Public Speaking

Intro to Communication | Level 1: is designed for students grades 2nd through 12th who are seeking to learn foundational communication skills. Students are separated into age-appropriate groups where they will learn speech principles and communication theory. During class, students will gain a variety of foundational skills including overcoming public speaking anxiety, mastering the speech writing process, and practicing speech delivery. All students will have the opportunity to work both individually and as a group on class speaking projects.

Intro to Communication | Level 2: is designed for students grades 2nd through 12th who have completed Intro to Communication | Level with PDA. During class, students will continue to build on skills taught in their first semester, while refining their abilities through extensive practice and preparing for additional public speaking opportunities, including a capstone tournament.

These courses are aimed at students who have taken our Introduction to Communication course. It is a course for introducing the following Speech Events: Extemporaneous, Impromptu, Original Oratory, and Storytelling.

● Limited Preparation Events | Junior Varsity: is designed for students grades 2nd through 12th who have completed our Intro to Communication | Level 1 & 2 courses, and are seeking to gain competitive speech experience. Students will learn limited preparation events including Extemporaneous Speaking and Impromptu Speaking, where they will learn to deliver a speech that they have crafted on the spot or with a limited amount of time. Students will be challenged to think on their feet, research effectively, and expand their knowledge of world issues.

● Limited Preparation Events | Varsity: is designed for students grades 2nd through 12th
who have completed our Intro to Communication | Level 1 & 2 as well as our Limited
Preparation Events | Junior Varsity course. During class, students will continue to refine their
skills, in more advanced concepts such as enhancing your language creativity, engaging
your audience with passion, and polishing your speeches. This class will prioritize students
gaining experience at competitive tournaments.

● Interpretation Events | Junior Varsity: is designed for students grades 2nd through 12th who have completed our Intro to Communication | Level 1 & 2 courses, and are seeking to gain competitive speech experience. Students will learn limited preparation events
including Dramatic Interpretation and Humorous Interpretation, where they will learn to act
out a speech that was written by someone else. In interpretive events, students will learn to
perform published materials to make stories come alive by using only their body and voice.

● Interpretation Events | Varsity: is designed for students grades 2nd through 12th who have completed our Intro to Communication | Level 1 & 2 as well as our Interpretation Events | Junior Varsity course. During class, students will continue to refine their skills in more advanced concepts such as how to storytell, convey ideas and emotions, analyze scripts,
and appeal to audiences. This class will prioritize students gaining experience at competitive
tournaments.

● Public Address | Junior Varsity: this course is designed for students grades 2nd through 5th who have completed our Intro to Communication | Level 1 & 2 courses, or have equivalent experience with their school team. Students will learned competitive speech events known as “Original Oratory” or “Informative Speaking”. In Original Oratory, students will create, rehearse, and memorize a 5-10 minute persuasive speech with the purpose of changing the audience’s mind. In Informative Speaking, students will create similar speeches, with the purpose of the speech being to educate the audience.

● Public Address | Varsity: this course is designed for students grades 6th through 12th who have completed our Intro to Communication | Level 1 & 2 courses, or have equivalent experience with their school team. Students will learned competitive speech events known as “Original Oratory” or “Informative Speaking”. In Original Oratory, students will create, rehearse, and memorize a 7-10 minute persuasive speech with the purpose of changing the audience’s mind. In Informative Speaking, students will create similar speeches, with the purpose of the speech being to educate the audience.