Activity
Day One
1. Before students enter the classroom, write the following
question on the board: “How do you feel about public
speaking?” Allow students to think about and write
down their responses to this question, and after about
5 minutes select some class members to share their thoughts.
Students are generally comforted knowing that their peers
have some of the same concerns about public speaking
that they do. Discuss some of these concerns. When is
it hardest to give a speech? In what situations is it
easier to speak in public? Students may point out that
when they are speaking in front of people they know and
are comfortable with, speech delivery is easier. For
others, it may be the exact opposite, and they prefer
speaking in front of strangers.
2. Explain to the class that many people experience anxiety
before speaking in front of a group and that it is a
common fear. Most people worry over delivering a speech
when they are unprepared or unfamiliar with the material
they are presenting. Tell the class that in preparation
for their final projects, which will be presented the
following week, they are going to prepare and deliver
90-second speeches to help them feel comfortable with
public speaking. To help them prepare and deliver these
speeches, we will be using the POAM method.
3. Have students copy down the following information
into their notes:
Writing and Delivering Speeches with the P.O.A.M. Method
POAM stands for the four steps of speech writing and
delivery: preparation, organization, articulation, and
maintaining eye contact.
-
Preparation
1. Carefully select and research your topic
2. Practice your speech with a real audience, and adjust
for timing
- Organization
3. Be sure you have a clear beginning, middle, and
end
4. Order your ideas in a clear, logical way
- Articulation
5. Pronounce words carefully and correctly
6. Avoid monotone and moderate your pacing (speed)
7. Remember your target audience
-
Maintaining eye contact
8. Look up often at your audience
As students are copying the above notes, explain
each step of the POAM process, adding any other
details and suggestions you wish. This is a simple
method
of
speech
presentation that should not be too difficult
for students to master. As ninth graders, many
students will not
have had much practice with speech delivery,
which is why
this lesson is so important. Take some
time to discuss ways of overcoming stage fright
with
the students by
asking for ideas and brainstorming as a
whole class.
4. Tell the class that they will be performing
short persuasive speeches in class the
following day. They
will only have 90 seconds to present their
speech. Ask the students to brainstorm a list
of possible
topics for their speeches, such as:
-
Should the school day begin an hour earlier or later?
Why or why not?
-
Should freshmen be allowed to go off campus at lunch?
Why or why not?
- Should
students be required to wear uniforms at our school?
Why or why not?
Remind the students that they
should use at least one of
the three appeals
in their
speeches
(logic,
emotion,
or ethics) and that they
must take a definite stand on their
issue. The
goal is to persuade
their audience
that
their view is correct, or
at least has merit. The rest of
the hour may
be spent
on preparation
and writing
of speeches. Remind the students
to practice their speeches
for timing, as they will
have only 90 seconds.
Day Two
1. At the beginning of class,
give students 5-10 minutes
to make the final
preparations
for delivering
their
speeches. You may allow some
students to go out into the
hall to
practice.
2. Call students up randomly
to present their short speeches.
Make sure you
allow only
90 seconds per speech
by using
the stopwatch. Take notes
as each student presents
for evaluation
purposes. Specifically
look
for the use of
persuasive elements in student
speeches.
Closure
Depending
on your class
size, you
may have time
for
critique in
between speeches.
Immediate
feedback is
always best
for improving
student work,
but some students
may prefer
that you not
give your
critique
in front of
their peers.
Instead, have
the class
try to identify
what persuasive
appeal the
speaker was
using. Remember
to give praise
and offer
constructive
criticism. Homework
On day one, students will need to finish
composing and practicing their short persuasive speeches at
home. |
Embedded
Assessment
On
day one, the students may be assessed
as they begin to plan and write their
speeches. On day two, each student’s
speech should be evaluated for correct
use of the POAM method and inclusion
of a persuasive appeal (logic, emotion,
ethics).
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