Unit 1: Introduction speeches (3) minutes 10pts
In this introductory unit, students will introduce themselves by using the topic of career choices. The topic is a springboard for them to link their personal life, belief, education, family and their knowledge of the world and society to their future career.
By introducing their future career choices, the audience will gain an impression what is important to the speaker and what and why s/he has decided on such a career choice. In other words, the speech is not an introduction to a career but the speakers themselves: who they are, what’s important to them and why. Through the focused speech, the audience will gain ideas about what has impacted their choice etc. The speech will include an introduction, body and ending and should be delivered in 3-5 minutes memorized or using notes on index cards.
Unit 2: Informative speeches (6) minutes 20pts
For the informative speech, students will select a specific aspect in Theodore Roosevelt’s personal or political life through research on his legacies. They will also read and discuss current issues that exist in our society but disrupts our lives or corrupt our morals. By examining Theodore Roosevelt’s life struggles, accomplishments and the character exhibited through them, students will make connections between what TR’s legacies represent and how we can gain inspiration from or continue with his legacy to do good for the society or the world we live in.
Since it’s an informative speech, the audience will need to know about Theodore Roosevelt. Students will do research on TR’s life and career to gather materials, from which they will create a profile of TR they want their audience to know and see. They will prioritize the information based on the topic they will speak about and create a narrative emphasizing TR’s character and his accomplishments.
They will identify and describe a current issue and explain why the issue is problematic for the society or world.
They will imagine what actions TR would take in the situation to tackle the issue and thus call for action from the audience.
The speech will include an introduction in which students will introduce TR and the issue TR’s legacy can address. They will develop a thesis statement about the purpose of their speech.
In the body paragraphs of the speech, students will describe the profile they have created about TR by drawing attention to his unmatchable mental strengths and foresight into environmental, social and natural issues.
In conclusion, students will call for action by imagining what TR’s actions would be in the situation and how as a new and young generation, we can carry on his legacy to benefit the society.
Unit 3: Persuasive speeches (6) minutes 20pts
Through writing a persuasive speech, students will practice their art of persuasion by paying attention to the types of persuasive speech, use of language, reasoning and rhetorical appeals. They will also use the Aristotelian triangle to determine how they will use rhetorical strategies to deliver their intended message to targeted audience.
To begin the project, they will research to select a specific topic of their interests. They will research to gather materials to support their own position or perspective as well as understand the reason behind their opponent’ perspective on the issue. They will then use the researched information to create a pre-speech survey to identify their target audience.
Students will create an outline for their speech for a conference before they extend it into a full speech. During the conference, students will be directed to see how they will organize their ideas through logical reasoning.
Students will use evidence to expand their outline into a full speech. They will select the evidence they use by examining what type of rhetorical appeal it will create to persuade the audience. They type of evidence they will use for their speech is also determined by the target audience they aim to persuade.
Finally, students will suggest solutions to the issue or call for action.
After delivering the speech, they will also conduct a post-speech survey to see if the audience has been swayed to agree with his/her point of view.
How to create a survey to identify your target audience? Here are some suggestions:
- Do research to find out why your audience may oppose your position on your chosen topic.
- Use Google Form to Create a 5-questioned MCQs survey to identify your target audience
- First question should be used to find out where your audience stand on the issue.
- 2nd question should be a list of reasons why your audience support your position ( you can ask your audience to pick the top choice).
- 3rd question should be a list of reasons why your audience disagree with you ( ask them to choose the top two or given them a space where they can pen in why they disagree if the reasons are not listed)
- 4th question can be about whether your audience has had any direct personal connections( positive or negative) with the topic you will speak about
- The last question should address to what extent your audience disagrees with you and whether they are open to reconsidering their position
Unit 4: Special Occasions speeches (3) minutes 10pts
For the final speech in the Speech course, students will imagine or write for a real special occasion. They can select from various occasions such as Speeches of Introduction, Presentation, Acceptance or Commemorative Speech. They will analyze the type of audience, purpose, message and appropriate tone for each occasion. They may need to interview people to gain necessary information for the occasion.
Since “special occasions are punctuation marks of day-to-day life, the high points that stand out above ordinary routine” (Lucas 359), students will deliver a speech for such an occasion to make it “special”. It is part of the “ceremonial aura that marks the event”( Lucas 359).
The purpose of such a speech is different from all the other speeches they have written and delivered. The speech aims to “fit the special needs of a special occasion” (Lucas 359). Some speeches may require the speaker to adapt his/her remarks to or build enthusiasm for the main speaker, audience and the occasion; some may require the speaker to create a sense of anticipation and drama or humor. One of the major challenges of writing such a speech is to avoid cliché and find uniqueness in an event or person. The tone needs to be appropriate depending on the occasion and audience, such as welcoming and grateful at times but can also be scathing and critical. But the information needs to be accurate and brief.