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Benjamin Herrick

Persuasive Speaking

Rationale for Genre Studies

From an outside observer or parent the question may be posed, “Why is it important to study Genre?” This is not a bad question to ask. The assumption is that, as teachers, we already know what genre is. Certainly we do, but then the assumption is made that students know what genre is as well. We encounter the idea constantly when we go into the school library or bookstore. Unfortunately, students are less apt to go to either a library or bookstore of their own volition. As an observation of a middle school classroom would prove, genre is lost on students. The fault is not theirs, nor is it entirely their teacher’s. With the increased burden of content standards and mere superficial review of a subject to meet said standards, it is difficult to hammer in the minute details. Going back to our theoretical classroom when prompted to what genre is, students may respond with such answers as “fiction (not specific enough), non-fiction (again, not specific enough), sad (going in the right direction), happy form of writing (again, getting closer).” Students may also not consider such newer forms of writing a “genre” such as blogging, texting, and etc.

Genre can be defined in a few ways. The Oxford English Dictionary defines genre as “a particular style or category of works of art; esp. a type of literary work characterized by a particular form, style, or purpose.” Charles Cooper defines genre broadly as such: “In a general way, we and our students and friends understand ‘genre’ to mean a type or category of text” (24). He later defines genre more precisely as “types of writing produced in every day culture, types of writing that make possible certain kinds of learning and social interaction” (25). I must append this definition a bit. Within the framework of ever expanding ELA standards, there are more than just writing standards and genre must branch out to include standards such as Speechwriting to meet speaking standards.

So we can understand genre as not just a categorical classification but also a construct which promotes learning as well as a particular form, style or purpose. This is why genre study is so important. If we can truly understand form, style and most importantly, purpose, we can then begin to shape the classroom around those fundamentals. Education expert Lucy Calkins states the importance of genre studies as such: “We regard genre studies as fundamental enough to shape our curriculum around them” (363).

Most of us will give a speech at some point, if we haven’t done so already. Understanding distinctions between types of speeches is important. An entertaining speech is quite common. The best man has to give a speech praising his friend and his friend’s new bride. Eulogies are also a common form of speech, extolling the virtues of the dearly departed. There are also speeches to inform. These speeches provide us information without an action step. A speech to actuate is a speech that will ultimately get you to act in the manner that the speaker wants you to. A persuasive speech is different. A persuasive speech does not necessarily have an action attached. The persuasive speech simply tries to get you to see a point from the speaker’s point of view.

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Why Persuasive Speech?

Speeches are not explicitly considered Literature, despite their long history within literature. Speaking on literary genres, Randy Bomer says this: “I have in mind, rather, that a class take a particular literary genre for a time as a broad object lens of inquiry and allow that genre to become a lens for making meaning of their own experiences” (119). That is the goal of this genre study. Many ELA teachers fall into this trap of attempting to be solely a Literature teacher. Being a Literature professor isn't inherently bad, but we do so at the potential neglect of other ELA standards as well as completely neglecting an entire superset of genre, non-fiction. It is a terrible disservice to our students to simply “teach Literature.”

Though this may be a bit of an oversimplification, I believe the importance of teaching persuasive speech manifests itself in multiple ways:

1. By giving a speech, students learn adequate tools for argument and counterargument which can empower them

2. By giving a speech, the student not only speaks, but learns to write

3. By giving a speech, the student becomes aware of their audience

4. By giving a speech, the student forms important critical thinking skills by researching another point of view, synthesizing it, and then forming a counter argument.

Applications of persuasive speaking, such as the audience analysis, argument formation, and the writing process that takes place beforehand, all have their implementation within a Literature class. When we root our students in considering audience, forming an argument and backing that argument up, we will not then have to spend precious class time on drawing keyholes on the board to illustrate how to form the introduction, body and conclusion to an essay. Nor will we need to be too overly concerned with making sure there are no colloquialisms in the students’ writing. Persuasive speaking also has applications outside of the classroom as well. Students who would typically be passive recipients of information then become empowered by being able to critically analyze information they are presented with. This gives them greater social and political opportunities, from negotiating the price on getting their brakes fixed to understanding the implications of a bill that Congress wants to pass.

Some teachers may ask, “Why in God’s name would you want to teach your students how to argue with you?” That is not entirely the point. The point is to get them to argue as it means to persuade. In studying persuasive speaking students will be able to choose topics that mean the most to them and get the opportunity to convince you that you should be as impassioned about it as they are. Then using the tools they learn from this genre, they can then form ideas into cohesive strands of thought where otherwise they would use violence or indifference. The applications that speaking persuasively may have outside of the classroom setting become immediately evident: students will be able to defend positions they hold, and more importantly, be able to recognize when someone is trying to persuade them and engage their arguments effectively. Persuasive speaking becomes the stepping stone for other forms of rhetoric.

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How do we then justify dedicating an entire unit to this genre? As teachers under the iron fist of increased state standards, it becomes immediately apparent that a cursory, crop-dusting coverage of a subject is insufficient to produce a functional knowledge or practice of an ELA standard. Speechwriting at its core will cover the standards and the hope is that it will instill a framework for the rest of the student’s academic career. Furthermore, any time we progress from this unit to another, we can refer back to this and show our students how the work they put into this unit is applicable to other units. Our goal is to make students better readers, writers, listeners, and speakers. Persuasive speaking accomplishes all that and more.

One final note, public speaking is a huge topic which entire majors are dedicated to. Our intent with this study is to whet the students’ appetite. We should be sure not to be discouraged with students if they don’t come out like the next Marc Antony. Jerry Tarver, at the annual Speech Communication Association meeting in 1983, presented a paper wherein he discusses the importance of teaching students to structure and organize their speeches with style rather than focusing on flowery elocution. I could not agree more.

How to Execute a Genre Study

The genre study format has been established by language and educational experts such as Randy Bomer, Charles Cooper and Lucy Calkins. Charles Cooper specifically outlined eight steps to follow for conducting a study. These steps are: Reading Models, Listing Basic Features, Choosing Topics, Inventing and Researching, Planning, Revising, Reflecting and Assembling a Portfolio (Cooper 47-48).

Genre Introduction

Modeling

In teaching any genre, some of the genre elements will be unfamiliar to the student, which is why modeling and thinking aloud are keys to meaning. This means that you will need to gather multiple examples of speeches. These are called Touchstone Texts. Touchstone texts are texts that you have compiled as models for the class. These models will then be referred to throughout the unit as examples of what the students should do. Provided in this study is Spin Cycle by Kobi Libbi as an excellent example of a student produced work. Her speech is on how people spin the truth and lie to themselves and others. After Spin Cycle, there is another touchstone text. Maria Vallejo’s speech on foster parenting is a touchstone text that is an excellent example of an outline a student will use when giving their speech. In Appendix A, there are two sources for other student speeches as well. Provide the written samples that you will read from to your students before you begin. You should perform two passes of each text. When you read aloud the first time, pause at important points of the speech you want to highlight to students. This is called a think aloud. The points for Spin Cycle are written on the left hand side of the speech. For the second read aloud, stand as if you were actually orating your own writing. This will model to the students how to posture themselves, as how to speak while they are presenting.

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Spin Cycle

Kobi Libbi Snider High School, Indiana

Introduction: Libbi is not starting off by addressing her audience outright saying “Hello” or “Good morning.” She is using humor and a story as a way to break the ice.

I have a question though, what do you think of her use of the “uh’s”?

Stories can build Pathos, or emotional appeal. In this case, her story builds Ethos. Ethos is built and “given” to you by the audience. In this case, the author crafted a story to show she really knows what she is talking about and becomes an authority in the mind of the audience.

Explanation of the issue which gets you to think about the problem.

Qualifier: While this misleading technique can be used for humorous purposes, more often it is used to distort real knowledge and suppress

So, my younger sister, she, uh, brought home a new boyfriend the

other day.

She introduced me to him, she said, "Kobi, this is my new boyfriend,

John."

And then, she excused herself, going to the restroom, leaving John

and myself alone. Well, I love my younger sister, so I decided to

take advantage of this opportunity and have a little, uh, talk with

John.

So I sat John down on the sofa, I said, "John, I want you to

remember one thing. That is my sister in there. So, if you hurt her, at

all, so help me, I will, I will stay up nights thinking of new and

inventive ways to make you suffer."

But apparently John couldn't handle that. I mean, he broke down and

started crying right there on the sofa. But, hey, I guess that's seven-

year-olds for ya.

Okay, so, so that story was a lie. I don't actually have a younger

sister. I don't actually make seven-year-olds cry - often.

But suppose for a minute that it had been true. It was still presented

in a misleading way. While factually accurate, I left out a key piece

of information - the age of the children - that was integral to our

understanding of the situation. And while this misleading technique

can be used for humorous purposes, more often it is used to distort

real knowledge and to suppress the truth. What I'm talking about is

"spin."

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the truth

Thesis: “It seems that we have become caught up in a "spin cycle" where the tendency to lie has woven itself into the fabric of our society and is beginning to create problems for us, both as individuals and as a nation.”

Preview of points: Libbi previews all the points she wants to make within the speech

Transition from Preview to Body.

The body is a set of three arguments followed by supporting evidence.

Claim #1: Unfortunately, it can be difficult to find solutions to our problems when we are lying to ourselves about their causes.

No, not the kind you put on a little white ball, but the kind you put in

a little white lie. Spin - the selective interpretation or representation

of the truth.

And you see, good spin is a lot like the web spun by a spider. It's

delicate, intricate, and barely visible. Unfortunately, while the kind

of spin I'm talking about may be less tangible than that of a spider's

web, it is equally sticky, and it is beginning to create an equally

dangerous trap for the clumsy fly that is America. It seems that we

have become caught up in a "spin cycle" where the tendency to lie

has woven itself into the fabric of our society and is beginning to

create problems for us, both as individuals and as a nation.

The prevalence of dishonesty and the trouble it is causing can be

seen, first, in the way we lie to ourselves; second, in the way we are

lied to by others; and third, in the way these lies compound

themselves and become a cycle.

But first, let us examine how we lie to ourselves.

It is safe to say that some people have more problems than others.

[Cough, cough] "I'm Michael Jackson." [Cough, cough]

Something in my throat.

But, it's also safe to say that we all have some trouble that we would

like to see reconciled. Unfortunately, it can be difficult to find

solutions to our problems when we are lying to ourselves about their

causes.

Take, for example, the case of Gregory Rhymes.

That's right, ladies and gentlemen, from the people that brought you

the, "I didn't know the coffee was hot," lawsuit, comes more

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Reason: This explains why the author made the claim. We lie to ourselves about the causes and this is why I say this, because instead of taking responsibility for his weight gain, Gregory blamed McDonalds.

Warrant: This is the implied connection between the claim and reason made explicit. Just because McDonalds is unhealthy doesn’t mean that McDonalds is to blame.

seemingly absurd litigation against the McDonald's Corporation. At

fifteen-years-old and more than 400 pounds, last fall Gregory

Rhymes and seven other overweight children sued the McDonald's

Corporation because they said the fast food chain didn't provide

them with enough warning that their food was unhealthy. If you find

that a little hard to swallow, you're not alone.

Just think of the sensational fun that Johnny Cochrane would have

had spinning this case.

In his hands, he might have told you, "If you're overweight, litigate."

"If you're big and tall, head for city hall."

"And if Ronald made you extra large, then you tack on a punitive

charge."

If you found the right smooth-talking lawyer, you could probably

sue McDonald's for tornado damage. I mean, they advertise all

natural ingredients, so they should be liable for acts of nature, right?

I mean, yes, this young man has a problem, and, yes, McDonald's

food is unhealthy, but that does not necessarily mean that one is

responsible for the other. Now, a judge threw this case out earlier in

the year, but if he hadn't and Gregory Rhymes had gotten the

millions of dollars he was asking for without acknowledging his own

role in his weight gain, nothing would have been solved here.

In our society of liability and culpability, it seems that we have

begun to shed all responsibility for our own troubles. And this victim

mindset is problematic, not because we then begin to blame others,

but because we then begin to feel that we have no control, no impact

- that we ourselves cannot solve the problems in our lives.

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Logos: This is a fantastic example of Logos, or logical proof. Facts and figures, hard data.

Warning!: The one thing she did wrong is the fact that she did not cite her sources verbally.

Logos, again without sources.

Claim #2: Second, we are also subjected to spin by others, most predominantly in politics.

Transition: The story of

I mean, maybe it is McDonald's fault that sixty-one percent of

Americans are overweight. Maybe it is McDonald's fault that

twenty-seven percent of Americans are obese. But regardless of

whose fault it is, it will become everybody's problem when,

according to the U.S. Surgeon General, in the next ten years weight-

related illness overwhelms the healthcare system.

We lie to ourselves by believing that the act of assigning blame is in

itself a solution. It is not. We lie to ourselves by believing that we

cannot affect positive change in our lives. We can.

But, as it stands, the eighty-five percent of smokers who have not

quit because they don't believe they are able to, and the thirty-nine

percent of high school dropouts who said they left school because

they didn't believe they could finish, and the countless other

Americans, people around the world, who have given up on

bettering their circumstances because they underestimate their own

abilities are all lying to themselves. And could all use a healthy dose

of the hope that others are not entirely in control.

The truth is, sometimes we are responsible for our own problems.

And by honestly acknowledging this we find the opportunity for

improvement. But without honest self-examination we may never

see the cause of our problems, and the solutions may remain so close

to us that we don't even realize they're there.

Second, we are also subjected to spin by others, most predominantly

in politics.

For example, when Vice President Dick Cheney had a cardiac

episode - uh, the most recent one, I mean - at that time President

Bush was quoted in Time magazine as saying, quote, "The Vice

President is healthy. He sounded strong." And, not to say that the

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Cheney gives an example of how politicians spin. It is not the main point.

Reason: George Bush lied about Cheney’s health; however, the bigger issue is that we went to war based on a report that did not exist.

Warrant: According to David Albright, no such report existed.

Additional Reason: Bush said there was a connection between Saddam Hussein and Sept. 11th.

Source citation:

President was employing spin, but he was lauding the fitness of a

man whose heart is so full of equipment that doctors actually had to

get building permits to construct all the bypasses.

And while the exact physical condition of the Vice President is

probably irrelevant as long as he is competent, the truth is these

same politicians have employed these same spin tactics but with

much more dire consequences.

For instance, there were many reasons why earlier this year

President Bush decided to employ military force in Iraq. In

November, the President told reporters of an International Atomic

Energy Association report finding that at that time Iraq was only six

months away from having nuclear weapons capabilities, and this

could have been a very serious concern - if it were true.

Unfortunately, the report the President cited never existed.

According to David Albright, president of the Institute for Science

and International Security, neither the association the President

cited, nor any other investigative body ever projected an Iraqi

nuclear potential the likes of what the President told the press.

But that's not the only problem the Bush administration had with the

former Iraqi regime. They also alleged that Saddam Hussein's

government was connected to the attacks of September 11th, their

primary evidence being a supposed meeting in the Czech Republic

between a senior Iraqi intelligence official and one of the lead

hijackers of 9/11 just months before the attack. And this, too, could

have been a very disturbing connection - if it were true.

Unfortunately, according to CBS News, the FBI, the CIA and Czech

intelligence all backed away from the story because they couldn't

find a single shred of evidence that such a meeting ever took place.

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Warrant: We were told there was a connection, but there is no proof of it, which is why we were lied to.

Claim #3: “Lies become a cycle.”

Warrant: Logos: We’ve all lied to ourselves, but instead of fixing it, we continue to like to ourselves.

Conclusion:

There were, no doubt, many reasons why earlier this year President

Bush decided to employ military force in Iraq. I just wish he would

have told us what they really were.

Third, lies become a cycle.

Both nationally and individually, we have problems about which we

lie to ourselves and about which we are lied to. These lies create

further problems, but instead of addressing these problems, we

simply resort to more lies, and thus the spin cycle repeats.

Well, it is time to break the cycle. Whether we are looking back on

individual or medical problems like Gregory Rhymes, or back on a

national crisis like 9/11, it is critical that we do so honestly and

objectively. It is easy to find someone to blame like McDonald's and

it is easy to find someone on whom we can vent our frustration like

Iraq, but until we escape the lie, the accusation and retaliation, our

solutions, our progress will stagnate and our problems will remain.

It may be too late for Gregory Rhymes to have a healthy childhood,

but it is not too late for him to have a health adolescence and

adulthood. It may be too late for our country to avoid the tragedy of

9/11, but it is not too late for us to discourage further atrocities by

refusing to commit them ourselves. It may be too late for all of us to

solve the problems of our past, but it is never too late for us to learn

from that past, to look soberly to the future and to dare to dream of

what we might become.

If we do this, we will finally break the spin cycle. And that is no lie.

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Maria Vallejo Spring 2000

Topic: Foster parenting General Purpose: Persuade Specific Purpose: To persuade the audience to consider becoming foster parents.

Introduction:

Vallejo explicitly highlights her use of Attention-getter or Hook.

In this case she is using Pathos to highlight a need for foster parents.

Claim #1: “Parenting a foster child” Is this actually a claim that supports her thesis. No, she talks about issues regarding a foster child, but that does not specifically address why you should consider becoming a foster parent.

Reason#1: Common questions. Warrant: Logos. These are real questions asked which makes the statement that they are common questions factual. Additionally, she cites the source that the questions came from.

I. Introduction

A. Attention-getter: "Sit back. Take a deep breath. Realize this may be the challenge of a lifetime. Accept the fact that you can do it. Give them what they need most- like love attention, guidance, patience, a chance to succeed." Jo Ann Wentzel. B. Proposition: You should consider becoming a foster parent. C. Relation: If you have what it takes to become a foster parent the opportunity is there. D. Preview: In deciding whether or not you want to become a foster parent you should know the following; Know what precautions to take before a child is placed in your home. Realize the gift you are giving as a foster parent. Appreciate the gift you are given as a foster parent.

[Transition: If you are particular about the foster child you want then you may want to know the following.]

II. Body

A. Parenting a foster child

1. Common questions asked in accepting a foster child. (United community Caregivers Foster Parent Association) a. This is important because you may not be able to care for all types of children. b. Knowing which home best suits the foster child will help the child adapt easier. 2. Show consistency when children are placed in your home. a. Tell the child what is expected out of him

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How does this reason support her claim?

Claim #2: This is a much better support of her thesis that you should consider foster parenting. She is saying “The gifts you give as a foster parent are ____ and this is why you should consider being a foster parent.” Her evidence is then pathos.

Warrant: Stability. Backing: Use of logos to back warrant with source citations.

Claim #3: The gifts you receive are reasons why you should consider

Conclusion: Her review of the points highlights the disconnect between

or her. b. Tell the child what the consequences are if they break a rule.

[Transition: Did you ever think about the gift you are giving as a foster parent?]

B. The gifts you give are:

1. You are given the chance to be a role model for the child. 2. Stability a. Maybe the child has moved around a lot. b. You let the child feel wanted if you don't give up on him or her. (40% of foster families leave fostering in the first year of being licensed. Research from The National Advocate.)

[Transition: What about the gift you are given as a foster parent.]

C. Gifts you receive:

1. The ability to stay young. a. Being around kids or teenagers rubs off on you. b. You can learn a lot about the kids of today on a personal level. 2. You improve your parenting skills. a . If you aren't a parent you can learn some parenting skills. b. You can parent foster children better if you have kids.

[Transition: "Foster parents are told not to show emotion when caring for kids. I repeat this is wrong. We must teach love and caring along with discipline and rules." Jo Ann Wentzel.]

III. Conclusion

A. Review: I have told you what you should know if you are willing to become a foster parent; Know what

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her first point and her proposition. She presupposes that the audience is already willing, where the other two points are for the audience that is not convinced.

Memorable Ending: This is troublesome because she is allowing for people the opportunity to not be persuaded. Additionally, the statement of doing something nice can be viewed as new information with no backing. It leaves the listener hanging. “What is considered nice?”

precautions to take before a child is placed in your home. Realize the gift you are giving as a foster parent, appreciate the gift you are given as a foster parent. B. Restate Proposition: So if you have the space, time, and patience, I honestly think you should consider becoming a foster parent. C. Restate Wiifm[sic]: If you have what it takes to become a foster parent the opportunity is there. D. Memorable ending: If after this speech you don't want to become a foster parent, maybe you should do something nice for our kids of the future.

Common Features

After you have performed two read alouds of each text, your students should get together into groups and discuss the common elements. Hopefully, with examples in front of them and after multiple passes of each text, this will explicit to your students. This is where you will determine the features of the genre together. After your students have had time to go over this in groups, bring them together as a class and discuss features the features of the genre that have already been outlined in both the touchstone texts and your read aloud. In Appendix B, I have provided a handout for you called “Parts of Speech” that is a quick go-to guide to supplement the touchstone texts. It contains the definitions of the different elements highlighted in the speeches.

In Appendix C, you will find a user friendly graphic organizer by inputting information into a chart from NCTE’s ReadWriteThink webpage. When the students start to write their speech, this will help them organize their thoughts. In this chart, the Goal is your claim, your reasons, and facts or examples are your warrants, or supporting reasons. After all the points have been outlined on the organizer, the students can then use the filled out organizer as their frame for their outlines.

Writing process

The next step in the process of writing a persuasive speech is actually writing the speech. When you start this unit you should establish a journal and writer’s notebook. One half will be

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dedicated entirely to the construction of speeches: Outlines, definitions, and class work. In the writer’s notebook section, students will write about things that they feel are important enough to write about. They can sketch out stories that they may want to use for introductions or write down a hook that they came up with that they believe would be particularly effective. This is to be their own personal space to really flesh out their own ideas without necessarily having to worry about sharing them with others if they don’t choose to.

In Appendices D and E, you will find all the relevant information for the writing of their speeches. Appendix D is the speech assignment handout with all the important facets highlighted. Appendix E contains mini-lessons. Throughout the course of the writing process, you should introduce various mini-lessons to help break the ice with your students. You will find two mini-lessons plus instructions that I have developed. In the same appendix, you also find the URL for The Learning Place. This is a fantastic site with very relevant mini-lessons across a broad range of topics. Their brainstorming mini-lesson would be a great place to start.

Students should start writing their speeches by conducting a brainstorming activity which will help establish what they want to write about. Topics should be something that the student cares deeply about. When students select the topic, you need make sure that they are aware of where their audience stands. Walking into a room and presenting a speech on the benefits of listening to classical music to a room full of educators from the National Technical Institute for the Deaf would, if you will excuse the pun, fall on deaf ears.

After students have chosen a topic, they then need to research their topic. Just because they’re impassioned about a subject does not make them an authority. Research will only make their case stronger and produce more ethos. The more they know, the more the audience will believe they are an expert. Finally, like any paper they write, when they give a speech they need to cite sources.

The outline is important to the writing process and delivery of a speech because the object is to have a student speak to an audience, not to a piece of paper. An outline becomes an effective way to do this. The outline is the skeleton of the speech, with all the vital points, data, and citations written down. The student uses this as a reference point, glancing at it every so often to keep on track. The delivery is what the student brings to the speech in the moment of its presentation. The outline should be typed to be clearly readable. The aforementioned NCTE organizer is an effective tool in translating what the student wants to say in their speech into a full-fledged outline.

Peer review and Rewrites

No speech is ever given without a lengthy process of writing and rewriting. In writing speeches, there is a need for constant revision and re-examination of what the students write. However, since you are under certain time constraints in this unit, it is essential to lay the building blocks of revision in this unit to then refer back to this lesson throughout subsequent units as a way to further cement your established goals. The peer review section for this study will be a bit different than most. Rather than having students just share their writings with each other, they should get into small groups and actually recite their speeches with each other. In Appendix F, there is Peer Review handout which your students will complete

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Presenting Publishing and Podcasts

After putting all this work into developing persuasive speeches, the students will then present them. There are two rubrics in Appendix G. One is for the construction and outline of the speech and the other rubric is for delivery. Typically, for English classes, teachers print texts in anthologies. While printing a speech in an anthology is all well and good, it’s like reading Shakespeare in class rather than acting it out. Just reading a speech misses the point. The whole point of a speech is to be heard. I don’t believe that giving the speech at the end of the unit is effective enough either. That is the equivalent of handing in the final draft of their paper which any student could do. Students need to take it to the next level. For this, I suggest podcasts, or video podcasts, that will be posted online, on sites such as youtube, as well as the transcripts of the speech and the student outlines. If you are not technologically inclined or do not have the technology in your school, consider the possibility of having students present their speeches to the school for an assembly.

Reflection and Persuading the Teacher

The last step to a genre study is reflection. You want to get your students to talk about how they really feel about the assignment. This section should be ungraded if at all possible, but students should give a speech to address the teacher specifically. What did they like? Why? What didn’t they like? Why? What would they change to make it better? As an educator teaching persuasive speaking, you cannot stay rigid in your methods. The point of a lot of speeches is to persuade, so you must allow yourself to be persuaded by the responses of your students.

Speaking, Listening and the Standardized Test

Speechwriting is an effective tool to prepare students for both the reading and writing portions of the NYS English Regents exam. An activity can be worked into the unit easily and effectively. In Part A of the first section of the Regents the students are required to complete a listening portion where the students have to listen to a passage read by the teacher. The students are then required to take notes on what the teacher is dictating and then answer questions and write a response regarding the passage they just heard.

Preparing for the Listening Section of the Regents:

A major facet to the educational process in NYS is the Regents exams, usually taken in 11th grade depending upon the subject. Passing the Regents exams is essential to graduating high school. To this end, I have taken it into consideration to add a section to the Genre Study dedicated to preparation for the Regents. Often, in English courses, there is a heavy focus upon comparing and contrasting, or writing an essay through a critical lens, but not much on the listening portion of the exam. In the listening section, students are to listen to the passage and take notes while it is being read. After the students hear the passage twice, they are then instructed to write a brief essay which answers the situation provided. From there they have to answer six questions to complete the first part of the first section of the Regents exam.

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An entire section of the exam is based upon listening to a passage. Students are given a role to play of some type. For example, the situation from the January 2004 Regents: Your Task: Write a feature article for your school newspaper offering student writers advice on writing successful How-To articles. Guidelines: Be sure to • Tell your audience what they need to know about writing successful How-To articles • Use specific, accurate, and relevant information from the report to support your discussion • Use a tone and level of language appropriate for a feature article for your school newspaper • Organize your ideas in a logical and coherent manner • Indicate any words taken directly from the report by using quotation marks or referring to the speaker • Follow the conventions of standard written English

To model this process and still keep the focus on the speech genre, be sure to modify the situation and task to fit your model speech.

The Situation: Your school newspaper often publishes How-To articles (such as articles explaining how to play certain games or how to make or repair certain things). The editor has asked you to write a feature article

offering student writers advice on writing successful How-To articles. In preparation for writing your feature article, listen to a report by Andy

Gutelle, a writer of How-To sports books for children. Then use relevant information from the report to write your feature article.

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Bibliography for Genre Study

Bomer, Randy. Time for Meaning: Crafting Literate Lives in Middle and High School.

Portsmouth, N.H.: Heinemann, 1995. Print. Calkins, Lucy McCormick. The Art of Teaching Writing. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann, 1994.

Print. Cooper, Charles R. and Lee Odell ed. Evaluating Writing: The Role of Teachers’ Knowledge

about Text, Learning, and Culture. Urbana, IL: NCTE, 1999. Print. Libbi, Kobi. “Spin Cycle.” thespeechsite.com. The Speech Site, 2003. Web. 25 November 2009. Office of State Assessment. emsc.nysed.gov. New York State Education Department, 2007. Web

25 November 2009. “Persuasion Map.” Readwritethink.org. Read Write Think, 2004. Web. 15 November 2009. “Rhetoric.” The New Encyclopaedia Britannica: Macropaedia. 15th Ed. 1985. Print.

Tarver, Jerry. “Striking a Balance: The Speechwriting Educator’s Perspective.” 10 November

1983. Eric. Web. 28 September 2009.

“3-4min.speech.” rubistar.4teachers.org. University of Kansas. 31 August 2007. Web. 15 November

2009.

Vallejo, Maria. “Sample Student Speech Outline.” Worldofspeech. World of Speech. N.d. Web.

25 November 2009.

17

Appendix A

http://teacher.scholastic.com/writewit/speech/library.htm Audio recordings of student speeches.

http://thespeechsite.com/en/student-ushs.shtml Written student examples of speeches

Appendix B “Parts of Speech”

These are the basic parts of speech that a Persuasive Speech must have.

Ethos: Ethos, in very simple terms, is character. Generally, it is a good idea to be perceived as a person of good character when attempting to persuade an audience to see your side of an argument. Ethos isn’t anything you can really possess, but rather the audience gives it to you. They are judging your character.

Pathos: Pathos is an appeal based on emotion. The intent is to appeal to the emotions of the listeners, not to require a Kleenex while speaking. There are many ways in which you can appeal to the emotions of the listener. There is a close tie between ethos and pathos as the intended audience can potentially be more swayed by an emotional appeal if the audience perceives the orator to be honest and of an upstanding character.

Logos: Logos is an appeal or an argument based on logic. This is all the facts and figures of your speech. This is the easiest part to come by, however, like an essay, when you make any claim using facts you must cite your sources verbally.

Toulmin Components:

Claim or Thesis: What you want your listeners to believe by the end of your speech. This should be clear and supported by your reasons.

Reason: Why they should believe such a claim

Warrant or Facts and Examples: The link between your claim and reason.

Qualifier: A statement meant to keep the claim from becoming a broad generalization, which then can be refuted by exceptions to the rule.

Rebuttal: Counter arguments to your claim.

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Appendix C

19

20

Appendix D

Persuasive Speech

Task:

Over the past few classes we have been highlighting all the different topics a student can speak about. Your task for this assignment is to write about a topic you feel impassioned about. Brainstorm your idea and then subject it to the NCTE organizer. Once you have done that, you use that to create your outline.

Purpose and Audience:

The purpose is to persuade your audience to persuade your listener to feel the same way you do about a subject. Your final speeches will recorded when you present them to the class and be published online on youtube.com or scholastic.com.

Format:

Please format your speech in outline form like the Vallejo touchstone text. You will print two copies, one to present from and one for me.

Checklist:

_____ Does my speech contain an explicit thesis? _____ Do my reasons support my thesis? _____ Does my speech contain the basic proofs? (Ethos, logos, pathos) _____ Do I verbally cite my sources? _____ Does my speech flow logically with effective transitions? Due Dates:

_______: First draft for peer review

_______: Second draft to me

_______: Final in class presentation

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Appendix E Mini Lessons

Object Lesson: The purpose of the object lesson is to get students to consider their words and the way in which they describe an object to the classroom. This will take place in two stages. Stage One: A student will be called to the front of the class and will be given an object inside of a bag. The student can touch the object, but cannot look at the object. The student then has to give descriptions to the class without saying what the object is, and the rest of the class must attempt to guess what the object is. The student cannot infer or give hints as to what they believe the object is, only what they can observe by their tactile response. If the class cannot guess the object, proceed to stage two. Stage Two: The student at the front of the class can then visually observe the object and the game continues until the object is guessed. The student who correctly guesses the object then comes to the front of the class and is given a new object and starts back at stage one. Speech from a Hat: Students will be called upon at random to choose a speech topic from a hat. The student will then be given a minute to compose a speech, writing any notes down on paper. The student must argue for the topic listed. For instance, a topic may be “Gun control laws are too strict.” The student must argue for a relaxing of the gun control laws regardless of their personal stance. Potential topics for Impromptu Speeches:

• School uniforms • Raising or lowering the drinking age • Lengthening of the school year • Legalization of Marijuana

Additional mini-lessons can be found at: http://www.learningplace.com.au/deliver/content.asp?pid=36855

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Appendix F

Peer Review Questions

Name:

Speaker:

Pay attention for these characteristics as your classmate speaks:

1. Ethos: Does your classmate establish him/herself as someone of good character? Do you feel they are an authentic presenter?

2. Pathos: Were there any emotional appeals? What did you feel during the speech, if anything?

3. Logos: Does the support given logically follow the speaker’s points? Are all sources cited?

4. Does your classmate take a stance? Is their thesis clear with a preview of the topic? Is there an attempt to persuade the audience to change?

5. Does the speaker have acceptable reasons and warrants to back their claim?

6. Were there any filler words? (I.e. Um, Uh, like, ya know)

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Appendix G

Speaking Rubric

Categories 5 points 4 Points 3 Points 2 Points 1 Point

Posture/Eye Contact

Erect posture. Consistent eye

contact.

Leans on podium once. Looks down

for 3-4 seconds.

Leans on podium 2

times. Looks down

for two breaks of 3-4 seconds or 6-8 seconds.

Leans on podium

three times. Looks

down for over 10 seconds

total

Leans on podium four

or more times or

more than 15 seconds.

Speaking

Consistent rate of speaking.

Conversational tone.

Rate of speaking weaves

between too fast or slow or

lacks conversational

tone.

Speaker utters filler

phrase "uh/um" or "like" once.

Hesitant at times, 2 or

3 filler phrases

"uh/um" or "like

4 or more fillers "uh” "um" "like"

Gestures and Facial

Expressions

Conversational gestures and expression.

Gestures and facial

expressions that are less at

ease.

Rigid gestures and

facial expressions.

Lack of facial

expression and

gestures.

Inappropriate gestures and expressions (ex. crying, tapping on podium).

Citing Sources

All sources are cited while speaking.

3 sources are cited while speaking.

2 sources are cited while speaking.

1 source is cited while speaking.

No sources cited.

Time

Appropriate window of

time. (eg. 4-5 minutes)

+/- 30 seconds: Between 3

min.30sec and 3 min. 59sec

OR 5min. 1sec. -

5min.30sec.

-30/+60 seconds: Between 3min and

3min.29sec OR 5min. 31sec. - 6min.

+/- 60 seconds

+/- > 60 seconds

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Writing Rubric

Categories 5 points 4 Points 3 Points 2 Points 1 Point

Outline

2 copies of correctly formatted outline, typed.

1 copy of correctly formatted

typed.

2 copies of incorrectly formatted outline, typed.

1 copy of outline

incorrectly formatted.

No outline.

Introduction

Effective "hook". MP are clearly previewed.

Topic is introduced.

Basic "hook" MP

briefly previewed Topic is

introduced

“Hook”, but no MP

preview or vice versa.

Topic is introduced

No "hook". No MP

preview. Topic only.

Introduction has no

relevance to the rest of the

speech

Body

MP flow smoothly

from one to the next. MP

are given full support.

MP are clearly

organized. MP are

given some support.

Mp points need a more

definite organization and support.

MP are not organized or supported.

Main points are unclear

and not supported.

Conclusion

Conclusion is signaled clearly MP

clearly summarized.

Conclusion is signaled.

MP are vaguely

summarized.

Conclusion is not clearly signaled and

is only vaguely

summarized.

Conclusion is not

signaled. MP are not

summarized.

New information

is introduced. Conclusion is

of no relevance to points made.

Citing Sources

All sources are cited in

outline. Bibliography

formatted correctly.

3 sources are cited in outline.

Bibliography has one error.

2 sources are cited in outline.

Bibliography has 2 errors.

1 source is cited in outline.

Bibliography has 3 errors.

No sources cited. No

bibliography present.

Rubrics adapted from 3-4 min. speech rubric on rubristar.com