Author ORCID Identifier
https://orcid.org/0009-0005-2362-9447
Document Type
Lesson Plan and Materials
Publication Date
2025
Abstract
We’ve all sat through a speech that lost our attention. This lesson helps students ensure their own isn’t one of them. This lesson serves as an introduction or a supplementary lesson in the art of public speaking. Many people have nerves about public speaking, so this lesson will provide students with tools to grow more confident in public speaking, specifically in keeping their audience engaged. Through discussions, a mini-lecture, and interactive speeches, students explore how rhetorical appeals (ethos, pathos, and logos) and the concept of identification help build a stronger connection with their audience. The lesson begins with a discussion on Steve Jobs’ Stanford Commencement Address, followed by a mini lecture on specific tips and tricks of public speaking, then moves into a hands-on practice activity where students deliver and revise short speeches, and closes with a reflection on confidence and connection. By the end, students leave with greater awareness of how to hold attention, build trust, and speak with purpose.
Included in
Interpersonal and Small Group Communication Commons, Speech and Rhetorical Studies Commons
Comments
Audience Attention: A Lesson in Confident Public Speaking © 2025 by Leah Stein is licensed under CC BY 4.0