African Folk Tales

Before the invention of the printing press it was much more difficult to mass produce pieces of literature, and because of this there has been a longstanding tradition in many cultures to practice the art of storytelling to keep cherished stories alive and relevant. There is a rich oral tradition in many African cultures, and South African folk tales are fine examples of stories that have and continue to capture people’s imaginations. For example, "The Lost Message" and "The Monkey’s Fiddle" are South African folk tales that are entertaining and morally instructive and are fine oral recitation focuses.

Speech

There are many reasons why a teacher or professor wants their students to participate in oral recitations. It requires students to talk in front of their peers and memorize portions of what they're presenting. It also develops higher-level speaking skills. Whether it’s Martin Luther King’s "I have a Dream" speech or James Baldwin’s speech in front of Cambridge University in 1968, a great speech is an ideal oral recitation focus. While preparing the speech, students have the opportunity to listen to the original version if a recording is available. They can thus learn from the style of the orator who initially delivered it.

Short Story

Some benefits of using a short story as a oral recitation focus is that the student is able to read the text several times, understand all its parts and deliver it to an audience in a way that’s properly paced. In general, the student will have to abridge the short story in order to recite it in its entirety. This is a valuable lesson in plot structure, and forces students to be aware of which elements of a short story are the most essential and why. If it is preferred that a student recite a complete short story, one that is very concise, like Raymond Carver's "Popular Mechanics," is ideal.

Personal Reflection

An approach that many teachers and professors find valuable is to have students write their own compositions and then recite their unique story to the group. Knowing that a written work will be read in front of the class may be an even stronger motivator to do quality work than grades. It may make a student want to personally reflect on a significant time or story in her life.