Many gifted programs include public speaking and elocution courses; however, it can be difficult for the teachers to find any lesson plans or curricula.
It is often said that most people would rather face any of their other mortal fears than make a speech in public; however, many gifted students actually seem to enjoy public speaking as a form of self-expression. This is a brief history of study of public speaking to help set the stage for GATE teachers who want to introduce a speaking program
The History of Public Speaking
It all began back in 351 BC with an Athenian orator and public official by the name of Demosthenes. Despite the fact that he was born with a speech impediment, Demosthenes decided that he wanted to become the best public speaker of his time, so he packed up some supplies and sojourned to the Athenian woods. After pitching camp, he took to his task. He put several small Grecian pebbles in his mouth and began to recite some of his old speeches and verses while out jogging.
At first he sounded much like one would expect him to have sounded - a fellow with rocks in his mouth. However, after a few weeks of practice he began to sound "normal."
Later on, he spit out the Grecian pebbles and was all the better for the experience; the theory being that if he could speak normally with pebbles in his mouth, he would be that much better without them.
Oratory was one of the three major studies of the Middle Age's Seven Arts (along with logic and philosophy) that can still be achieved as a classical skill in this modern age. Public Speaking cannot be taught in a normal lecturing kind of way; it is not something that gifted students are born with; they can't even discover it in the normal sense by downloading it from the Internet - it must be experienced! They can only learn by doing.
Teaching Public Speaking
Teaching public speaking involves developing the most important life skill a person can have in the new millennium – the ability to stand up before a group of people and communicate a message. This universal life skill appeals to everyone in all different countries and in different learning environments.
Students need to learn that they cannot just jump behind a podium and deliver a blood-stirring speech the first time at bat. Growth comes only from practice. A child does not spring up from her crib and run a 10K race. First, she learns to crawl, then walk, and then run. In the same manner, a child usually does not decide to abandon the idea of walking if she falls over a few times ("Sorry mom, I gave it a good shot...").
Growth comes in small steps or sequences in a GATE class. Each step is a little more involved than its predecessor is. Each step should be evaluated and rewarded. Lesson plans and instruction should be progressively more advanced, and each speech should have a new message and a new set of goals to achieve. This way, the students will gain confidence along the way because they will have a solid base upon which to build.
Resource:
Parker, Douglas A. Basic Public Speaking, 2nd Edition - The Roadmap to Confident Communications! (ISBN: 0-7388-5619-3). 2001. Xlibris, Random House Ventures.
