Public Speaking

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Course Overview

The Acellus Public Speaking course equips students with essential communication skills through a comprehensive exploration of key topics, including overcoming public speaking anxiety, conducting audience research, and gathering credible information to craft compelling messages. Students will learn to structure speeches effectively, using clear language and rhetorical techniques, while mastering delivery skills such as vocal variety, body language, and audience engagement. The course covers persuasive and informative speechwriting, enabling students to influence opinions and convey knowledge confidently. Additionally, students will practice adapting to various speaking situations, from formal presentations to impromptu talks, fostering versatility and poise in diverse real-world contexts. Course topics include:

• Speaking in Public
• Research and Organization
• Structure and Language
• Delivery
• Persuasive Speeches
• Speaking Situations and Presenting

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Sample Lesson - Introduction to Public Speaking

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This course was developed by the International Academy of Science. Learn More

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Scope and Sequence

Speaking in Public: Students will be introduced to the fundamentals of public speaking, covering its power, differences from conversation, confidence-building, and ethical considerations. Students will explore the speech communication process, multicultural contexts, and active listening while learning to select topics, define a purpose, craft a central idea, and prepare and deliver their first speech.

Research and Organization: Students will focus on understanding and engaging audiences through targeted research and effective speech organization. Students will learn to gather audience information, adapt content to diverse listeners, and conduct research using personal experiences, library resources, interviews, and the internet, while incorporating examples, statistics, testimony, and proper source citation.

Structure and Language: Students will begin to craft compelling and clear speeches through effective introductions, conclusions, and language use. They will analyze powerful speeches while learning to create preparation and speaking outlines, write engaging introductions and conclusions, and use vivid, inclusive, and precise language.

Delivery: Students will focus on their ability to present speeches with confidence and clarity through various delivery methods, effective use of voice, and purposeful body language. Students will practice incorporating visual aids, presentation technology, and responding to audience questions. Students will also dive deeper into informative speaking, covering analysis, organization, and guidelines to ensure engaging and well-structured presentations.

Persuasive Speeches: Students will learn to craft compelling arguments by exploring the importance and psychology of persuasion, using techniques like Monroe's Motivated Sequence, and analyzing historic speeches. Students will learn to build credibility, use evidence, reason effectively, and employ emotional appeals while addressing questions of fact, value, and policy, ensuring their speeches are persuasive and logically sound.

Speaking Situations and Presenting: Students will learn to navigate diverse communication contexts by mastering speeches of introduction, presentation, acceptance, and commemorative speeches. Students will explore online presentation skills, adapting nonverbal communication and leveraging technology for real-time virtual speeches, while also learning to collaborate effectively in small groups using the reflective-thinking method.