BASIC SPEECH/ COLLEGE PREP SPEECH
Mr. Robert Peterlin
2008-2009
”Speech is power: speech is to persuade, to convert, to compel. It is to bring another out of his
bad sense into your good sense.”
-Ralph Waldo Emerson
"Pleasant words are a honeycomb, Sweet to the soul and healing to the bones."
-Proverbs 16:24
“Speech is civilization itself. The word, even the most contradictory word, preserves contact—
it is silence which isolates.”
-Thomas Mann
OVERVIEW:
This class is a practical course designed to offer the novice speaker a number of
opportunities to organize and prepare public speaking assignments. The course will
also offer a “laboratory setting” where the beginning speaker can actually stand in
front of a live audience and present his/her practiced performance. In addition to
public speaking, further performance opportunities may be included in the area of
public oral reading. Students will learn about the role of communication in our
lives, the communication model, spatial relationships, delivery styles, and the
effectiveness of language, gestures, and organization techniques. You will have daily
reading assignments from your “unit packet” reading materials. I will supplement
your reading materials with class notes. You will have unit tests over all of this
material.
INSTRUCTIONAL OBJECTIVES:
1.
To introduce students to the basics of writing and performing public
speeches.
2.
To provide speaking opportunities in order to reduce the fear of
public speaking, and to gain personal self-confidence.
3.
To provide opportunities to improve public speaking skills.
TARGET OBJECTIVES OF THE COURSE:
1.
Students will be able to select an appropriate speech topic.
2.
Students will conduct research to gather data that is accurate,
appropriate, clear, well documented, and unbiased.
3.
Students will organize and write speeches with an effective
introduction and conclusion, a well-structured body, clear bridge
transitions, and oral footnotes.
4.
Students will write and deliver speeches using correct grammar,
Standard English, and well-chosen language.
5.
6.
Students will deliver speeches with physical and vocal effectiveness.
Students will evaluate their own speeches and the speeches of others,
recognizing strengths and weaknesses.
SPEAKING ASSIGNMENTS:
1) Speech of Self-Introduction
2) Demonstration Speech
3) Informative Speech with PowerPoint
4) Sales Talk
5) Public Oral Reading
MATERIALS: (MUST BRING TO CLASS DAILY)
 Pen (black or blue ink) Assignments completed in anything other than black or
blue ink will receive a grade of zero. I DO NOT SUPPLY WRITING UTENSILS.
 College-ruled loose-leaf paper.
 3x5 index cards for speaking notes
 A separate pocket folder for handouts and graded assignments
CLASSROOM POLICIES:
1. Respect Mr. Peterlin and your classmates. Respect is reflected in the language
that we use and the behavior that we choose. As a consequence, no profanity,
abusive language, aggressive or degrading behaviors will be tolerated.
2. This is an academic environment; consequently, students are to act accordingly.
Any inappropriate acting out or unnecessary talking when someone is delivering
a presentation will not be tolerated. The only appropriate behavior when a
student is delivering a presentation is active listening.
3. Students will be allowed three passes per semester for legitimate reasons. It
is the student’s responsibility to bring materials needed for each class. Since
students are responsible for bringing the necessary materials to class, students
who use one of the allowed three passes in order to retrieve forgotten classroom
materials will also receive a tardy. Students will not be issued a pass unless they
have their pass book with them.
4. Students will not eat or drink in the classroom.
5. Students will not be allowed personal primping in the classroom.
6. Students may not open the windows in this class room without Mr. Peterlin’s
permission.
7. Students may not chew gum while they perform a speech or presentation.
Students who chew gum during a presentation will receive a two-letter-grade
deduction for the speech.
8. Promptness is required. Students are considered tardy if they are not in the
classroom by the time the bell signaling the beginning of class stops ringing.
Each tardy in excess of two will result in detention.
9. Students are not allowed to do homework from other classes unless Mr. Peterlin
gives them permission.
10. Students are not allowed to pass around pictures from Homecoming, Sadie, the
prom, or any other event.
11. All purses or bags are to be kept on the floor at all times.
12. Students are to avoid going to the nurse’s office or to guidance during classes in
which that particular student is assigned to speak. Students must receive
permission from Mr. Peterlin before going to the nurse or to guidance. Students
who report to the nurse’s office or to guidance instead of delivering a speech will
receive a grade of zero on that particular speech.
13. Students are to follow norms of good taste and ethics in the choice of a speech
topic and in the delivering of the speech. It is the ethical responsibility of a
public speaker to uplift society rather than to denigrate it. Speeches are not a
student’s opportunity to rant and rave. Mr. Peterlin reserves the right to
approve each speech topic.
14. Students who are assigned to ILC are responsible to complete assignments as if
they were present in class. Every effort will be made to release students from ILC
to deliver a speech.
15. Homework is due on the day it is assigned. Any homework that is not turned in
the date it is due will receive a 20% deduction on the first late day, a 30%
deduction on the second late day, and a grade of zero any time thereafter.
16. In the event of an excused absence, homework assigned on the last day the
student was in school is due upon the student’s return.
17. Any homework, quiz, speech, or test assigned or due when a student is absent
but unexcused will not have an opportunity to be made up, and will receive a
grade of zero.
18. Students who have an excused absence on the day they are assigned to speak
must present their speeches on the day they return to class.
19. If students are unprepared to speak on the date they are assigned to speak, they
will receive ½ credit for the speech if they present the speech the next day, and a
grade of zero thereafter.
20. In the event of a snow day or a school closing, all assignments due on the day of
the closing will be due on the first day school resumes.
21. It is the student’s responsibility to contact Mr. Peterlin during/after an excused
absence to inquire about any make-up work that may have been missed during
the absence. Failure to contact Mr. Peterlin will result in a grade of zero for the
missed assignments.
22. Students are to abide by norms of academic integrity. This means that students
are expected to complete their own work and not to plagiarize. Cheating
includes the unauthorized copying from the work of another student; using
notes or other materials not authorized during an examination, quiz or test;
giving or receiving information or assistance on work when it is expected that a
student will do his/her own work; or engaging in any similar act that violates the
concept of academic integrity. Cheating may occur on an examination, test, quiz,
homework assignment, speech, or any other work submitted by a student to
fulfill course requirements. Plagiarism is representing the words of another as
one's own in any academic exercise. There are several kinds of plagiarism:
a. Copying word for word or incompletely paraphrasing a phrase, sentence,
group of phrases, group of sentences, or whole paragraphs from another
source without crediting that source. This kind of plagiarism can be
quantified as the copying, at a minimum, of six words or more in a row,
including a, an, and the, from another source without citing the source.
b. Giving a speech or submitting a paper, poster, project, or any other
assignment that has been written completely or partially by someone else.
c. Cutting and pasting material found on the Internet or in other electronic
databases into one's own paper, oral presentation, poster, project or other
assignment without crediting the source.
d. Downloading entire texts and presenting them as one's own work.
e. Presenting ideas from another source as one's own original thoughts.
These can be ideas taken from textual sources or from speeches, lectures,
television programs, or other forms of oral language.
f. Improperly citing sources with the intent of misleading the reader (e.g.,
making up citations) as to the source of the information presented.
Cheating and plagiarism will result in a failing grade on the assignment, teacher
referral, possible detention, parent contact, and permanent documentation in
the student’s disciplinary file. Repeated plagiarism could result in a failing grade
for the semester.
23. Extra credit will not be offered.
ALL OF THESE CLASSROOM POLICIES ARE ALSO IN EFFECT WHEN A
SUBSTITUE TEACHER IS PRESENT.
EVALUATIVE CRITERIA:
Students’ assignments are evaluated on the following grading scale:
A 100-90%
B 80-89%
C 70-79%
D 60-69%
F 59% and below
Students’ interim and quarter grades are based on total points received. Each
quarter is worth 45% of the student’s semester grade. The final exam is worth 10%
of the semester grade.
Speech Evaluation Rubric
The average presentation (grade C) should meet the following criteria:
1. Conform to the kind of oral presentation assigned (informative,
persuasive, etc).
2. Be ready for presentation on the assigned date.
3. Conform to the time limit.
4. Fulfill any special requirements of the assignment—such as preparing an
outline, using presentational aids, etc.
5. Have a clear purpose.
6. Have an identifiable introduction, body, and conclusion.
7. Show reasonable directness and competence in delivery.
8. Be free of serious errors in grammar, pronunciation, and word usage.
The above average presentation (grade B) should meet the preceding
criteria and also:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Deal with a challenging topic.
Fulfill all major functions of an introduction and a conclusion.
Display clear organization of main points and supporting materials.
Exhibit proficient use of connectives—signposts, and bridge transitions.
Be delivered skillfully enough so as not to distract attention from the
speaker’s message.
The superior presentation (grade A) should meet all the preceding criteria
and also:
1. Constitute a genuine contribution by the speaker to the knowledge or
beliefs of the audience.
2. Sustain positive interest, feeling, and/or commitment among the
audience.
3. Contain elements of vividness and special interest in the use of language.
4. Be delivered in a fluent, polished manner that strengthens the impact of
the speaker’s message.
The below average presentation (grade D or F) is deficient (grade D) or
seriously deficient (grade F) in the criteria for the average presentation
(grade of C).
Please review this course description with a parent, and return this
signature sheet no later than Monday, August 18. Then keep this
course description in your pocket folder.
STUDENT SIGNATURE
I have read and fully understand the academic and behavioral expectations
outlined in Mr. Peterlin’s Speech class description. I agree to abide by these
guidelines or suffer the academic and/or disciplinary consequences.
______________________
(signature)
_______________________
(printed name)
PARENT SIGNATURE
I have read and fully understand the academic and behavioral expectations
outlined in Mr. Peterlin’s Speech class description. I will support and guide
my child to abide by these academic and behavioral expectations.
_____________________
(signature)
_______________________
(printed name)