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Hoosiers, Friday Night Lights, Rudy, Any Given Sunday, and Miracle contain special
occasion or motivational speeches. For instance, Miracle illustrates an inspirational
COMEDIES
Clips from popular comedies such as The Campaign and The Internship can illustrate
several examples of public speaking. In The Campaign, Will Ferrell’s character is
running for office and delivers several speeches that illustrate the concept of audience
analysis. While these movies are likely to be familiar to your students, please be mindful
of the clips that you choose to show in class, as some of these films contain profanity.
Certain television genres also depict public speaking, and clips from these shows
may be a quick and convenient visual supplement to class. Sitcoms can provide a
humorous side to the serious topic of public speaking. For example, many episodes of
Parks and Recreation contain scenes of characters delivering political speeches, engaging
Wilson) is given an award and asked to speak at a salesman’s convention. He is
extremely nervous, but manages to give a very powerful speech with the help of his
coworker Jim (John Krasinski). This episode is particularly comedic, and can lead to a
discussion of nonverbal delivery, the use of persuasive appeals, and even ethical public
speaking.
LEGAL, POLITICAL, AND MEDICAL DRAMAS
Television shows that involve courtroom scenes, such as Law and Order, or that show
public speaking in the political or medical workplace, such as Scandal, House of Cards,
or Grey’s Anatomy, provide examples of speeches given by lawyers, politicians, and
doctors in realistic work-related situations. Films that feature courtroom procedures, such
ETHICS
Ethics involves assessing what is right or wrong, and then acting on that assessment.
You should have strong ethical standards that you apply to your teaching.
1. Classroom policies and procedures: discipline, commenting on students’ remarks,
2. Student issues: difficult students, student disclosures in class, prejudicial statements
3. Lecture style: swearing in class, negative comments about another department or
4. Activities and assignments: departures from the syllabus objectives or description of
5. Assessment of students: reading assignments, difficulty of exams, effect of oral or
6. Biased treatment of students: enhancing the evaluation of likable students, choosing
7. Availability of instructor: keeping office hours, having inconvenient office hours,
8. Confidentiality: telling other students’ stories during lectures, publicizing others’
Special consideration should be given to the issue of academic dishonesty,
particularly plagiarism. Plagiarism can be defined as taking other people’s ideas or
statements and using them as if they were one’s own, without proper acknowledgement.
Make sure students understand the implications of plagiarism. Many students commit
plagiarism simply because they do not understand what it constitutes. Other examples of
For more information on plagiarism, refer to Chapter 5 of A Speaker’s Guidebook
SOLICITING FEEDBACK FROM STUDENTS
We encourage you to solicit feedback from your students about the course as well as your
instruction. Asking for feedback is empowering because it tells students that you care
been acclimated to you and the class. This will allow time for instructors to make any
necessary adjustments to their course structure.
There are several ways to solicit feedback from students. First, you can provide
students a feedback form in class to complete and return anonymously. A second way is
If you decide to ask students to complete an informal evaluation, your evaluation
form may include a few open-ended questions, asking students to identify things they
liked or did not like about the instructor, the course, or both. Be sure that everyone is
clear about the objectives of such an evaluation. Students need to know the specific
SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS
CULTURE AND GENDER CONSIDERATIONS
In communicating with students, avoid conveying any uneasiness or suggestion of
different expectations. Many students perceive these feelings in instructors who (1) avoid
eye contact with and ignore certain students, (2) coach majority students more than they
do minority students, (3) interrupt minority students, (4) maintain a noticeable physical
distance from minority students, (5) react to comments or questions articulated in a
different accent or dialect in a negative way, and (6) make comments implying that
minority students are not as competent as majority students. Remember that all of your
students are there to learn and may feel uneasy about public speaking. Being mindful of
your behavior in and outside class will help you to be more culturally sensitive.
To encourage women and minority students, try to incorporate examples or stories
ESL (ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE) STUDENTS
When working with students who speak English as a second language (ESL), keep
cultural differences in mind. Remember that not all cultural differences are similar in
nature or degree, but may vary according to sex, religion, nationality, class, and so on.
Also, ESL students may think and write differently than do English-speaking or native-
born students. This is one of the main reasons that ESL students may experience
difficulty with writing or organizing information. It can be helpful to show these students
ACCOMMODATING STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES
Student disabilities can be either physical or learning-related. It is often difficult to tell
whether a student is physically or learning disabled simply by looking at him or her.
Therefore, if you think someone is disabled, the safest thing to do is not to assume that
the student needs special consideration or assistance. Rather, at most schools, it is usually
INCLUDING NONTRADITIONAL STUDENTS
Nontraditional students—individuals who may have returned to school after a period of
years—have concerns and anxieties of their own. Some of them may be a little
apprehensive about their abilities as students. Being friendly, inclusive, and encouraging
will go a long way toward helping nontraditional students feel comfortable. Also, be
aware of any age or background differences that exist between nontraditional and
advanced technology in the classroom. Make sure your instructions involving technology
are clear and specific so as to not assume all students are familiar with your technological
methods.
TIPS FOR FIRST-TIME INSTRUCTORS
First-time instructors may find their new academic position intimidating and even scary
but, with experience and some helpful advice, teaching can become an exhilarating and
rewarding experience. While many departments offer training programs designed to
assist new instructors, other institutions believe that “teachers learn from teaching” and
offer little classroom preparation or guidance. Whether your institution provides an
extensive training program or no training at all, this section is designed to assist you with
your transition to speech instructor.
As a new instructor, you will soon discover that each class is unique. Although
you may teach from the same syllabus and use the same lecture notes, the classroom
ADVICE FOR USING THE TEXT FOR THE FIRST TIME
A Speaker’s Guidebook comes with many useful supplemental resources. Instructors have
the opportunity to pick and choose from a variety of additional resources, including the
Instructor’s Resource Manual, Test Bank, sample videos, and companion website. These
resources are designed to help instructors create their own unique and educational public
TEXTBOOK
Having multiple resources can seem overwhelming to new instructors; therefore, we
recommend that first-time instructors first focus on three resources: A Speaker’s
Guidebook, the Instructor’s Resource Manual, and the Test Bank. Focusing on these three
resources will help you organize your lessons as well as reduce the time you spend
preparing them.
A Speaker’s Guidebook is designed to provide students and instructors easy
access to each chapter. The chapters are arranged in a logical progression, beginning with
Pay attention to the material listed in the checklist boxes, as it offers concise
points that may assist your lecture. As one new instructor reported, “I’ve gotten in the
LAUNCHPAD
Go to launchpadworks.com to learn more.
LaunchPad offers everything instructors need to quickly set up a course, customize the
content to your syllabus, craft presentations and lectures, assign and assess readings and
activities, and guide the progress of individual students and the class as a whole.
Features:
An interactive e-Book with integrated book-specific student media, including:
Video Activities that introduce the major topics of speechmaking and engage
students with critical thinking questions. Questions in LaunchPad follow the
videos. The videos can be used as lecture launchers, to start a conversation about
the topic covered. Topics include:
o Getting Started
o Speech Anxiety
o Know Your Audience
Comprehensive Video Collection that features professionally-shot speech videos
and video clips that serve as models for student speeches.
The Video Assignment Tool makes it easy to assign and assess video-based
activities and projects, as well as providing a convenient way for students to
submit coursework.
TEST BANK
Whether you are giving short quizzes or a final exam, the Test Bank provides a variety of
questions that test students’ comprehension of course concepts. Moreover, it provides
different types of questions, ranging from true-false to essay questions, to suit your
INSTRUCTOR’S COMPANION WEBSITE (macmillanlearning.com)
These materials include resources for both students and teachers, such as lecture slides
for every chapter in the book, a computerized test bank, and a downloadable version of
THE FIRST DAY
Instructors and students may both feel anxious on the first day. First-time instructors may
feel anxiety about their new academic position, their ability to teach public speaking, or
the students in the classroom. Students also feel anxiety (especially in a public speaking
class) because of their fear of speaking publicly, the conditions of the unknown (course
Identify yourself. It is important for students to know who you are and what to call
you (“Dr. Smith,” “Ms. Smith,” “Carla”). You may also want to share your
credentials, especially if you are new to the department. Inform students where you
family, or any hobbies or activities that you enjoy. This type of information often
helps students feel as though you are not only an instructor, but also a person with a
life outside of the college classroom. If you feel comfortable, show pictures as well.
Discuss the course. You should announce the course title. This is important to ensure
students are in the appropriate class. Then provide an overview of the course. You
may refer to your syllabus, discussing each section carefully. It is important to
Roll call. It is important to make sure students have officially enrolled in the course
and to announce any policies on late enrollment or overrides. Some students may
assume that if they sit in class, you will automatically register them into the course.
Check with your department before enrolling any additional students into the class.
Some departments have a cap on the number of students allowed into a public
Show excitement. If you show genuine excitement about teaching the course, students
often become excited about taking the course. Let them know that you will work with
Cover some content. Even if you don’t spend much time covering course material on
the first day, it is important to communicate your credibility immediately. If you are
feeling nervous about your students’ impressions of you, this is a helpful way to
LEARNING STYLES
Students learn in different ways. While some students prefer to sit and listen to an
instructor lecture for fifty or seventy-five minutes, others receive little benefit from this
teaching style and prefer to be actively engaged with the lecture material. According to
VISUAL LEARNING
Visual learners benefit from visual materials (e.g., diagrams, book illustrations, overhead
transparencies, PowerPoint or Prezi presentations, videos, flip charts, and handouts). In
AUDITORY LEARNING
Auditory learners benefit mostly through listening. They learn best through hearing the
instructor lecture on the course material, and through class discussions. Written
TACTILE/KINESTHETIC LEARNING
Tactile/kinesthetic learners benefit from a hands-on approach to class lectures. These
students need to be actively involved in the learning process. They may have difficulty
sitting for long periods of time and may become lost in the lecture when not given the
opportunity to explore the material firsthand. Service learning may also be a valuable
learning opportunity for tactile/kinesthetic learners.
Since it is rare that classrooms are filled with students of the same learning
preference, effective instructors diversify their lesson plans to accommodate the three
types of learners. This can easily be done by lecturing for twenty minutes, showing a
sample speech video, discussing the strengths and weaknesses of the speech, having
students work together to create parts of a speech (e.g., writing an effective introduction,
PARTICIPATION
Students are often intimidated about participating in classroom discussion for fear of
being “wrong” or publicly ridiculed for their ideas. In order to avoid this reaction, it is
important to create a classroom climate that is safe and respectful for students to share
their ideas. Your tone of voice and use of gestures, true appreciation for classroom
participation, use of open-ended questions, and classroom environment are all important
NONVERBALS
Your nonverbals speak volumes! Many students respond according to nonverbal cues. As
an instructor, it is important to pay attention to your body language. You want to scan the
entire room while making sure to maintain direct eye contact with individual students.
VERBALS
The way in which you ask questions will determine the type of response you receive. Try
to incorporate open-ended questions, questions that ask students for elaboration. Instead
of asking, “Did Rupa fulfill all necessary requirements for an effective speech
When a student provides a “wrong” answer to your question, there are appropriate
ways to respond that prevent him or her from feeling ashamed. One way to provide a safe
climate is to respond, “Thank you, ———, for sharing your thoughts. I believe you are
CLASSROOM ENVIRONMENT
You can also assist in classroom participation by arranging the chairs in a circle or
semicircle so that students can face each other throughout the conversation. To allow
more students the opportunity to participate, form small groups of four to five students,
SPEECH ANXIETY
It is important to understand that the majority of your students approach public speaking
