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Saint Paul’s College: Department of Humanities & Behavioral Sciences Speech
Course Information: Instructor: English 130-1 Dr. Comprone
Fall Semester 2008
Class Time: Office: T R 9:30-10:45 RH 136
Classroom: Office Hours:
L/Lab MWF 10-12 PM
Office Phone: Credit Hours: 434-848-6462 3
Email: raphaelcompr@hotmail.com
Website: www.comprone.info
Pre-requisite: Students enrolled in this course must be upper level English majors who are interested in becoming familiar with the achievements of contemporary writers.
Endorsement Competencies for Education Majors: Knowledge of speaking and listening skills. The ability to provide experiences in communication arts, such as journalism, dramatics, debate, forensics, radio, television, films, and other media. Required Texts: TBA
Selection of Texts: Lucas, Stephen E. The Art of Public Speaking. New York: McGraw Hill, 2007.
In this course, we will be reading from a selection of famous speeches throughout the semester. You may also purchase Say It Plain: A Century of Great African American Speeches (ISBN: 1-56584-924-80) as a supplemental text. The majority of the famous speeches we will cover in class will come from this text.
Course Description: This course is designed for students to develop skills in effective oral communication. Course Rationale: The purpose of this course is to prepare students to become eloquent, persuasive public speakers.
Course Goals, Objectives, and Corresponding Program Outcomes:
1 Students will complete one five minute persuasive speech and one five minute informative speech 2 Students will also study the art of public speaking and complete a midterm exam and final exam 3 Students will learn the history of rhetoric as well as study speeches by African American orators and famous American orators 4 Students will overcome any fears they might have about public speaking Expectations for Student Behavior as Related to Course Objectives and Their Corresponding Program Outcomes: Please arrange for meeting with me during office hours. Students must behave appropriately by: 1) avoiding talking when the professor is speaking, 2) being punctual (students will lose points for tardiness and excessive absences), 3) ALWAYS bringing their textbooks to class, 4) actively participating in class, 5) not plagiarizing, 6) avoiding the use of foul language and abusive behavior, 8) adhere to the dress code, 9) do not use any slang or inappropriate language in your speeches, and 10) being polite to other students.
Class Format, Process, and Methods of Instruction: * Students can only receive incompletes upon permission by the instructor and only if they are experiencing financial difficulties or a grave personal matter. Grades cannot be changed after the semester is completed, and ABSOLUTELY no grade changes are possible after the semester. Please check with me before the end of the semester to see if you have any outstanding work to complete. Persuasive Speech 20% Informative Speech 20% Midterm Exam 20% Final Exam 20% Participation, classwork, and attendance 20%
Grading Scale 90-100% A 80-89% B 70-79% C 60-69% D 59% and below F
Course Outline and Assignment Due Dates: TBA
Tentative List of Assigned Readings and Assignments: We will analyze the speeches of many famous African Americans in class. You must bring a notebook to class and complete assignments on these different orators in the African American tradition. I will collect your notebooks periodically, and you will receive grades for your classwork. We will also have debates about these orators and their contribution to the African American community and to America at large. Booker T. Washington, Speech to the Atlanta Cotton States and International Exposition, 1895 Marcus Garvey, Explanation of the Objects of the Universal Negro Improvement Association, 1921
Mary McLeod Bethune, What does American Democracy Mean to Me?", 1939 Walter White, Speech at NAACP Annual Convention, 1947 Charles Hamilton Houston, Personal Recording, 1949 Thurgood Marshall, Argument Before the U.S. Supreme Court in Cooper v. Aaron, 1958 Howard Thurman, Community and the Self, 1961 Dick Gregory, Speech at St. John's Baptist Church, 1963 Fannie Lou Hamer, Testimony Before the Credentials Committee, Democratic National Convention, 1964 Stokely Carmichael, Speech at University of California, Berkeley, 1966 Martin Luther kIng Jr., I've Been to the Mountaintop, 1968 John Hope Franklin, Martin Luther King Jr. Lecture, The New School for Social Research, 1969 Shirley Chisholm, The Black Woman in Contemporary America, 1974 Barbara Jordan, Statement at the U.S. House Judiciary Committee Impeachment Hearings, 1974 Benjamin L. Hooks, Speech at Gustavus Adolphus College, 1978 Joseph Lowery, The Black Presence in America, 1980 Louis Farrakhan, Address to the National Press Club, 1984 Jesse Jackson, Keep Hope Alive, 149 Johnetta B. Cole, Defending Our Name, 1994 Lani Guinier, Different Voices, Common Talk,: Why We Need a National Conversation About Race, 1994 Clarence Thomas, Be Not Afraid, 2001 Randall Robinson, The Debt and the Reckoning, 2002 Julian Bond, The Broken Promise of Brown, 2004 Barack Obama, A More Perfect union, Constitution Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, March 18, 2008 Barack Obama, The Audacity of Hope, Fleet Center, Boston, July 27, 2004 Jeremiah Wright, Speech to NAACP Cornel West, TBA For your persuasive speech, you will have to debate about a particular topic. Expect students and your instructor to ask you questions about your persuasive speech. You must give a rebuttal to any opposing arguments, and you should be prepared to answer any objections your audience may have. List of potential persuasive speech topics: Speed Limits on Highways Should Be 75 The Drinking Age Should Be Lowered to 18 Big Oil Controls the World The FISA Bill Should Not Have Passed Nuclear Weapons Should Be Banned Worldwide America Builds Too Many Prisons Poverty Is A Vicious Cycle The American Media Stereotypes Islam Religion Should Not Play A Role in Politics Illegal Immigrants Should Be Sent Back to Their Country Should Obama have denounced his former pastor? Is Barack Black Enough? Guns Should Be Illegal Barack Obama Represents a Change America is Ready for a Mixed Race Candidate America is not ready for a mixed race candidate Why Obama Can't Win The U.S. Economy is Collapsing Why the Death Penalty is Murder Abortion Is a Crime Abortion should be a woman's choice Affirmative Action Should No Longer Exist Welfare Programs Are a Waste of Taxpayers' Money America should withdraw its troops from Iraq Immediately Raising Taxes Could Help Build a Better America Lowering Taxes Would Make America Prosper College Education Should Be Free America Should Withdraw Its Troops from Afghanistan Eliminating Global Poverty Should be America's Responsibility Same-sex marriages should be legalized Hackers Should Receive Severe Prison Sentences Athletes Should be Allowed to Use Drugs to Enhance Their Performance Global Warming is a Hoax Global Warming is a Clear and Present Danger All Americans Should Recycle Every High School Student Should Learn at Least One Foreign Language Nuclear Power is Unnecessary Americans Must Invest in Alternative Energy Politicians Should Not Receive Donations The American Economy is Collapsing The Draft Should Be Reinstated No One Should Be Drafted by the U.S. Government A College Degree is Not Enough to Succeed in the Workplace Bush Planned 9/11 Bush Should Be Impeached The Cold War is Happening Again The U.S. Should Intervene in Georgia McCain Will Win in November Obama Represents A Real Change There Will Be Another Terrorist Attack in America America Should Attack Iran These are just tentative topics. If you have a topic in mind, please receive approval from your instructor. You also must complete an informative speech. Here is a list of suggested topics: What is a hurricane? What is a tsunami? What is an earthquake? Describe how to play football and the various positions of football players. Describe how to play baseball and the various positions of baseball players. Describe how to play basketball and the various positions of basketball players. Describe any sport and how to play it. Describe an activity or a hobby and provide detailed information. Describe your favorite recipe. You may choose another topic. These speeches must also be five minutes in length, and you must be prepared to answer any questions from your audience. * You must keep a notebook and write all notes and in class assignments down in the notebook. I will collect the notebook periodically during the semester. For every speech, you must prepare an outline and turn it in after you have completed the speech. You also must be prepared for questions. Any speech under five minutes will be a letter grade lower. In class assignments: Write about the differences between a speech and an ordinary conversation (one to two pages). What makes a speech effective and persuasive? What experiences have you had speaking in public? Do you have stage fright? What is ethnocentrism? How should you avoid it? Part One Speaking in Public Ethics and Public Speaking Listening Giving your First Speech Part Two Speech Preparation: Getting Started Selecting a Topic and Purpose Analyzing the Audience Gathering Materials Supporting your ideas Part III Speech Preparation: Organizing and Outlining In addition, we will read and analyze important speeches from famous African American orators this semester. You will have to choose one of these speeches to write on for the essay portion of the midterm exam. The midterm exam will have multiple choice questions based on the first three sections of The Art of Public Speaking and an essay section (you may bring a copy of the speech you are analyzing to class). It is expected that you will have completed at least one speech by the midterm. Midterm Exam
Part IV Presenting the Speech Part V Varieties of Public Speaking We will have covered the speeches of more African American orators as well as the text of famous speeches throughout world history. You will have to write an essay on one of these speeches for the essay component of your final exam. Multiple choice questions will be generated based on Part IV and Part V of The Art of Public Speaking.
FINAL EXAM
Recommended Internet Sites: www.comprone.info for updates on assignments, syllabi, poetry club submissions (extra credit) | |||
