Public Speaking. It strikes a fear and dread into the hearts of almost all of us. A quote often attributed to Mark Twain makes the point more bluntly:
“There are only two types of speakers in the world. 1. The nervous and 2. Liars.”
And yet… this is one of the most important skills we can master. Public speaking allows us to communicate interests and ideas with others. Communicating effectively is necessary in almost every single career. And communication is commanded by Christ:
“Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to all the creation.” Mark 16:15
In fact, scripture has much to say about what we say. As Christians, we’re challenged to encourage and edify one another (1 Thessalonians 5:11), to share the Good News with the world (Mark 16:15), to speak truth (Ephesians 4:15, 25) and move others to goodness (Hebrews 10:24), and to become a voice for the voiceless (Proverbs 31:8-9). Every time we speak or write, we’re choosing the words we say. But how do we decide which words to use? The two greatest commandments, to love the Lord your God and to love your neighbor as yourself, should compel us to speak with clarity and sincerity, engaging others with speech that considers others before ourselves. And thus, rhetoric (or the art of using words well) becomes a subject of great importance in a Christian education.
So… how do we overcome our fear and tackle this foreboding yet necessary skill? Where do we start? And how do we even figure out what to say?
Here’s where I bring in some reinforcements. Since public speaking does not come naturally to me, I must search for resources that lay down the rails for me to teach (and learn alongside) my children. Introduction to Public Speaking is exactly what we needed to provide structure and practice for developing skills in speech-writing, memory techniques, and delivery.
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Introduction to Public Speaking is a 12-week video-based course in which middle- and high-school students learn memory and delivery techniques as they write and present five different speeches:
- Self-introductory, in which they tell who they are
- Narrative, in which they tell a story
- Expository, in which they inform or explain
- Persuasive, in which they convert or motivate
- Impromptu, which are prompted by special occasions
The course includes:
- A Student Packet with 3-Ring Student Binder which includes a packet of handouts with source texts, checklists, and other resources, along with four tabbed dividers for organizing student work | Download a sample
- A Teacher’s Manual which includes images of all student pages along with teaching tips, whiteboard notes, teaching tips, and student samples | Download a sample
- Portable Walls for the Public Speaker
- 12 video lessons (in streaming or DVD format) in which an experienced teacher (Andrew Pudewa) instructs students on the art of public speaking
Beginning with an overview of the Five Canons of Rhetoric, the first few weeks of the course focus on developing the skill of memorization using poetry and famous speeches before embarking on the writing of specific types of speeches.
Recorded as a live class, this course teaches students to evaluate themselves and others regarding poise, locution, contact, and content. After students attempt their first critique, they compare their evaluation with those provided within the book. Students continue to evaluate recorded speeches as they prepare for self-evaluation. Thus, the program models the critique process – and the important skill of self-evaluation – for students.
Each lesson includes daily lesson plans, and the teacher’s guide includes a video summary along with the notes that were taken on the board.
At the end of each lesson, students are encouraged to organize their materials, which is, of course, another important life skill.
Included with this program are Portable Walls for the Public Speaker where main concepts are organized as a quick reference for students as they plan, compose, memorize, present, and evaluate speeches.
This program equips parents and teachers with tools that help form competent and confident public speakers…
- It’s great for co-ops and schools. Extra student materials are available for students who are watching the Introduction to Public Speaking video course in a group or classroom setting.
- It’s great for homeschools. It’s not teacher-intensive. The teacher materials are laid out in such a way that a parent can easily remain engaged with their teens.
As our 14-year-old son prepares to present at a regional 4-H Project Achievement Day, he’s using the skills developed in this course to hone his speech and delivery. (Update: He won first in the region for his category!) And… I can already see great improvement in his writing of essays (in general) as a result of this course. This course is actually something he looks forward to each day. But you don’t have to take our word for it. Try the first two weeks of this course free!
Interested in other resources for improving your student’s writing and communication skills? Check out all our favorites!
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Try out Writing, Spelling, Poetry, and Grammar Programs for Free!
We highly recommend checking out the first three weeks of Structure & Style for Students program from IEW. (You can access the first three weeks free.)
Other IEW programs you can try out for free include…
- Structure and Style for Students. If you’d prefer Andrew Pudewa to teach writing structure and style to your student(s), this program is for you! Download the first lessons from each level for teaching composition to children in grades 3-12.
- Fix It! Grammar. Download the first lessons of all four levels of this gentle introduction to grammar and mechanics with thorough yet simple instructions for the teacher.
- Introduction to Public Speaking. Download the first two lessons of this engaging program for learning to conquer the #1 fear of most people: public speaking.
- University-Ready Writing is a 12-week video-based course which teaches high school students advanced note-taking skills and writing techniques in preparation for college-level writing. Try it free here!
- Theme-Based Writing Lessons. Theme-Based Writing Lessons are for students and/or teachers familiar with IEW’s Structure and Style Program. Topics include science, history, literature, and Bible, covering a variety of grade levels.
- Linguistic Development through Poetry Memorization. Download the first five poems from this mastery approach to learning poetry.
- The Phonetic Zoo. Try a sample of a program that teaches spelling with an auditory approach towards mastery. (Requires free registration.)
- Free audio talks, booklists, and more! (Our favorite audio is Nurturing Competent Communicators.)
Visit IEW to find out more about other programs to transform your students into proficient writers – from early elementary all the way through college! You may also be interested in our favorite resources for teaching grammar and composition to students in grades 3-12.
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