Abstract:

In this paper, we propose “Manzai Script Method" as a training method for enhancing talk planning skill for presentation. After discussing the details and design intent of this method, based on the data obtained from the implementation of this method at universities, its effects and the limitation will be described.

In the traditional presentation education, the role of "transmitter" has been emphasized in the composition of talks. In other words, it has been emphasized to convey ideas accurately, logically, and reliably. However, in this study, based on the theory of dialogue and mutual construction of talk, the authors consider that the role of "mediator" is also important. The role of "mediator" is to monitor the talk from the audience's point of view, predicts the reaction of the audience, thinks about how to answer to the audience' reaction, and suggests the "transmitter" the ways to communicate with the audience. By planning talks through inner interaction between the two roles, the ideas of the speaker can be accepted by the audience.

Based on the above, we propose "Manzai Script Method". It is a training method for forming talk for presentation based on inner cooperation between the roles of "transmitter" and "mediator". Manzai is a traditional style of comedy in Japan. It is usually composed of dialogue of two performers, a straight man (tsukkomi) and a funny man (boke). From the viewpoint of communicative function, the boke, who mainly focuses on transmitting funny things to the audience, can be seen as a "transmitter". On the other hand, "tsukkomi", whose task is monitoring audience and helping comical utterances of the "boke" is captured and understood by the audience, can be seen as a "mediator".

In “Manzai Script Method”, the trainees are supposed to convert their talk into dialogic interaction between the "boke" and the "tsukkomi" and then to represent their talk as the form of a script of Manzai. After that, the trainees are going to revise their talk through reflecting on the script. The authors expect that examining the dialogue between boke and tsukkomi inevitably leads to reviewing the presentation from collaboration of transmitter and mediator.

To verify the effectiveness of this method, a practical experiment was conducted with 60 university students. The post questionnaire showed that the participants were more aware of the audience of their talk by training in this way. The participants were also more empathetic with the audience. We also analyzed the changes in the content of the talks and found that the improved version of the talks had a style of conversing with the listener. It was also observed that a critical remark by Tsukkomi in his/her manzai script led to the creation of new ideas that were incorporated into the improved talk. Not all the talks have changed that way. It is necessary to compare the difference between the effective learner and the non-effective learner in the future.

Keywords:

Training for presentation, talk planning, dialogic approach, Manzai, inner conversation.