Oral History

Oral History Assignment Overview

Due dates:
q Record interview due ___________________________________
q Transcripts due ___________________________________
q First draft of Final Oral Histories due _____________________________________________________
q Final Oral Histories due _____________________________________________________

>Overview: In class we’ve been studying the Systems of Oppression. Your interviews will focus on the positive and the negative responses to oppression. Now, you will talk to (a family member, friend or community member) to record and write, for an audience of your peers, one person’s story of either being a victim of oppression or as an oppressor.

Assignment

This assignment has four major parts:

1) Interview
You will prepare for and conduct an interview with someone in your family, school, or community. If this person does not speak English, you will be given additional credit for translating the interview into English.

You must:
∑ Set up a time and place to conduct the interview
∑ Write at least 20 questions
∑ Record your interview (I’ll provide materials and equipment)
∑ Arrange with your classmates on how you’ll share materials and equipment

2) Transcript
You will type and save every word of your interview in a transcript


3) Oral History Narrative
You’ll create an oral history by picking the best parts of your interview and deleting the parts you don’t think are interesting. You’ll have to decide how you think the oral history should look: how the transcript should be broken into paragraphs, how each idea should be broken into sentences. You’ll pick the best stories your interviewee told, eliminate your questions, and cut and paste on the computer. I will show you how to do this in the computer lab.

You’ll also write a description of your interviewee, and pick a golden like from your interview to use as a title. Again, I’ll help you with this before you have to turn it in.


4) Oral History Final Draft
Even after you think your oral history is perfect, you’ll need to get it edited for a final draft. There’s always something you’ll miss! You’ll get an adult to edit your work, and you’ll do final changes on your oral history before we create a class book.