SPEECH
Revised 4/5/90
Course Name: Speech
Course Number: 163
Level: Average
Credit: ½
I. Goal:
Students should be able to communicate with others through public speaking,
informal discussion, and active listening.
II. Course Objectives:
The student will be able to:
A. Engage in discussion as both speaker and listener--interpreting,
analyzing, and summarizing effectively.
B. Contribute to classroom discussions in a way that is readily understood
by listeners--that is, succinct and to the point.
C. Present an opinion persuasively.
D. Recognize the intention of a speaker and be aware of the techniques
a speaker is using to affect an audience.
E. Question inconsistency in logic and separate fact from opinion.
F. Demonstrate self-confidence through spoken communication.
G. Express thoughts and feelings with greater ease.
H. Act on the need for honest and reliable communication.
III. Unit One: The Speaker and the Self-Concept:
A. Content:
Overview of self-esteem and the self-concept, and the relationship between
the self-concept and the speaker.
1. Definition of communication
2. Use of communication skills and the speaker
3. The characteristics of good communication skills
4. Types of communication
5. Barriers to communication
6. Definition of the self-concept
7. Parts of the self-concept
8. Three sides of self
9. Self-concept and the speaker
10. How to improve the self-concept in order to be a better speaker
11. Feedback and the self-concept
B. Unit Objectives:
1. The student will have a better understanding of his/her own self-concept.
2. The student will be able to recognize the areas of his/her own self-concept
that are an asset of his/her speaking ability.
3. The student will be able to recognize the areas of his/her own self-concept
that are blocking the communication process.
4. The student will understand the importance of a self-made critique
of a speech.
C. Approximate Time:
Seven class days
D. Suggested Activities:
1. Lecture
2. Warm-up exercise: With a partner, role play assigned situation.
3. Feedback exercise: Speak on any topic for two minutes; audience members
signal speaker regarding their positive and negative responses.
4. Personal inventory: Each student answers in written form thirty-three
questions regarding how they view their self-concept; teacher responds
in writing to each individual.
E. Evaluation:
1. Project: Design a letterhead, matchbook cover, and a calling card
that says something about individual's self-concept.
2. Collage: Make a collage of pictures from magazines which illustrates
the types of communication (interpersonal, group, public, interpretive).
Label each example; provide an example for each type of communication.
3. Written test
IV. Unit Two: Pantomime:
A. Content:
Explanation of pantomime and its relation to the speaker.
1. Definition of pantomime
2. History of pantomime
3. Pluses of studying mime
4. Planning and performing the mime
5. Steps involved in performing a successful mime
6. Explanation of how to write a sketch for a mime
B. Unit Objectives:
1. The student will acquire a new freedom of bodily actions and gestures.
2. The student will be able to recognize the need for nonverbal communication.
C. Approximate Time:
One week
D. Suggested Activities and Additional Resources:
1. Partner mime
2. Two minute mime
3. Create a body language booklet. Find pictures in magazines, newspapers,
and comic books to illustrate emotions such as happiness, love, fear, boredom,
sadness, disappointment, grief, etc.
V. Oral Interpretation:
A. Content:
Explanation of oral interpretation and the importance of delivery style
when speaking.
1. Definition of oral interpretation
2. Interpreter's equipment
3. Choosing a selection
4. Finding a selection
5. Analysis of selection
6. Steps involved in the performance of interpretation
B. Unit Objectives:
1. The student will be able to put emotion into a delivery of a speech.
2. The student will be able to recognize the importance of eye contact
in relation to public speaking.
3. The student will be able to successfully perform an oral interpretation.
C. Approximate Time:
One week
D. Suggested Activities:
Library assignment: locating material in the library for use in oral
interpretation
E. Evaluation:
1. Written test
2. Three minute oral interpretation
VI. Unit Four: Speech Basics and the Personal Experience Speech:
A. Content:
1. Definition of speech
2. Parts of the communication process
3. How to use the voice effectively
4. Use of nonverbal communication
5. Techniques to avoid nervousness
6. Use of AV
7. Where to find sources for giving a speech
8. Writing an outline for a speech
9. How to prepare a speech
10. Steps involved in writing a speech
11. Attention getters for a speech (introductions)
12. How to end a speech (types of conclusions)
13. Definition of personal experience speech
14. Types of personal experience speeches
B. Unit Objectives:
1. The student will understand the need for preparation and interesting
presentation of a speech.
2. The student will deliver a "personal experience" speech using various
speech techniques.
3. The student will possess the knowledge to be able to recognize a
good speech and a bad speech.
4. The student will be able to write and prepare a speech for public
delivery.
5. The student will be able to write an outline for a speech.
6. The student will recite a five minute personal experience speech.
C. Approximate Time:
Two weeks
D. Suggested Activities:
Feedback Exercise: The student will speak for two minutes on any personal
experience. At the conclusion of the speech, each audience member will
write on a piece of paper what they felt the speaker's main point was.
The papers will be given to the speaker in order for the speaker to check
and see if he/she communicated what he/she had intended to communicate.
E. Evaluation:
1. Written test
2. Five minute personal experience speech
VII. Unit Five: The Speech to Entertain:
A. Content:
1. Definition of speech to entertain
2. Types of comedy
a. Satire
b. Parody
c. Hyperbole
d. Low (Slapstick)
e. High (Impersonations)
f. Similar experience
3. Do's and don'ts of the entertainment speech
a. Projection
b. Timing
c. Staying in character
d. Proper etiquette
B. Unit Objectives:
The student will maintain audience attention by developing a trend of
thought or an idea by the use of humor.
C. Approximate Time:
Two weeks
D. Suggested Activities:
In groups, students prepare a parody of a talk show.
E. Evaluation:
1. The eight minute entertainment speech
2. Written test
VIII. Unit Six: The Informative Speech:
A. Content:
1. Definition of informative speech
2. Guidelines for selecting an informative topic
3. How to begin an informative speech
4. How to maintain audience attention during the informative speech
5. Types of informative speeches
a. Biography
b. Process
c. Criticism
d. Educational
B. Unit Objective:
To acquaint the student with the informative speech so that the student
will be able to instruct the audience on a new concept.
C. Approximate Time:
Two and a half to three weeks
D. Suggested Activities:
1. A class day in the library to familiarize students with various reference
materials
2. A conference day on which each student meets with the instructor
to discuss various "attention-getters" for the presentation of each student's
information speech
E. Evaluation:
1. The delivery of a ten minute informative speech (two note cards)
2. Project: The editing of three introductions of three different informative
speeches
The student will correct all errors in the introduction.
3. Written test
IX. Unit Seven: The Persuasion Speech:
A. Content:
1. Definition of persuasion speech
2. Selecting the persuasion topic
3. Maslowe's Pyramid of Needs
4. Types of reasoning
a. Inductive
b. Deductive
c. Cause and effect
5. Avoiding faulty reasoning
a. Glittering generalities
b. Card stacking
c. Bandwagon
d. Name calling
B. Unit Objectives:
1. The student will be able to persuade an audience to accept the student's
proposal.
2. The student will be able to convince the audience through logic,
evidence, and emotion.
3. The student will be able to recognize in self and others the pitfalls
of faulty reasoning.
C. Approximate Time:
Three weeks
D. Suggested Activities:
1. Informative of persuasive exercise: Thesis statements are given to
student; student must identify the thesis as informative of persuasive.
2. In groups of three, students will create "Ways to Improve School
Spirit." In doing this, the group must use all
Levels of Maslowe's pyramid.
3. Each student is assigned a faulty reasoning technique. The student
will present a two to three minute impromptu persuasive speech employing
the assigned faulty reasoning technique. The audience will try to identify
the type of faulty reasoning that was used.
E. Evaluation:
1. A fifteen minute persuasive speech (one note card)
2. Composition in which the student describes a situation in which the
student had to persuade a friend to do something. The body of the composition
is to be a sample dialogue in which the student acts like a competent communicator
and is persuasive.
3. Written test
4. Written critique of a fellow classmate's persuasive speech.
X. Unit Eight: The Final Exam:
A. Content:
1. Review of basic speech principles
2. Detailed instructions regarding the final exam speech
B. Unit Objective:
The student will deliver a speech, employing the knowledge the student
secured from the course.
C. Approximate Time:
Three weeks
D. Suggested Activity:
Conference with instructor
E. Evaluation:
The presentation of an eighteen to twenty minute memorized speech which
employs all elements of good speaking and incorporates the use of AV.