Original Oratory

 

  1. The original oration is a speech that may be written on any subject the student chooses.  The speech MUST be written by you!  You may not use note cards or visual aids.
  2. No more than 150 words may be quoted directly.  Extensive paraphrasing violates the spirit of the speech.  Plagiarism is defined as claiming, indicating, or implying that the ideas, sentences, or words of another writer are your own.  It includes copying the work of another presenting it as your own, failing to get away from the language of the original text when paraphrasing, failing to identify the source of a quotation or paraphrase, and following the work of another as a guide to ideas and expression that are then presented as your own.
  3. The maximum time is not to exceed 10 minutes.  In order to earn a good grade, your speech must be at least 7 minutes.
  4. All performances must be void of profanity, vulgarity, nudity and obscenity.  Use of these will cause you to earn a failing grade.
  5. Prompting from the audience will not be allowed.
  6. A copy of your oration must be typed, double-spaced.  The quoted words must be highlighted and counted; paraphrases must also be highlighted.  The copy of your oration will be handed in the day you present your speech.

 

Types of Speeches

 

  1. Informative – designed to explain, instruct, define, clarify, or teach.
  2. Persuasive – influence, convince, motivate, “preach”, or stimulate and action.
  3. Evocative – entertains, inspires, or helps listeners to celebrate, bond, or commemorate.

 

Speech Topics

 

  1. Determine the purpose of your speech and decide what type of speech you are giving.
  2. Consider the occasion, audience, judge, or person giving you your grade.
    1. Determine the age, gender, ethnicity, and status.
    2. Anticipate that your audience will agree, remain neutral, or disagree with your message.
    3. Think about the reaction of your speech.
  3. Develop a list of possible topics and design a map of where those topics lead you.
  4. Next, a Thesis statement should be distilled and stated in one, single, declarative sentences.
  5. RESEARCH YOUR TOPIC!!!!

 

Basic Outline of a Speech

 

I.                   Introduction

A.     Attention Getter

B.     Significance

C.     Credibility

D.     Thesis Statement

E.      Preview

F.      Transition into your first main point

 

II.                The Main Body

A.     First main point

                                                            1.      First sub-point and supporting material

                                                            2.      Transition closing off main point one and opening main point two

B.     Second main point

                                                            1.      First sub-point of this section and supporting material

                                                            2.      Second sub-point and supporting material

                                                            3.      Transition closing off main point two and opening main point three

C.     Third main point

                                                            1.      First sub-point of this section and supporting material

                                                            2.      Transition into closing

 

III.             Conclusion

A.     Review of main points

B.     Final statement – should also link back to Intro

 

 

Helpful Hints

 

Ø      Make sure your attention getter relates to the speech and really grabs your audience.

Ø      Why are you credible in giving this speech?

Ø      What is the significance of this speech?  Why should we be listening to you about this topic?

Ø      Make sure your transitions link nicely together.

Ø      Make sure your conclusion leaves the audience thinking or makes a call to action.

Ø      EYE CONTACT!!!

Ø      MEMORIZE!!! – An easy way to memorize is to break your speech up on note cards and memorize it in sections.  Practice.  Practice.  Practice.  Practice.  Practice.  Practice.

Ø      DELIVERY!!! – Think about keeping the audiences attention the entire time,

ü      Volume – Can we hear and understand you?

ü      Rate – Are you talking to slow/fast?

ü      Pitch – Are you talking to high/low?

ü      Rhythm – What is your pace and do you punctuate new ideas?

ü      Pauses – Are you using your pauses effectively/boring?

ü      Word Emphasis – Are you emphasizing key words or phrases

ü      Are you passionate enough to make your audience passionate?

ü      BE A DYNAMIC SPEAKER!!!


Requirements and Due Dates

 

 

OO Topic (25 pts)                                                                  April 21st  

These must be turned in on a note card with your name.

 

 

OO Topic Thesis (25 pts)                                                      April 22nd  

These must be turned in on a note card with your name.  Today you may start going to the library.

 

 

OO Bibliography Cards (150 pts)                                         May 6th  

You will need to have 15 total note cards with different research books, Internet sites, etc.  I want to know why that resource was helpful and how it related to the topic you choose.  You be required to site 7-10 sources in your speech.

 

 

OO Outline (200 pts)                                                             May 10th

You will need to turn in a brief outline of your main thoughts and ideas.

 

 

OO Rough Draft (200 pts)                                                     May 14th   

You will need to turn in an either typed or written rough draft of your speech.  We will be doing a few exercises in class.

 

 

Peer Evaluation (100 pts)                                                      May 21st

Use form from Wilson

 

 

OO Presentations (20% of Final Grade)                              May  24th-28th

You will need to bring a VHS tape.  Dress professionally the day you present your speech.  You will also need to turn in the final draft of your speech.

 

 

Self-Evaluation (100pts)                                                        Day of Performance

Use form from Wilson

 

OO Script  (200 Points)                                                          Day of Performance

See guidelines at beginning of handout.

Wilson’s example on an original oratory put in detailed outline form.

 

Blue/Underlined – Quotes

Red/Italics - Paraphrasing

 

I.                   Introduction

A.     Attention Getter: Acted out – I walked up to the front of the room with my note cards.  I was extremely nervous and shaking.  When I started to give my speech (very poorly), I dropped the note cards, and rushed to start picking them up.  I then apologized.  Once I took a deep breath, I put the note cards down, and went into my speech.

 

B.     Significance: According to Roy Berko, former associate director for the National Communication Association, “Ninety-five percent of the American population reports some degree of anxiety about communicating in front of a person or group.”

 

C.     Thesis: Since communication skills are so important, why isn’t a speech class required for graduation in Oklahoma, Kansas, and other surrounding state high schools?

 

D.    Preview: First, I will identify the problem, and second, I will propose a possible solution.

 

E.     Transition into Main Point: First, the problem.

 

II.                 Main Body

A.     First Main Point:

      Oklahoma high schools, for example, do not require a communication speech course to be taken before graduation; therefore students are graduating high school without the crucial communication skills needed for a successful future.

This is problematic because these same high school students are not being adequately trained or prepared for today’s job market.  According to the 1995 issue of Journal of Psychology Interdisciplinary & Applied, the author states that research has indicated that individuals are less aggressive, are less willing to talk, avoid social interaction, and are more constrained compared to people that have had a communication course.

These findings are very likely related to communication apprehension.  Communication apprehension as defined by the 1999 book, Communication for the Classroom Teacher, is “when an individual is fearful of communication and will go to great lengths to avoid communication situations, and when by chance they are placed in them, the students feel uncomfortable, tense, embarrassed and shy.”

According to the 1999 book Voice and Articulation, every spring, many companies send representatives to college campuses to interview prospective employees.  These colleges recently asked various firms to state their reasons for not hiring the students they had rejected.  In approximately two-thirds of the cases, the reason given was because the job seeker did not speak effectively during the interview.  The U.S. Department of Labor, Washington D.C. states bluntly that for 8 out of 10 jobs, you have to be able to speak effectively.

According to the 1999 book Communication Theories, communication apprehension can occur because the student has never been trained or taught on how to be an effective communicator.

Communication plays a key role in our society.  Students are cheated out of job opportunities because of their lack in proper communication skills, and businesses are not receiving applicants that fully qualified for the job demands.  When a person cannot communicate properly/correctly in their surroundings/environments, then this not only has a negative effect on the community but on themselves as well.

 

B.     Transition: Now you be asking yourself, “Is this problem really serious enough for us to take action?”

 

C.     Second Main Point:

According to Roy Berko, who I mentioned earlier, “63 percent of the nation’s young people cannot give clear oral directions; 95 percent of the population communicate without anxiety in front of a group; and nearly 20 percent of the nation’s young people cannot accomplish any of the simplest of communication tasks, including relaying specific information, giving instructions, recounting details, defending personal opinions, and developing a persuasive argument.”

Without appropriate communication skills a person will have trouble presenting themselves professionally in a job interview, as well as standing up in front of a small group of people.

When former President Clinton signed the Goal 2000: Educate America Act in 1994, it signaled an unprecedented federal commitment to America education.  The act had particular significance for communication education: the legislation included the arts as one of the eight core subjects, suggesting they were no longer a curricular extra, but an area of study as important as math, science, or any other subject.  In the years since the act was past, some progress has certainly been made.  Most states have adopted the National Standards for Arts Education.  So while there is some reason for optimism, it is just as certain that there is work to be done.

 

D.    Transition: Now, what can we do?  I would like to propose the following solution.

 

E.     Third Main Point:

To solve this problem, all of us need to have our voices heard to our state governor, state legislators, and the state board of educators.  We must get our state legislators to pass a bill requiring high school students to complete at least one half credit of communication before graduating.

According to the 1995 issue of Communication Reports, a study was conducted to determine what could help students with their communication apprehension.  The findings of the study suggested that a basic course in oral interpretation (a type of communication class) could serve to reduce student’s level of communication apprehension.

We would be modeling this bill after Texas and their 1998 communication requirements for high school graduates.

 

F.      Transition: Now you might be asking yourself, “Would we have the teachers, or the funding to make this possible?”

 

G.    Fourth Main Point:

However, as more job positions are created, the demand for communication teachers will increase and more people will be attracted to the field.  And as to the funding, as of now most schools have a communication class as an elective, the only difference is that the class would be mandatory.

Having a communication class required, will greatly affect the society and the way it communicates in a positive way.  High school students will graduate better equipped to communicate in today’s job market.

With improved communication skills, students will not only portray a higher level of self-confidence, but they will have the ability to be more creative in their thinking.

With this higher level of self-confidence, knowledge, and creativeness students will be more successful in their school, work, home, and community.

 

H.    Transition into Closing: Today we have discussed a problem and have been offered a solution.

 

III.             Conclusion

A.     Review of Main Points: Students are graduating high school lacking the crucial communication skills needed to be successful.  It would be very beneficial to our students to take at least one half credit in a communication course before graduating.

 

B.     Refer to Attention Getter: The very first time I ever gave a speech I can remember feeling so much anxiety that I thought I would never want to give a speech again.  However, thanks to a wonderful speech coach and my mother, I am able to do what I am doing today.

 

C.     Closing Statement: I urge all of you to leave here today and contact not only your state governor and the state legislators, but to also contact your state board of education.  Let them know how crucial it is to our future leaders of America to be required to take a communication course.