Grades 10-12

.50 Credits

Level 1

Course # 1181

Public speaking is a semester course designed for the student with little or no public speaking experience.  The class will begin with short activities targeting various basic speech skills (inflection, enunciation, tone, rate, eye contact, etc.).  Speech vocabulary will also be introduced and studied.  Next, the basic structure of a speech, along with outlining skills, will be introduced.  Following that, students will prepare and give speeches to introduce (themselves).  

The course will continue with the basic styles of speech:  Speeches to Inform, Demonstrate, and Persuade.  Later, students will engage in other speech activities, such as Impromptu speeches, Oral Interpretation of Literature, a Eulogy, and Cross-Examination Debates.  The course will conclude with a Farewell Speech, demonstrating the abilities gained from the course.

Grading will be primarily performance-based.  Students must understand that there will be no “late” speeches; they must give their speech on their designated day (unless they are legally absent) or they will receive no credit on the assignment.  However, there will also be other brief assignments and activities to contribute to a student’s grade.