Public Speaking (The Big Speech)

The Basics You will be watching, analyzing and preparing speeches between now and Spring Festival. These speeches will include TED Talks, students and other sources. You will need to write your speech, edit it, rehearse it and eventually present it to the class.

Options As usual, you will have some options with your assignment. For this assignment, you will be have several choices in how you wish to structure your speech. You may speak to inform You may tell a story with a purpose You may do a comedy show You may tell about an important event or person in your life

Speaking to Inform This would be similar to an essay. Your speech should have a purpose and try to prove something. It should be about something important to your or the world around you. You may wish to speak about social, economic or political issues. You may also speak about popular things like technology or leaders.

Telling a Story If you choose to tell a story, it should be told for a reason. The reason should be clear. It could be a story about you, someone you know or someone you know about. It could also be completely fictional. Your goal should be to teach some kind of a lesson, or inspire your peers to think differently about something or someone.

Comedy Show This idea is straight-forward. You would be expected to tell jokes or funny stories, with the intention of making the class laugh. Comedy shows can push the limits in regards to their content, but must not offend.

Important Person/Event The goal of this option is to reveal interesting information about your life. You may wish to speak about embarrassing moments or moments that had a large impact on your life. This could include events like your first day of school, a trip, or the death of a loved one. Try to choose something that would be interesting for the class.

Your speeches must be a minimum of 3 minutes. Time Requirement Your speeches must be a minimum of 3 minutes. You may speak for longer than 3 minutes. You may not speak for longer than 10 minutes.

Technology You may use technology to assist your speech. This could include something like a slideshow or a soundtrack. This should be used to compliment your speech. At no point in your speech should you stop to play a song, show a video, or do something on your laptop. A simple slideshow could be appropriate.

Body Language Body language will be an important part of your grade. You will be expected to use your body in a manner that is appropriate for your speech. You should try to look comfortable and make eye contact with your classmates. You should also try to stand up straight and avoid behaviour like putting your hands in your pockets.