We’re spending a few days just exploring public speaking. Yesterday, you got into pairs, did quick interviews of each other, and one by one had to come up to the front to face down your peers and “introduce” your partner to the group. This is all just for practice. It’s intended for you to get a bit more comfortable with being up at the front of the classroom, looking from that perspective towards your peers. It’s my hope that your own Speeches Tuesday will go a bit more smoothly for you, then, if you’ve gotten to feel what it’s like to stand and face the group.

A few examples of public speaking that you can learn from are posted below. The Monica Lewinski one is an example of someone who has clear experience in delivering a speech. Watch her body language, where she holds her arms, the movement of her hands, how her head is held high, natural expressions on her face, eye contact spread around and as well all the elements of using her voice, like pauses, inflection, and volume.

In the second video, Ellen Page comes out in front of an assembly of people. Her body language gestures seem much different. Students joined the Socrative Backchannelling room to add their observations while watching the Page video. We noticed, when reviewing their feedback, how many of them picked up on the actress’s distracting hand gestures.

You can also review the Rubrics you’ll be evaluated by for your Speech and Presentation Tuesday.