Persuasive speech writing
Persuasive speeches
• Last term we wrote a piece of persuasive
writing.
• What is the purpose of persuasive writing?
Persuasive speeches
• When we speak we have tools available at our
disposal we do not have when writing alone.
• What other techniques can we use when
speaking we can not use in writing?
Persuasive speeches
The task
• You will write and deliver a two minute
speech.
• The speech can either be based on the topic
you chose to write about last term, or you
may choose to use a new topic.
• You will need to use a range of speech delivery
techniques
Features of a speech
• People have been delivering speeches for
thousands of years, and speech writing and
delivery has been taught as a subject since
c2250BC! The ancient Egyptians held it in high
esteem, and people who were skilled in the
art of rhetoric were highly valued in their
society.
• The techniques we will look at have been used
for over 4000 years
Features of a speech
• For the following language features the
definition is given. In pairs discuss what effects
the feature could have (there is often more
than one effect) and write down your ideas in
your books
Features of a speech
• Repetition-repeating a word or phrase.
• Rhetorical question- a question asked for
effect with no answer expected.
• Allusion- a reference to something or
someone famous or well known.
• Hyperbole-exaggeration for effect.
• Listing-a number of connected items.
• Juxtaposition-placing two or opposite
concepts or ideas close together or side by
side.
Features of a speech
• Lists of three. Three-part structures and lists are
memorable and feature in many kinds of text.
– If you're a daring designer, a budding botanist or
simply green-fingered, we want to hear from you
Features of a speech
• Alliteration Using the same initial consonant is
a common technique of poets and advertisers.
It can be annoying if it's overdone, but makes
lines quotable or memorable.
– In George W. Bush's inaugural speech we note
"faith in freedom" and "rock in a raging sea".
Winston Churchill, in his speech about the
Luftwaffe addresses the Nazi leaders and refers to
the Nazi party as "the grisly gang who work your
wicked will".
Features of a speech
• Simile and metaphor You may think of these
primarily as devices in poetry, but they
abound, consciously or unintended, in almost
all spoken and many written texts, as when
political reporters talk of a "raft" of measures.
– George W. Bush uses it for serious effect when (in
a State of the Union address) he describes the
American faith in freedom and democracy as "a
seed upon the wind, taking root in many nations."
Features of a speech
• Malala Yousafzai, from Pakistan, recently
delivered a speech at the United Nations on
her 16th birthday.
• Why was she at the United Nations?
• What is she known for?
Malala’s speech
• Malala delivered a speech about the
importance of education, especially for girls.
She uses a number of the techniques we have
just identified.
• Watch and listen carefully the first time.
• On the second viewing, read the transcript as
you listen.
• In pairs, annotate the speech. Identify the
features in the margin.