The big oral exam can cause anxiety for many students. However, it is perhaps the most human exam of the baccalaureate, the most stimulating if you prepare for it well. Here are three keys to approaching the grand oral in history-geography, geopolitics and political sciences (HGGSP) with method and serenity.
Understanding the spirit of the test
The grand oral is twenty minutes of preparation in the dressing room, then twenty minutes in front of the jury: ten minutes of presentation and ten minutes of discussion. This is not a lecture course. It’s a conversation. First mistake to avoid: learning your text by heart and reciting it is exactly what the jury does not want to see.
What the jury assesses during the interview is your ability to think in real time. He wants to see someone who masters his subject sufficiently to speak about it freely, who accepts being pushed around, who knows how to say “that’s a good question, I thought less about it… without destabilizing. Intellectual honesty is a quality, not a weakness.
In HGGSP more particularly, the jury expects you to make links between the main concepts of the program and current events. A well-chosen recent example is better than a poorly digested quote. We strongly advise you to dig into the articles that we have selected for you throughout this year.
The jury’s expectations
The first thing the jury will evaluate is the clarity of the statement. Your subject must be precise and problematized. No subject like “Are current conflicts wars like any other?†, but rather “How does the conflict in Ukraine call into question the geopolitical balances built since the end of the Cold War?†. From the first seconds, the jury must understand where you are going.
The second is argumentative rigor. Each part of your presentation should bring something new. No repetition, no filler. And your conclusion is not a summary, it is the answer to the question that your demonstration raises. You absolutely must conclude with an opening on the most recent news.
The third is to the ability to nuance. In HGGSP, subjects are rarely settled. The jury appreciates someone who knows how to recognize the complexity of a situation, who shows the limits of their own arguments. This is the sign of mature thinking.
The fourth, and it is often the most neglected, is la présence à l’oral. The look, the voice, the rhythm (prosody) are fundamental to captivate and convince the jury. Speak with the jury, not in front of them. Look them in the eye. Take breaks. Show that you love your subject.
AI as a training partner
To prepare for this test, artificial intelligence (AI) can be a useful tool provided you use it well. Not to write your presentation for you, of course, but to, for example, simulate the jury. Ask him: “Ask me tough questions on this subject like a final year jury.†This is a great way to spot your gray areas and sharpen your answers.
You can also submit your plan to her so that she can point out any redundancies or blind spots. But keep a critical eye, AI is not always right.
The jury may ask you what use of AI you made. Be honest: show the strengths and limitations of this tool. Generally speaking, the jury will question you about the process of designing your subject and researching it. Be sure to master and vary your sources.
To conclude
The HGGSP grand oral is a test where you have the right to have an opinion, to hesitate, to nuance. No one expects absolute truth from you. We expect rigor, curiosity, and the desire to defend the subject on which you have worked.
Practice out loud, work in groups, read the international press, do mock orals. And on the big day, remember: the jury is not there to trap you, it is there to hear you. Good luck to everyone!
The Letter from the Educ is also taking a vacation, see you at the start of the school year.
