SL.AO7 — How you present, not what you say

AO7 covers the delivery half of OCR's spoken-language endorsement. It rewards eye contact, pace, vocal variety, body language and the deliberate use of register — the things that make an audience listen rather than wait for the end. Examiners use a centre-marked rubric (Pass / Merit / Distinction) and look for evidence across the whole presentation, not just the opener.

Eye contact

Distinction-level speakers sweep the room — left, centre, right — pausing on individual listeners for a beat without staring. Practical rule: divide the audience into three zones and visit each at least twice per minute. Cue cards in your hand, not on the desk, free your gaze.

Pace

A nervous speaker rushes; a bored one drones. Aim for around 130–150 words per minute. Slow down on the thesis and the call to action; speed up slightly on supporting detail. Pauses — even of a second or two — are a tool, not a failure.

Vocal variety

Examiners look for:

• Pitch changes (rise on a question, fall on a conclusion);
• Volume changes (lift for the call to action; quiet for an aside);
• Stress on key words ("we cannot afford to wait");
• Avoidance of monotone delivery.

Body language

Stand with weight on both feet. Avoid leaning, swaying, or fiddling with notes. Use open hand gestures to mark the structure ("first", "second", "finally"). Face the audience squarely; turn briefly to a slide rather than addressing the screen for whole sentences.

Formal register

Standard English throughout. No "kinda", "like", "you know". Address the audience as a group, not as individual friends. Use the listener's title in any direct address ("Mr Halligan, sir, may I…") if you take questions afterwards.

Practice protocol

Rehearse three times: once mirror, once recorded, once in front of one trusted listener. The recording catches filler words; the listener catches obscure references. Both lift you a band.