Speakers in Action
Author: Catharine Niuzzo Honaman
Editor: Stephanie Nardei
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Time:
http://www.toastmasters.org/tips.asp 10 Tips for Successful Public Speaking
http://www.speechgems.com/persuaders.html A Guide to Persuasive Speech
Techniques
http://www.eduref.org/cgibin/printlessons.cgi/Virtual/Lessons/Language_Arts/Speech/SPH
Delivering a Persuasive Speech
http://www.studyguide.org/cm101_persuasive_speech.html A study guide for
organizing a persuasive speech
4 classes
Preparation 5 hours
Time:
Time will need to be spent tape recording speakers on
C-Span
Materials:
Large sheets of white paper, recordings of speakers
delivering testimony before Congressional committees
Abstract
Building on the awareness students now have on the importance of effective public speaking, this
lesson will allow them to observe actual people speaking before governmental committees. The
class will combine their learnings from the Engage Lesson with speaker observations taped off of
C-Span to formulate a rubric on rating speaker effectiveness delivering Congressional testimony.
This rubric will help students prepare for the unit’s final project oral presentation on various forms
of energy and impact on multiple facets of life, especially environmental health issues.
Purpose – This is the Explore Lesson. Students will create a rubric for rating the speaker
effectiveness delivering a Congressional testimony.
Objectives
Students will be able to:
1. Through creation of a rubric, learn effective behaviors, techniques, and practices in giving
presentations in a formal setting to include scientific information.
English Education Standard:
LISTENING AND SPEAKING
Standard 3: Students will effectively listen and speak in situations that serve different
purposes and involve a variety of audiences.
Teacher Background
It would be very helpful to read the lessons on public speaking from the 9th grade unit language
arts units, especially The Three Appeals in Rhetoric and The Powers of Persuasion.
Public speaking is a common source of stress for everyone. Many of us would like to avoid this
problem entirely, but this is hard to do. Whether we work alone or with large numbers of people,
eventually we will need to speak in public to get certain tasks accomplished. And if we want to be
leaders or achieve anything meaningful in our lives, we will often need to speak to groups, large
and small, to be successful.
The truth about public speaking, however, is IT DOES NOT HAVE TO BE STRESSFUL! If you
correctly understand the hidden causes of public speaking stress, and if you keep just a few key
principles in mind, speaking in public will soon become an invigorating and satisfying experience
for you.
Related and Resource Websites
10 Tips for Successful Public Speaking http://www.toastmasters.org/tips.asp
A Guide to Persuasive Speech Techniques http://www.speechgems.com/persuaders.html
Delivering a Persuasive Speech http://www.eduref.org/cgibin/printlessons.cgi/Virtual/Lessons/Language_Arts/Speech/SPH
A study guide for organizing a persuasive speech
http://www.studyguide.org/cm101_persuasive_speech.html
Pearson on Public Speaking: http://wps.ablongman.com/ab_public_speaking_2
Advanced Public Speaking Institute: http://www.public-speaking.org/
Activity
1. The more students witness actual Congressional hearings or similar presentations with
both critical and supportive audience members, the more understanding students will
have. Some students will have already watched proceedings on C-Span, others not. It is
suggested you view and tape speakers presented on C-Span close to the time you
present this lesson for two reasons. First, the more current topic, the the higher interest
connectivity to the topic. Second, copyright restrictions on programs taped from
television state that the tapes are to be used during 10 consecutive days of instruction
with replay once in that period for reinforcement and then the tapes are to be destroyed
within 45 days of the broadcast.
2. Review the chart you and the class created in the Engage Lesson on do’s and don’ts of
public speaking. Students should have a copy of the finished chart. Play the testimony
of one or two speakers while students consult their charts and make notes on the
speakers’ behaviors from both the positive and negative columns.
3. After viewing the initial groups of speakers, have a class discussion on whether each one
of the speakers successfully delivered a persuasive oral presentation of their position.
Students should highlight which techniques and behaviors were effective or ineffective.
Should any new techniques or behaviors be added to the lists? Did students seem to
connect more with one speaker and why? What made a speaker boring or interesting?
Do students think that a speaker who was boring in their eyes perhaps be convincing to a
Congressional audience? This should take about two classes.
4. During the third class have the students watch one or two more speakers depending on
the time of their presentations. Once again discuss who was effective and who was not.
Were the talks appropriate to the official Congressional audience? Hopefully students
pick up on more things or be more savvy in evaluating the speaker effectiveness.
5. In the last of the four classes students need to break up into small groups of two or three
creating a rubric for this type of formal public speaking based on their observations in the
last few days. It is suggested that you have three designations:
A highly effective talk
A moderately effective talk
A poorly delivered talk
You may make a rubric with more gradations if you wish. Have each group work on the
specifics of each category. This should take half the class. Have a full class discussion
in which each group contributes information and you make one rubric which students will
use to rate each other in the Apply Lesson.
6. Here is an example of a rubric that your class could create:
In a highly effective talk the speaker engages with his or her audience through
the use of eye contact with confident gestures, such as sitting up straight and
appearing calm. He or she speaks slowly and audibly, varying his or her tone to
highlight significant points, using complete sentences, specific keywords, and
repetition of key points. His or her talk is organized with an introduction, a body,
and a conclusion. All the arguments are clearly explained. The speaker builds up
to the environmental health argument as the most significant point of the talk.
The speaker exudes an air of responsibility and trustworthiness by dressing
neatly, formally, and conservatively, perhaps even carrying a briefcase, being
organized with his or her notes, and avoiding anything that is too visually
distracting.
In a moderately effective talk the speaker is not entirely successful in engaging
with his or her audience through eye contact, and lacks confident gestures such
as sitting up straight and appearing calm. He or she uses some of the following
but not all: speaks slowly and audibly, varies his or her tone to highlight
significant points, uses complete sentences, specific keywords, and repetition of
key points. His or her talk is organized with an introduction, a body, and a
conclusion. All the arguments may not be clearly explained. The speaker
includes, but may not build up to the environmental health argument as the most
significant point of the talk. The speaker is working at achieving an air of
responsibility and trustworthiness by doing some but not all of the following:
dressing neatly, formally, and conservatively, perhaps even carrying a briefcase,
being organized with his or her notes, and avoiding anything that is too visually
distracting.
In a poorly delivered talk the speaker does not engage with the audience
or uses very little eye contact and lacks confident gestures. He or she is visibly
shaking or alienates the audience by appearing haughty and/or arrogant. He or
she speaks too quickly and/or inaudibly, does not vary his or her tone to highlight
significant points, does not use complete sentences, specific keywords, and/or
repetition of key points. His or her talk is not organized-lacking a recognizable
introduction, body, and/or conclusion. Few or none of the arguments are clearly
explained. The speaker does not adequately build up to the environmental
health argument as the most significant point of the talk. The speaker fails to
exude an air of responsibility and trustworthiness by not dressing neatly, formally,
and conservatively, or not being organized with his or her notes, and/or not
avoiding anything that is too visually distracting.
Closure
Save the final version of the rubric created by your class, making copies for each student to use
as they prepares their oral presentation of his or her position paper for the mock Congressional
hearing in the Apply Lesson.
Embedded Assessment
Student learning in this lesson may be assessed by the quality and frequency of contributions to
the class discussions, how well the students pay attention to the speakers being rated, and how
much they contribute to the rubric created by their small group.
Homework
None