Study 26

Use of Repetition and Gestures

1-3. Why is repetition an essential teaching technique?

¹ Your purpose in talking should be to impart information that your audience will remember and be able to use. If they forget it, the benefit is lost. One of the principal means by which you can help them to fix in mind what you say is to repeat the points that are most important. It has fittingly been said that repetition is the mother of retention. Repetition is one of the essential teaching techniques. You have already learned its value in connection with your use of scriptures. But “Repetition for emphasis” is listed separately on your Speech Counsel slip because it applies to other parts of your talk too.

² To assist you to become proficient in using repetition for emphasis, we are going to view the matter from two different aspects. Each concerns a different means of repetition; each has a different purpose in view. A repetition of main points serves as a memory aid. A repetition of points not understood assists understanding.

³ Not only delivery but also preparation is vital in considering this quality. You need to determine in advance which ideas call for repetition and when it would be best to repeat them.

4-6. Describe how the “progressive” summary and the “concluding” summary can be used to repeat main points.

⁴ Repetition of main points. A repetition of main points is frequently accomplished by some type of summary. We will discuss two outstanding types, calling them “progressive” summary and “concluding” summary.

⁵ The progressive summary consists of reviewing the essentials of each main point as it is considered, drawing into each successive summary the essentials of the main points that have preceded it. In this way the thread of the talk is constantly being drawn tighter.

 ⁶ At the end of the talk, a concluding summary, whether used with progressive summaries or not, draws everything together and the whole talk can be reviewed in a few brief statements. Occasionally it will assist to mention the exact number of points that are going to be reviewed. This is a further memory aid.

7-10. How can summary-type repetition of points be interestingly developed?

⁷ A summary need not be a dry repetition or restatement of points or ideas. It can be accomplished in a variety of ways: by illustration, by the use of a scripture, by approaching the matter from a different viewpoint, by comparisons or contrasts, by drawing parallels, by using synonyms or questions. To demonstrate, a very practical summary of a public talk might be a short, five-minute portion, employing the basic Scripture texts and major arguments of the talk. Here is the entire talk in capsule form, something almost everyone can carry away and use.

⁸ The summary type of repetition is particularly helpful in connection with talks involving reason and logic, and the time lapse between the discussion and the brief review helps in embedding the thoughts more deeply in the minds of the audience. However, it is not always necessary to summarize a point. It can often simply be restated later as an effective basis for another point that is to be developed.

⁹ Another way that main points can be repeated is by outlining them in the introduction of the talk, then by following with an extensive development of these points in the body. This repetition further embeds the thoughts in the mind.

¹⁰ By becoming acquainted with these different ways of repeating main points, much can be done to make a talk interesting and enjoyable as well as making it easier to remember.

11-14. What key factors are involved in repeating points not understood?

¹¹ Repetition of points not understood. Whether to repeat a point for understanding depends almost entirely upon your audience. If it is an essential point and it would not be clear to them without having the opportunity to hear it stated more than once, you must reconsider it in some way or you will arrive at the conclusion of your talk unaccompanied by your audience. On the other hand, needless repetition, that which is not employed for emphasis, will make the talk wordy and uninteresting.

 ¹² Keep your audience in mind in preparing the talk. It should enable you somewhat to anticipate the particular problems your audience might have. Prepare to repeat such ideas in some way so that they can be seen from different viewpoints.

¹³ How can you know if you are not being understood? Look at your audience. Observe facial expressions or, if talking to one or two persons, ask questions.

¹⁴ But note this well: Repeating the same words will not always accomplish your purpose. There is more to teaching than that. If your audience did not understand you the first time, merely saying the same words over again may not be enough to make you better understood. What can you do about it? You must become adaptable. It might call for impromptu additions to your talk. Your learning to cope with the needs of the audience will determine to a great extent your effectiveness as a teacher.

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15-18. How can one learn to use descriptive gestures?

¹⁵ Gestures, too, add emphasis to what you say, and they often reinforce the meaning of the spoken word. In this way they supplement and vitalize the ideas. Practically no one talks without some form of gesturing. So, if you do not gesture on the platform, your audience will know you are not at ease. But when you gesture naturally, the audience will not think of you; they will think of what you are saying. Gestures aid you by animating you, stirring up your feelings and thus enlivening your presentation. They should not be taken from some book. You never studied how to smile or laugh or be indignant, so it is not necessary to copy someone else’s gestures, and the more naturally and spontaneously they come the better. Facial expressions go hand in hand with gesturing in giving feeling to the spoken word.

¹⁶ Gestures fall into two general classifications as to their nature: descriptive and emphatic.

¹⁷ Descriptive gestures. Descriptive gestures express action or show dimension and location. These are the easiest to learn. So, if you have a problem with gesturing on the platform, try simple, descriptive gestures first.

¹⁸ When you are working on this quality in the school, do not be content with just one or two gestures. Try  to gesture often throughout the talk. In order to do this, look for words that show direction, distance, size, area, speed, location, contrast, relative positions or comparison. If necessary, mark these words in some way in your notes, in order to remind you to gesture at that point. Continue this practice, even though you receive a “G” the first time. After a few talks you will find that you no longer need to mark your gestures or think of them in advance and you will gesture naturally.

19, 20. Emphatic gestures serve what purpose?

¹⁹ Emphatic gestures. Emphatic gestures express feeling and conviction. They punctuate, vitalize and reinforce ideas. Therefore emphatic gestures are essential. But, beware! Emphatic gestures are usually the kind that become mannerisms. To prevent this, avoid repetitious gestures.

²⁰ If your problem is mannerisms in gesturing, limit yourself solely to descriptive gestures for a time. Once you have become adept in gestures of this type, emphatic gestures should become a matter of course. As you gain experience and become more at ease on the platform, your emphatic gestures will express your inner feelings naturally, demonstrating your conviction and sincerity. They will add meaning to your speech.

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