Course Overview
Speech and Debate is a semester-long elective English course designed to provide students with an introduction to the art of rhetoric and a variety of opportunities to develop their public speaking skills.
Through formal informative and persuasive speeches, value and policy debates, and informal class presentations and discussions, students will not only cultivate their speaking and listening abilities, but they will enhance their critical, analytical, and evaluative thinking skills as well. Focused work on spoken presentations will be supported by a variety of reading and writing activities as well as vocabulary enrichment.
Class Requirements
Students will be expected to:
-Read assigned materials
-Maintain a notebook or binder
-Prepare and deliver three informative speeches
-Prepare and deliver three persuasive speeches
-Prepare and participate in two class debates
-Engage in class activities and discussions
-Follow class procedures and school code of conduct
Grading
Grades for the course will be based on the following criteria:
Formal presentations (8) 50%
Written responses 15%
Speaker's journal 15%
Notebook 10%
Class participation 10%
Detailed rubrics for each graded area will be provided.
