OAKLAND UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT SKYLINE HIGH SCHOOL COURSE SYLLABUS: Public Speaking: The Art of Rhetoric

SCHOOL YEAR: 2008-09

Department: English
Instructor: Mr. Frey
Website:www.voxcommunications.com
Grade Level(s) for which course is intended: 11-12
Credit Value: 5.00 Per Semester
Length of Course:1Year
Pre-requisite(s): None

Brief Course Description:

This is a public speaking class that teaches the oral tradition of composition. Students will engage in a wide variety of speech making assignments including the oral interpretation of literature, impromptu, expository, and persuasive speaking. Students will engage in rhetorical analysis as they read many of the great speeches of the past.

By engaging in the process of writing and delivering their own speeches, students will develop their own creative expression, thereby strengthening their own understanding of speech in a variety of rhetorical contexts: social, cultural, and historical. Students will compare the means by which famous orators communicate meaning, and make informed critical evaluations based on the principles of rhetoric and composition.

Through the creation of their own original speeches, students will gain insight into the nature of the orator's desire to communicate, and how that communication is both interpreted and influenced by society. Students will analyze the diverse means by which public speaking impacts culture by studying contemporary and historical orators who have used speech to contribute to cultural and political life. The combination of studying rhetoric and learning the process of speech composition as an expressive art will give students increased communication competency, enhance creative problem solving strategies, and bring about a wider appreciation of the impact of the spoken word in society.



Learner Outcomes:
  • Develop an ability to analyze and write about public speaking as a means of self-expression.

  • Demonstrate the ability to research, analyze, and evaluate speech from an informed viewpoint.

  • Research the history of speech and write about the impact of speech on contemporary culture.

  • Produce a wide variety of original speeches with a high level of competence.

  • Apply the standards of composition and rhetoric to create original expository and persuasive speeches.

  • Students will enhance their own presentations using modern technology to aid in their research and delivery techniques.

Instructional Practices:

  • Lecture, discussion, small group discussion, and one-on-one assistance.

  • Small group projects with assistance from instructor.

  • Library and online research.

  • Discussion and interviewing with experienced public speakers.



    Text: The Rhetorical Act 3rd Edition
    By Karlyn Kohrs Campbell and Susan Schultz Huxman
    Thomson/Wadsworth
    ISBN: 0-534-56097-0

    Student Assessment: In class essays. Standard quizzes and multiple choice questions. Formal presentations to class graded by rubric. Formal essay writing graded by rubric.

    Marks:
    A. Work that is outstanding and above grade level: 90-100%
    B. Work that is good, and above grade level: 80-89%
    C. Work that is satisfactory and is grade level: 70-79%
    D. Work that needs improvement, below grade level: 60-69%
    F. Work that is unsatisfactory, well below grade level: 59% and below

    Classroom Management Plan
    1. No food or drink in the classroom.
    2. Stay at your seat until dismissed.
    3. Do not answer the door without my authorization.
    4. Do not download software or change the configuration or Desktop of your computer.
    5. Do not install any software on the computer.
    6. Do not visit game sites without my permission.
    7. No chat rooms, or instant messaging.
    8. No candy sales in the room.
    9. No CD players, cell phones, pagers, or other electronic devices in room.
    10. Do not use floppy disks without my permission.
    11. Report any problems with your workstation to me before the end of class.
    12. Arrive to class on time.
    13. Cheating on tests or plagiarizing written assignments will result in flunking the assignment, a parent-teacher conference, and disciplinary actions as per the Honor Code of the Skyline Student Handbook.

      Link to Full Course Description as a downloadable Word Document.
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