What is a Text Talk?
A Text Talk is a video of you describing, analyzing, and discussing the book you have read. Below are both good and bad examples on how to go about creating a Text Talk video.
Creating a Text Talk Video
Before you create your text talk video, write an outline/script of what you will say. Use the following requirements as a guided outline.
Practice your text talk several times (so that you’re not looking solely at your paper) before you record your final video.
Taking a few practice videos would be a great idea, as well, so that you have options of your best take. Your text talk needs to be in the range of 3-5 minutes.
Requirements
- Introduction: Introduce the reading
- Give the title, the author, and the genre
2. Hook:
- Describe a conflict, relate a moment of tense action, summarize a beautiful passage, introduce a powerful character, describe the setting, give a theme, etc.
3. Content: Summarize the reading
- What is the reading about?
4. Analysis:
- Analyze the theme of the book.
- What is the theme?
- How was the theme carried on through the book? What parts of the book held the theme up. Give specific examples from the text of theme, citing your book (Requirement 5).
5. Excerpt or Scene from the text that supports your analysis
- Read an exciting quote/excerpt of the text and explain its significance.
7. Conclusion
- What did you learn from reading this text and the theme?
8. Restate the title and the author
Your text talk needs to be a minimum of three minutes, so with these questions, plan for a response that is well explained–expound upon your basic answers.
Resource:
Outline Worksheet to help organize your Text Talk before filming.
Outside Reading Book Journal 