Writing your Speech L/O: to explore how to write a speech Homework on slide 2 Example plan on 4 What you include in your speech? Introduction – withhold information (reveal at the end of paragraph the topic) – introduce yourself – persuade your audience it is important 4/5 sections – have sub-sections (sub-topics) develop persuasion in these sections Conclude – summarise your opinion & why it is important

Homework Write the introduction to your speech Remember to include: HADAFOREST techniques (refer to your books) Some repetition Withhold information about your topic till the end Introduce yourself Be formal

My plan: topic my concerns over students wanting to legalise cannabis Intro – build up – danger – topic reveal 1 – mental health implications (anecdote – student dropped out of University – life chances ruined) 2 – brain development (neural pathways) 3 – peer pressure & strength of character 4 – strength of the drugs & modifications – skunk 5 – arguments for taking cannabis 6 – conclude – my opinion – my worries – my hopes for the class & the school

Today: Writing Your Speech Use your plan – Write each sub-topic of your plan What do you need to remember for each sub-topic? Good arguments – Supporting reasons – Link to the topic – Include persuasive techniques (HADAFOREST) – Statistics/facts from your research – Relate to your audience

My Intro Today I am going to discuss with you, Year 8, one of my most pressing, most concerning and one of my biggest fears for your age group. No! In fact my absolute biggest fear today. My concern, shock and surprise is due to the amount of young people, who think it is amusing to discuss drugs, who think it is amusing to take drugs and who think it is imperative to have cannabis legalised. Yes, there are arguments which I will share with you on this topic to support this idea, however, today I will share my very grave concerns with you on the subject of: Legalising Cannabis and the long-term negative effects this could have. So, Year 8, prepare to have your viewpoints on this serious subject challenged.

Mental Health Implications (problems) Did you know that 1 in 3 teenagers who have ‘dabbled’ in cannabis now have mental health problems? When I say ‘dabbled’ I mean, those of you who have thought: I know, I’ll have a spliff at the weekend, or I know what’ll relax me. Then, before you know it! Woah – full blown problem. A friend of mine has a 20 year old son, he was at University, studying, focused and having a good time. Then, slowly, surely and silently (yes – silently) cannabis took over. He stopped eating properly, he stopped looking after himself, he stopped going to lectures, he stopped being able to function. His mum and dad had to pick him up from University, because he had become addicted; not only to cannabis, but to alcohol and other substances. He was a wreck, shivering, shaking, convulsing and having delusions. Paranoid that something or someone was going to get him. Now, you may think this is made up. It’s not. This really happened. He is still ill. He is mentally unstable. He is not getting better. All because he thought everyone else is doing it – why don’t I? Surely, it is better to say no, than to end up a quaking wreck!

Brain Development Talking about quaking wrecks. What about the developing. Did you know brains continue to develop and change until you are 21 or 22? Until I was looking into the effects of cannabis I didn’t know this! So, if you begin taking or smoking ‘weed’ at the age of 13, then you are changing the way your brain develops. We have something called neural pathways in our brain and they are shaped and influenced by the decisions we make, be the chemicals we put into our bodies and the strength of those chemicals. Cannabis is a chemical. If you take drugs you are opening up the possibility of long term changes to the brain. Do you want to take that risk?

Peer pressure/strength of character Risk. That is something that teenagers brains are designed to take. However, they are also open to influence. Yes, you heard me, influence. Peer Pressure: we all know what it is. You are out, in the park, your friends offer you a smoke, but you don’t want to. They call you names, they tease you, they encourage you by saying things like “everyone is doing it”, “it’s relaxing”, “you’ll like it”. You shrug and say “ok then”. It is easy to succumb to peer pressure, but it is much easier to say no. One of the biggest factors for me moving from Scotland, as an 18 year old, was the prevalence of drugs. I felt like everyone was doing them, and I didn’t want to. It takes a strong character to go against the normal, to stand up and say no, to hold onto your values and conviction that taking drugs is a bad idea. This is what I call strength of character. Do you have this strength of character? Can you stand up for your beliefs? Can you say – No?

Strength of drugs - skunk Saying no, is also a good idea. Recently, I watched a documentary about the way drugs are now being modified. The strength of drugs is significantly changed to make it stronger, meaning that people are more likely to become addicted and more likely to take have mental health problems as a result of the strength of the drug. The modification process means that the drug is not in the pure form and studies have yet to be conducted on the implications these stronger strains of cannabis will have. Do you want to play Russian Roulette with your health? I know that I don’t.

Arguments for cannabis Health is often cited as a reason to take cannabis. What about the oil that can be produced to help cancer patients? I hear this and I agree. There are circumstances that can be invaluable for health reasons. I think if there are medical studies, which support cannabis use for health reasons, then it should be made available. However, by being made available and legal this is not an open door to say that everyone should have access to it at any time. This is on the proviso that this is administered by the doctors and that there are strict guidelines on the manufacturing of this. I’m aware that for many people the use of cannabis could transform their health or at least make them more comfortable. So, of course, in these circumstances I think it is a good idea.

Conclusion I hope that this speech has made you consider several points that I have made. I hope that you think carefully about the decisions, risks and chances that you take around cannabis and I hope you understand that this is not about me preaching to you. This is about me saying to you – be careful, consider carefully what you do and consider how it could change your life. Thank you for listening Year 8. Please think carefully about your choices.

Checklist for writing your Speech Today – Read the checklist & discuss I will continue to help you write your speech. Silence – When you are writing – if you are actively focused and concentrating you will find the following: You are able to think better Your speech will be more organised You will get more done You will be able to apply the techniques more easily

Practice – all members of the group should have a turn Use your speeches. In groups read your speech, then do the verbal peer assessment – give positive and critical comments on the following: Body Language Tone Content of Speech Eye contact Volume Way the speech is presented.

Next Steps Cue cards You have 4 cards each You will only be allowed 12 words on each card as prompts – think carefully what those 12 words are. Decide how you will learn your speech in order to be able to use your (48 words) on your cue cards most effectively.