Episode 7: The Class Presentation

Hi there, and welcome back to Classes with Cass—the podcast where you learn English through stories! I’m your host, Cass, and today we’re stepping into the classroom with a story about nerves, courage, and finding your voice.

In this episode, you’ll hear vocabulary related to school, feelings, and giving presentations. If you’d like to follow along with the transcript, it’s available on my website at classeswithcass.com.

Are you ready? Let’s begin!

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Eli sat at his desk, staring at the clock. His palms were sweaty, and his stomach felt like it was doing flips.

“Next up,” said his teacher, Ms. Alvarez, “is… Eli!”

Eli froze.

It was his turn to give his presentation about his favourite animal. He had prepared for days. He made a colourful poster. He wrote his notes on cue cards. He even practiced in front of his cat, Pickles.

But now that it was time to stand in front of the whole class… he felt terrified.

Ms. Alvarez smiled at him gently. “Take your time, Eli.”

Eli slowly stood up and walked to the front of the room. His hands were shaking. His classmates were quiet, waiting.

He looked at his poster: a big picture of a dolphin.

He looked at his cards.

And then… he forgot everything.

His mind went completely blank.

“I… uh…” he began, looking down at his feet.

Some kids shifted in their seats. A few whispered.

Eli’s heart pounded.

Suddenly, he heard a small voice from the front row.

“You got this,” whispered his friend Amir, giving him a thumbs-up.

Eli took a deep breath. He looked at the dolphin on his poster again. He thought about how much he loved watching dolphin documentaries.

“They’re smart,” he said quietly. “Dolphins are one of the smartest animals in the ocean.”

He looked up.

“They can communicate with each other, and they even have names—like we do!”

A few kids leaned forward, interested.

“They also help each other. If a dolphin is hurt, others will protect it.”

Now Eli was smiling. He held up his poster and pointed to the facts he had written.

He spoke for two more minutes—about what dolphins eat, how fast they can swim, and why he thinks they’re awesome.

When he finished, the room was quiet for a second.

Then: Clap clap clap clap clap!

His classmates applauded. Even the kids who were whispering before.

Ms. Alvarez smiled wide. “Great job, Eli! That was brave, clear, and full of interesting facts. Thank you for sharing.”

Eli walked back to his seat, feeling a little taller than before.

Amir gave him a high five.

“You were amazing,” he whispered.

Eli grinned. “Thanks. I thought I was going to faint.”

Amir laughed. “You didn’t. You nailed it.”

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How did Eli feel at the beginning of the story? Nervous, right?

Let’s go over some useful words and phrases from today’s episode:

• Presentation – when you speak in front of others to share information.

• Cue cards – small cards with notes to help you remember what to say - we usually use these for presentations!

• Poster – a large paper with pictures and writing used to show ideas.

• Palms were sweaty – a way to describe feeling nervous.

• Mind went blank – you forget everything you were going to say.

• Thumbs-up – a hand signal to show encouragement or approval.

• High five – when two people slap hands together in celebration.

Try saying these phrases out loud:

• “I’m nervous about my presentation.”

• “My mind went blank.”

• “You got this!”

Now try this: Write a short story about a time you were nervous—but did it anyway. Maybe it was a speech, a performance, or even just talking to someone new. What happened?

Thanks for joining me on another episode of Classes with Cass! I hope you enjoyed Eli’s story and learned some helpful school vocabulary.

If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe, share it with a friend, or listen again to practice new words.

And remember—being nervous is normal. The important thing is to try anyway.

Until next time, keep learning, keep practicing, and be proud of every step you take.

See you soon!