words, and a closing that restates my message.
I can restate an idea in a new way when my listeners look confused.

Words to know

audience
The people who will listen to you.

paraphrase
To say an idea in your own words, keeping the same meaning and about the same amount of detail.

summarize
To give only the most important ideas in a few words.

quote
To repeat someone's exact words and say who said them.

restate
To say your main idea again, often in different words, so listeners remember it.

coherent
Organized and connected so it makes sense and is easy to follow.

transition
A word or phrase that connects one idea to the next, like also, another reason or finally.

Remember from Grade 4

In Grade 4 you named your purpose and audience, chose formal or informal speech, paraphrased someone's idea and restated your main idea at the end. In Grade 5 you'll use these tools in longer talks: you'll paraphrase information from sources, compare paraphrasing with summarizing and quoting, and organize a talk so it's coherent from beginning to end.

Let's start with a puzzle

Mila wants a compost bin for the classroom. She could say it two ways:

To her best friend: "Compost bins are so cool! We should totally get one."

To the principal: "Good morning, Mr. Singh. Our class would like to start a compost bin, because about half of our lunch garbage is food scraps that could become soil for the school garden."

Same topic, same purpose (to persuade), but a different audience, so Mila changes her words, her tone and how much evidence she gives.

Plan with three questions

What is my purpose? To inform, explain, persuade, entertain or describe?
Who is my audience? Friends, younger students, grown-ups, the whole school? What do they already know?
What do they need from me? Background, examples, reasons, simple words or subject words explained?

Paraphrase, summarize or quote?

When you speak about something you read or heard, you can use someone else's ideas in three ways. Always say where the idea came from: "According to our science book..." or "The museum guide told us..."

Way	What you do	Length	Example (from: Beavers build dams from sticks, mud and stones to make a deep pond where they can build a safe lodge.)
Quote	Use the exact words and say who said them	Same	"Our book says beavers build dams 'to make a deep pond where they can build a safe lodge.'"
Paraphrase	Use your own words, same meaning and details	About the same	"According to our book, beavers use sticks, mud and stones to make a dam. The dam creates a deep pond, which is a safe place for their home."
Summarize	Give only the main idea	Much shorter	"Our book says beavers build dams to make a safe pond for their home."

All three say where the idea came from.

Three ways to use a source. The bars compare length: a summary keeps only the main idea, so it is much shorter.

How to paraphrase well

Read or listen until you understand the idea.
Look away from the text.
Say it your way: change the words and the sentence order, but keep the meaning and the facts.
Check against the original: did you change the meaning or leave out an important fact?

Changing just one or two words is not paraphrasing. "Beavers construct dams from sticks, mud and stones" is almost the same sentence.

Organize your talk so it's coherent

Opening: Grab attention and say your main idea. "Did you know half our lunch garbage could become soil?"
Body: 2 or 3 points, joined with transitions: first, another reason, also, for example, as a result.
Closing: Restate your main idea in new words, and end with a thought or request. "So a compost bin would cut our garbage and feed our garden. Please let us try it!"

And while you talk, watch your audience. If they look confused, restate the idea another way: "In other words..." or give an example.

A coherent talk is built like a sandwich: an opening and a closing that both carry the main idea, with 2 or 3 body points in between.

Worked example

Let's plan a one-minute talk

Purpose: inform. Audience: Grade 2 students. Topic: why maple trees lose their leaves in fall. Source sentence: In autumn, many trees drop their leaves to save water and energy during winter, when the ground is frozen and there is less sunlight.

Audience check: Grade 2 students are younger, so I'll use simple words and a picture they know. I'll explain energy simply.
Opening: "Have you ever jumped in a pile of red maple leaves? Today I'll tell you why trees drop them."
Paraphrase the source, with credit: "My science book says that trees let go of their leaves in the fall. This helps them save water and energy for the winter."
Point 2, with a transition: "Another reason is that in winter the ground is frozen and the sun shines less, so leaves couldn't make much food anyway."
Restate for young listeners: "In other words, trees take a winter nap to stay healthy, just like a bear!"
Closing restates the main idea: "So next time you see falling leaves, remember: the tree is getting ready for winter."

The talk fits its purpose (inform) and audience (young children), paraphrases the source with credit, uses transitions and restates the main idea at the end.

Just for fun

Paraphrase challenge: "The cow jumped over the moon."

Paraphrase: "A farm animal leapt higher than Earth's natural satellite." Same meaning, new words... and a very surprised astronaut.

"In other words..."

These three words are a speaker's secret tool. They tell listeners you're about to restate an idea in an easier way. Other choices: "Put simply...", "What I mean is...", "For example..."

Hands-on activity

Same news, three audiences

You need: a short news article or a page from a non-fiction book, a timer (a phone or kitchen timer) and one or two family members.

Read the article and pick its main idea.
Give a 30-second talk about it to three pretend audiences: a Grade 1 class, your grandparent, and a school assembly. A family member can play each audience.
In each talk, paraphrase at least one fact and say where it came from ("The article says...").
End each talk by restating your main idea.
Ask your listeners: "Which talk was clearest? Which words did I change for each audience?"

What to look for: simpler words and examples for the young audience; more formal words for the assembly; the source is named; the main idea is restated at the end.

Your turn

What three questions should you ask yourself before you speak?

Paraphrase: "Snowy owls hunt during the day as well as at night, which is unusual for owls."

Summarize in one short sentence: "Our class collected 230 cans for the food bank. That's 80 more than last year. The food bank says the cans will help families during the holidays."

What is the difference between a quote and a paraphrase?

Write a closing sentence that restates this main idea: Everyone should wear a helmet when biking.

Name three transition words you could use to connect points in a talk.

Your listeners look confused after you say "precipitation". What could you say next?

More practice: warm-up

Who is the audience when you give a speech at a school assembly?

Is this a quote, a paraphrase or a summary? "Coach Lee said, 'Practice starts at four.'"

Finish: "In other ______..."

Which is more formal: "Hey, guys!" or "Good morning, everyone."?

Why should you say where your information came from?

More practice: on your own

Is this a good paraphrase? Original: "The Rideau Canal is a famous skating rink in winter." Paraphrase: "The Rideau Canal is a well-known skating rink in winter." Explain.

You're explaining how to play a board game to your grandmother, who has never played. How will your talk be different from explaining it to a friend who plays a lot?

Paraphrase and credit the source: Source (a nature video): "Canada geese fly south in a V shape, which helps them save energy."

Put these parts of a talk in order: (a) "So that's why we need a crosswalk." (b) "Have you ever waited ages to cross Elm Street?" (c) "First, cars drive fast there. Also, many students walk that way."

Why is restating especially important in a talk compared to a written report?

Challenge

Paraphrase, then summarize this: "The Métis are one of the three Indigenous peoples recognized in Canada's Constitution, along with First Nations and Inuit. Many Métis people live in Ontario and the Prairie provinces."

Plan the opening and closing of a 1-minute persuasive talk to your family about getting a pet fish. Show how the closing restates the opening.

Explain how planning for your audience helps you communicate clearly and coherently. Give an example from another subject.

Check your understanding

Quiz

What does paraphrase mean?

Which is a summary of a long story about a lost dog that finds its way home?

What should the closing of a talk usually do?

Which phrase signals that you're restating something more simply?

Which talk fits an audience of kindergarten children?

Why should you say where information came from?

For parents and teachers

Big idea (B1.3): Grade 5 students identify the purpose and audience for speaking and use paraphrasing and restating to communicate clearly and coherently. Choosing how to present ideas for different audiences connects to A1.2 (expressing their own voice and planning next steps).

How to help at home:

When your child retells a video or article, ask: "Can you say that in your own words?" and "Where did you learn that?"
Have your child explain the same thing to a younger sibling and to you, and notice the changes.
Before a school presentation, listen to a practice run and give one specific compliment and one suggestion.

Common difficulties:

Paraphrasing by swapping one or two words. Have your child look away from the text before speaking.
Forgetting to name the source. Practise the starter "According to...".
Talks with no ending. Remind them to restate the main idea and add a final thought.