The Speech Performance Task Guide takes students through the steps of writing and delivering a speech that communicates a strong position on an issue.

 

Public speaking is often associated with positions of leadership and social or political influence: the class president who addresses the student body, the CEO who introduces a new product at a company meeting, the pastor or rabbi who addresses her congregation, the government official who takes questions at a press conference. For many, the idea of standing in front of an audience to speak feels daunting. Yet speeches are used in almost all professions and most of us, at some time in our life, will be expected to formally address an audience. Public speaking encompasses many different elements that require thoughtful preparation: crafting the speech, practicing delivery, anticipating and engaging one’s audience, and making appropriate decisions about one’s self-presentation. It also requires confidence and comfort with a degree of vulnerability. These are skills and dispositions that must be developed with practice, feedback, and experience. The Speech Performance Task Guide is a tool for guiding students through this process.