SECTION 110.59. Oral Interpretation I, II, III (One to Three Credits)

(a) Introduction.

(1) Literature and its presentation are integral to understanding the cultural aspects of a society. Students in Oral Interpretation I, II, III will select, research, analyze, adapt, interpret, and perform literary texts as a communication art. Students focus on intellectual, emotional, sensory, and aesthetic levels of texts to attempt to capture the entirety of the author's work. Individual or group performances of literature will be presented and evaluated.

(2) For high school students whose first language is not English, the students' native language serves as a foundation for English language acquisition and language learning.

(3) Statements that contain the word "including" reference content that must be mastered, while those containing the phrase "such as" are intended as possible illustrative examples.

(4) The essential knowledge and skills as well as the student expectations for Oral Interpretation I, II, III, elective courses, are described in subsection (b) of this section.

(b) Knowledge and skills.

(1) Definition and theory. The student recognizes oral interpretation as a communication art. The student is expected to:

(A) explain definitions and theories of oral interpretation as a communication art;

(B) analyze the role of the interpreter and the ethical responsibilities to the author, the literary text, and the audience; and

(C) develop and use a workable theory of interpretation as a basis for performance choices.

(2) Selection. The student selects literature for performance. The student is expected to:

(A) select literature appropriate for the reader, the audience, and the occasion;

(B) apply standards of literary merit when selecting literature for individual or group performance;

(C) choose literature that can be appropriately adapted; and

(D) select performance materials from a variety of literary genre.

(3) Research. The student uses relevant research to promote understanding of literary works. The student is expected to:

(A) read the text to grasp the author's meaning, theme, tone, and purpose; and

(B) research the author, author's works, literary criticism, allusions in the text, and definitions and pronunciations of words to enhance understanding and appreciation of the chosen text.

(4) Analysis. The student analyzes the chosen text to assess its implications for adaptation, interpretation, and performance. The student is expected to:

(A) identify and analyze the literary form or genre;

(B) identify and analyze structural elements in the chosen text;

(C) identify and analyze the narrative voice and/or other speakers such as personae in the literature;

(D) identify and analyze the time, place, and atmosphere;

(E) analyze the shifts or transitions in speaker, time, and place to determine who is speaking, to whom they are speaking, where they are speaking, when they are speaking, and for what reason they are speaking;

(F) analyze individual units such as paragraphs, verses, sentences, and lines for meaning and specificity;

(G) identify descriptive phrases, figures of speech, stylistic devices, and word choices to analyze the imagery in the text;

(H) trace the emotional progression of the text; and

(I) recognize literal and symbolic meanings, universal themes, or unique aspects of the text.

(5) Adaptation. The student adapts written text for individual or group performance based on appropriate research and analysis. The student is expected to:

(A) maintain ethical responsibility to author, text, and audience when adapting literature;

(B) apply appropriate criteria for lifting scenes and cutting literary selections;

(C) use effective strategies for planning and organizing programs focused on a specific theme, author, or central comment; and

(D) write appropriate introductions, transitions, and/or conclusions to supplement the text.

(6) Interpretation. The student applies research and analysis to make appropriate performance choices. The student is expected to:

(A) justify the use or nonuse of manuscript or other aids;

(B) justify strategies for the use of focus, gesture, and movement;

(C) justify the use of vocal strategies such as rate, pitch, inflection, volume, and pause;

(D) justify the use of dialect, pronunciation, enunciation, or articulation; and

(E) use research, analysis, personal experiences, and responses to the literature to justify performance choices.

(7) Rehearsal and performance. The student uses insights gained from research and analysis to rehearse and perform literature for a variety of audiences and occasions. The student is expected to:

(A) use effective rehearsal strategies to promote internalization and visualization of the text;

(B) use appropriate rehearsal strategies to develop confidence and enhance effective communication of the text to an audience in individual and group performance;

(C) participate in effective group decision-making processes to prepare and present group performances; and

(D) present individual and group performances.

(8) Evaluation. The student uses critical and appreciative listening to evaluate individual and group performances. The student is expected to:

(A) listen critically and appreciatively and respond appropriately to the performances of others;

(B) analyze and evaluate various performance styles;

(C) use a variety of techniques to evaluate and critique one's own and others' performances; and

(D) set goals for future performances based on evaluation.

Source Note: The provisions of this §110.59 adopted to be effective September 1, 1998, 22 TexReg 7549; amended to be effective August 22, 2011, 35 TexReg 3261