Name: ______Date: ______

6B- _____ Speaking: Speech of Introduction: Sample Outline

Directions:Use this sample outline (based on the life of a fictional adult) to help you write your own outline. The sample outline below is not complete; instead, it provides enough information for you to see, in a general way, what a good outline looks and sounds like. Most importantly, notice the connection between the hook and insight statement (H.I.S.); the way the hook “teases” the focus without giving away the details of the speech; the way the topics flow logically from one to the next; and the way the transitions (“word bridges”) tie together the topics, making clear connections between the topics. Even the details are logically sequenced (put in order) so that one bullet leads to the next.

The focus, or most important topic of discussion, in this speech will be the following: Fatherhood

Hook: (A catchy opener that grabs your audience’s attention on an important detail from your speech; DON’T give away any speech details in the hook. Just “tease” the details. Look at your notes on Hooks for guidance with this.)

There’s an old saying that “youth is wasted on the young.” The quote suggests that youth is filled with all kinds of promises and possibilities, with amazing opportunities for joy and for growth. But it also suggests a bitter irony, that children because they’re young  can’t appreciate these rare rewards. It’s not until children grow to be adults, the quote implies, that they can truly understand the rewards of childhood. But, of course, by then it’s too late. Which is why I’m so happy to introduce to you my partner, JohnSmith, a dad and a dentist who defies this irony, who sees childhood quite differently.

(over)

  1. Topic: Early Childhood / Family Life
  • 9/17/81; Manhattan.
  • Mother Claire: loved to cook, watch moviestogether… (More details…)
  • Father Bill: former chef in Bronxville; loved to go on vacations and play tennis together, discuss books and movies, listen to music together… (More details…)
  • Parents met in college at father’s tennismatch. Took dentistry classes together. Both raised in Brooklyn, NY. German and English… (More details…)
  • Sister, Sarah: 7 yrs older; “2nd mother”; drove to sports practice / games, cheered,helped with homework… (More details…)
  • Brother, Tom: 3yrs older; fun; took drives in the car; advice on friends, sports, and school… (More details…)
  • Enjoys youngestchild role: Parents understanding; older siblings’care, hand-me-downs… (More details…)
  • Dog (Artie), cat (Simone). Love of animals… (More details…)
  • Enjoyed picnics, bird-watching, walks in local nature preserves, State Parks, Audubon Areas… (More details…)

(next)

  1. Topic: Travel

Transition from previous topic to current topic (in full sentence): As a young boy, John and his family also traveled a bit farther than the local NY parks when they went on family vacations, which gave John a lifelong curiosityto see the world.

  • Childhood Local: Vt., Maine, Berkshires… (More details…)
  • Childhood Abroad: France, Switzerland, Italy, Great Britain… (More details…)
  • Adulthood: Central America, South America, Spain… (More details…)
  1. Topic: School

Transition from previous topic to current topic (in full sentence): While John saw various parts of the world through his travels as a young boy and as a grown man, his formaleducation occurred in school.

  • PS 11… (More details…)
  • Bronx Science HS… (More details…)
  • U Penn… (More details…)
  • NYU… (More details…)

(over)

  1. Topic: Dentistry Career

Transition from previous topic to current topic (in full sentence): After his schooling, John made an important decision to apply his studiesto a career in dentistry.

  • UWS practice; own office in Bedford… (More details…)
  • Pediatric Dentist of Year… (More details…)
  1. Topic: Marriage & Fatherhood

Transition from previous topic to current topic (in full sentence): AsJohn’s career took hold, he met his wife and started his family, which is John’s main passion in life.

  • Wife… (More details…)
  • Daughter… (Many, many more details…)

Insight Statement: (A wise, clever, or thought-provoking ending statementthat relates back to your hook( H> I S = H I S ). Make a partner-to-world connection: What does your partner lead you to believe about people in general or about life in general? What big ideas do you have that are based on your interview with your partner?)

Ultimately, John’s roles as a pediatric dentist and, more importantly, as a father have reminded him of a valuable point: Youth isn’t wasted on the young. As he would put it, “Youth is ageless. It’s in all play, in every hug and smile, and in every story read aloud.”

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