Speech

Mr. Dustin Pace

Room 29

Speech is power: speech is to persuade, to convert, to compel.

-Ralph Waldo Emerson

It usually takes more than three weeks to prepare a good impromptu speech.

-Mark Twain

Class Syllabus

Ha-hmmm… check, one, two…thp, thp, thp… is this thing on? Welcome, ladies and gentlemen, to speech class! [Pause for loud cheering awkward silence.] You have, no doubt, heard of fates worse than death. Well, for many people,there is one that stands above all others: public speaking. So, I am sure most of you are looking forward to this class as much as, say, a root canal, or the next television show starring Charlie Sheen. You probably think the state of Idaho merely likes to torture seniors before they graduate by making them endure something most people dread more than death itself before allowing them to graduate. Well, you may be partly right about the torture, but learning to communicate well and speak with poise is among the most beneficial skills with which you can leave high school. Now, I know you are thinking I’m not going to be a public speaker, or a comedian, or a politician, so why do I have to take speech? Okay, you better make sure you are seated (which you should be anyway!) because I’ve got some difficult news for you. Regardless of which career path you choose, you will have to interact with people. In fact, to even get a job you will have to go through an interview and, irrespective of how knowledgeable and well-qualified you are for the position, you must be able to convince the interviewer(s) that you are the best candidate. Any guesses as to how you might do that? That’s right. Unless you possess superhuman telepathic abilities, you will have to use speech. So, open your mind, clear your throat, and get ready to overcome your fears and become a better orator.

Course Description

Senior Speech is a one-semester course aimed at introducing students to the basic concepts of communication. It aims to make students not only better communicators, but better rhetoricians; people capable of using sound and ethical rhetoric and of analyzing other forms of communication for subtle usage of logos, ethos and pathos.

Instructional Materials

Projects in Speech Communication .Perfection Learning.

The Greatest Speeches of All Time .Video. 1998.

Other notable speeches and examples of interpersonal communication from films and websites.

Course Outline

Unit 1: Communication Basics

1. The Fundamentals of Communication

2. Oral Language

3. Nonverbal Communication

4. Listening

5. Influences on Communication

Unit 2: Interpersonal Communication

6. Effective Interpersonal Communication Strategies

7. Interpersonal Listening

8. Solving Problems and Managing Conflict

9. Interviews

Unit 3: Group Communication

10. The Power of Groups

11. Group Dynamics and Goals

12. Group Discussions

13. Parliamentary Procedure

Unit 4: Public Speaking

14. Preparing to Speak

15. Researching Your Subject

16. Organizing Your Speech

17. Preparing Supporting Materials

18. Using Language Effectively

19. Presenting Your Speech

Unit 5: Types of Presentations

20. The Speech to Inform

21. The Speech to Persuade

22. Speeches for Special Occasions

23. Competitive Speech Events

Unit 6: Mass Communications

24. Mass Communications in Society

25. Technology in Everyday Life

Speeches (Subject to Change)

1. Introduction Speech (10 points): A short “who I am” speech (1-2 minutes) to help break the ice and foster community. It will be an all-or-nothing grade. In other words, everyone who presents gets full credit!

2. Instant Replay (20 points): As in a sports broadcast, students will prepare and present a short scene demonstrating the communication process in small groups. They will perform it through once without interruption. Then, they will do a replay with commentary, stopping at planned moments.

3. “Who’s on First?” (20 points): Using Abbot and Costello’s famous sketch as a model, students will develop a short sketch in pairs demonstrating a conversation in which one party is continually misunderstood by the other.

4. Silent Movie (20 points): Students will create a short silent-movie scene to demonstrate non-verbal communication. No vocal utterances (talking or otherwise) or use of text will be permitted. Therefore, facial expressions, hand gestures, and body movements are required to convey meaning. Use of a “silent movie soundtrack” (ie. music without lyrics) is okay. This assignment may be performed live or video recorded.

5. Active Listening (20 points): Rather than speaking, students will listen to a speech which will be paused periodically, at which time they will be asked to respond to a question relating to the content of the previous section. This assignment is designed to make students aware of the integral value of active listening.

6. Art Critic (20 points): Students will be provided with a piece of abstract art. Each student will then present an interpretation of the piece to the class to demonstrate the ways in which different people both communicate and interpret information.

7. Know Your Audience (20 points): In pairs, students will present two 1-minute conversations on the same topic, first as high school peers and then as a high school student with a grandparent, to demonstrate how we alter our speech depending on our audience.

8. Poetry Out Loud (20 points): Students will select a piece of poetry (long enough that it takes at least 45 seconds to recite) to memorize and perform for the class. It will be graded on memorization, poise, and vocal dynamics.

9. Job Interview (20 points): In pairs, students will prepare and present an interview for a summer job. With one as the interviewer and the other as the interviewee, students will illustrate the steps in the interview process. Afterward, each interview will be discussed by the class to increase awareness of best interview practices and responses.

10. Group Presentation (40 points): In groups of 5 or 6, students will choose from a list of topics about which to prepare a presentation. Students will be graded on how well they interact with their groups and their involvement in the actual presentation. As in professional presentations, groups will be required to use technology and visual aids to help convey information.

11. TV Newscast (20 points): In small groups, students will create a newscast, including different areas of coverage (news, sports, weather, and advertisements). This should be video recorded and edited.

12. Advertisement (20 points): Students will prepare and present a 3-5 minute persuasive speech in the form of a long advertisement or infomercial. It may be for a product, issue, or political campaign.

13. Final Paper and Speech (25% of final grade): Students will compose a research paper and 10-15 minute speech on the influence of media on communication, both written and oral. The thesis statement will be submitted by the end of the quarter and must be approved by the teacher. Students should cite at least 10 reputable sources in MLA format and include multimedia in the presentation. More info to come…

Class Expectations

The class will be challenging, but if you follow these basic expectations, you WILL succeed:

1. BE HERE.

2. Come to class on time and prepared to learn.

3. Respect yourself, your classmates, and the teacher.

4. Participate.

5. Do not leave a mess.

6. Be positive.

7. DO YOUR WORK, AND TURN IT IN ON TIME!

Grading Policy

Attendance and Participation 10%

Quizzes and Assignments 15%

Speeches 50%

Final Paper and Speech 25%

Late Assignments

Late Assignments will be penalized 10% per day late . In cases of planned absences, missed assignments are due BEFORE you leave.

Grade Scale

90 – 100% = A

80 – 89% = B

70 – 79% = C

60 – 69% = D

0 - 59% = F