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fandomhigh2013-01-15 09:13 am
professor-lyman.livejournal.com) wrote in fandomhigh2013-01-15 09:13 am
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Public Speaking [Tuesday, January 15, 2013]
"Good morning," Josh said, sipping from his nice, hot cup of coffee (thank you, Donna Natalie!) as he leaned against his desk at the front of the classroom. "Today we'll get started learning about the basic categories of speeches. I don't mean short or long, or interesting and stupefying, those though certainly are ways to remember speeches. There are four general groupings, with some overlap between categories: informative, persuasive, demonstrative, and special occasion. You can't be very persuasive if you you're not also demonstrating your grasp of information."
He began walking between the aisles as he talked. "An informative speech is basically a lecture. Every class you attend here, I hope, is intended to teach you something."
Or provide entertainment for the teacher, but Josh hadn't seen Jaye again yet.
"An informative speech is different from a how-to speech or a persuasive speech because it is only intended to provide information. You leave it up to your audience to decide for themselves what to do with the information; you're not trying to persuade them to think like you do, nor are you specifically teaching them how to do something. You're only concerned with providing information for your audience on a particular topic.
"Informative speeches are useful as an introduction to some topic that is unfamiliar to your audience, which is why audience research pays off. You wouldn't want to lecture on how a bill becomes a law to members of Congress."
Josh paused. "Well, to their staffs, at least. Some of the members of Congress are amazingly stupid and might not know. Anyway, one of the most important things to include in an informative speech is, of course, information. You will want to do research on facts and statistics, to make that your speech has something interesting to give the audience. Those facts and statistics will probably be best communicated with visual aids, such as charts, graphs, illustrations, and so forth, because providing information both aurally and visually means you have a better chance of people remembering it, but for the love of God, don't subject us all to death by Powerpoint, the Pentagon's favorite legal torture method."
Josh continued to lecture about informative speeches, showing the students how to get their audience involved through asking questions, and providing examples, and warning them about avoiding the pitfalls of seeming like a giant know-it-all by providing too much information.
"President Bartlet enjoyed trivia," he said, "and during debate prep for re-election he would get down into the weeds of specific legislative initiatives that the average voter, frankly, had never heard of. Your goal is to provide information without making your audience feel stupid for not knowing it to begin with or to be so specific their eyes glaze over. So next week, come in with one visual aid and a speech prepared about the last twenty years of history in your home dimension. Your speech should be at least ten minutes long."
"Today, though, we're going to do some audience research through extemporaneous speeches. No need to thank me," he added, walking around with a jar full of pieces of paper. "You each get a topic, then a full minute to think of what you're going to say. You only have to talk for three minutes." He held up a stop watch. "I'll be timing you."
He smiled. "And after that, our press secretary for the day is--" he ran his finger down the attendance sheet, "--Peter Wiggin. Congratulations. And Mr. Luthor, you impressed me so much that you can be my second assistant along with the lovely...." she wouldn't bring him coffee unless he remembered her name, "...Natalie."
He began walking between the aisles as he talked. "An informative speech is basically a lecture. Every class you attend here, I hope, is intended to teach you something."
Or provide entertainment for the teacher, but Josh hadn't seen Jaye again yet.
"An informative speech is different from a how-to speech or a persuasive speech because it is only intended to provide information. You leave it up to your audience to decide for themselves what to do with the information; you're not trying to persuade them to think like you do, nor are you specifically teaching them how to do something. You're only concerned with providing information for your audience on a particular topic.
"Informative speeches are useful as an introduction to some topic that is unfamiliar to your audience, which is why audience research pays off. You wouldn't want to lecture on how a bill becomes a law to members of Congress."
Josh paused. "Well, to their staffs, at least. Some of the members of Congress are amazingly stupid and might not know. Anyway, one of the most important things to include in an informative speech is, of course, information. You will want to do research on facts and statistics, to make that your speech has something interesting to give the audience. Those facts and statistics will probably be best communicated with visual aids, such as charts, graphs, illustrations, and so forth, because providing information both aurally and visually means you have a better chance of people remembering it, but for the love of God, don't subject us all to death by Powerpoint, the Pentagon's favorite legal torture method."
Josh continued to lecture about informative speeches, showing the students how to get their audience involved through asking questions, and providing examples, and warning them about avoiding the pitfalls of seeming like a giant know-it-all by providing too much information.
"President Bartlet enjoyed trivia," he said, "and during debate prep for re-election he would get down into the weeds of specific legislative initiatives that the average voter, frankly, had never heard of. Your goal is to provide information without making your audience feel stupid for not knowing it to begin with or to be so specific their eyes glaze over. So next week, come in with one visual aid and a speech prepared about the last twenty years of history in your home dimension. Your speech should be at least ten minutes long."
"Today, though, we're going to do some audience research through extemporaneous speeches. No need to thank me," he added, walking around with a jar full of pieces of paper. "You each get a topic, then a full minute to think of what you're going to say. You only have to talk for three minutes." He held up a stop watch. "I'll be timing you."
He smiled. "And after that, our press secretary for the day is--" he ran his finger down the attendance sheet, "--Peter Wiggin. Congratulations. And Mr. Luthor, you impressed me so much that you can be my second assistant along with the lovely...." she wouldn't bring him coffee unless he remembered her name, "...Natalie."
Re: Speak Extemporaneously!
She used the full minute to write a few quick notes on a scrap of paper, in case she should need reminders.
"A fool and his money are soon parted," she began, speaking in a clear voice. "This statement is the subject of my speech. It reflects that the opinion that foolish people cannot be trusted with wealth. Or, perhaps more clearly, the idea that a fool who is given riches will squander them.
"When we speak of fools, we mean people who have no sense. The sensible person, upon receiving a large sum of money, will perhaps choose to use a portion towards a significant goal: for example, a larger house, or improvements to their current residence. They may keep some money in reserve, against sudden poverty. What they do choose to buy may in some part prove to be an investment -- land, or a profitable business. Such purchases will lead to further wealth.
"In contrast, a fool will be short-sighted. He will buy pretty clothes, or jewels, or other such luxuries. He will waste his money on items which give pleasure, but are not necessary, and do not protect against the future. He may come to regret his purchases when the money is gone, and he has need of it for more serious matters.
She cleared her throat. "This statement is, of course, only the writer's opinion; it is meant as a proverb, and not an absolute statement of fact. Some fools will retain their wealth longer than expected, and a previously sensible person may become wasteful in the presence of a windfall. But the saying conveys the notion that those who are foolish will find ways to spend money once they are in possession of it."
She wasn't sure if that was a full three minutes, but it seemed long enough to her, and so she bowed her head and sat down again.