GNAG: Planning, Instruction and Assessment.

Topic: Writing and presenting a speech

VCAL :Literacy

Timeframe: 2x 90 minute lessons

Standard:They create structured and coherent texts for a range of purposes and audiences. When creating and editing texts they demonstrate understanding of grammar, use a variety of more specialised vocabulary, use accurate spelling and punctuation.

Content:Literacy for public debate, which focuses on matters of public concern, and the forms of argument, reason and criticism used in the public arena.

Oracy for problem solving and exploring issues that focuses on spoken interactions involving giving opinions, evidence and information.

Goal (Learning Intention)
How will I introduce it? / On the board: Write up different forms of bigotry and inequality in our society and ask students what they understand about each area to gauge prior knowledge on issues such as sexism, racism (racial profiling), economic inequality, appearance (weight/tattoos/piercings/age, etc.)
Activate Prior Knowledge
What method will I use? / Get the students to give examples of the way that bigotry occurs and reasons why it isn’t fair.
Last week we talked about how sometimes employers can be biased by appearance or gender, and may not employ young people with tattoos or lots of piercings, or because of their skin colour.
  • Get the class to think of what type of bigotry they have experienced in society or on the news and to think about why it is unfair and what could be done to change the status quo.
Last week we also learnt about writing speeches.
  • What do we need in a speech?
  • (intro – 2 or 3 arguments/statements/opinion with examples – a conclusion/solution)
  • Why is it important to know how to express an opinion/argument?
  • Social/Work/Personal life
An example to give them to connect with their own lives.
A few weekends ago I was catching a plane to Sydney. I forgot that you could only have up to 7 or 9 kg and so I was a bit worried. Just before boarding the plane, the man in front of me gets checked, but they don’t even ask to weigh my bags. The man in front of you has black skin and a beard. That man had to pay extra to take his bags on the plane, and I didn’t, even though my bags probably were as heavy as his.
Is that fair? Why would one person get checked and not another? What can I do to express my disgust at the unfair treatment of a fellow human being? Could I start a reasonable argument with staff at the airline or could I write a formal letter that has my opinion/argument/reasons for why there seems to be discrimination occurring in their procedures?
You go out to a party with your friends, and someone is making sexist comments about one of your girlfriends and being inappropriate because she is wearing a short skirt. When someone says she is asking for it, and grabs her bottom or something stupid like that, what do you do? Are you going to just let them get away with being sexist and presumptuous? Or are you going to express your opinion in a reasonable and persuasive manner so that you shut them down and make them think twice about what they say and how they treat women and what is acceptable?
The government has just decided to close down aboriginal communities in Western Australia… People who have been living there for their entire lives, who raise families, who have a connection to the land. Suddenly some guy in a suit in a city says they have to move because it is inconvenient.
What if some guy in a suit said you had to move and all your friends and family had to move somewhere else. Would you think that is fair?
Could you argue that this is a form of bigotry? Might someone want to make a speech at a protest or express an opinion in a letter to those in power?
New Learning
How will I facilitate this? / Thinking of the ways we hear or see bigotry in our everyday lives, how can we do something about it?
How do we change other people’s ideas about things?
What would it take for you to change your opinion on something you felt strongly about?
Would you need good reasons or a strong argument ?
What kind of language would persuade you? (Formal? Informal? Factual? Humourous?)
Do we want anything from them?
Assessment: The students will need to use the a rubric to proof read their work and fine then correct mistakes such as grammar, spelling, sentence structure and capital letters.
Apply Learning
What will the students do? / The students will be given the guidelines and keys aspects of writing a speech/presenting an argument on a handout.
The students will then use Microsoft Office to type up a speech.
The students will be guided through the steps, and then submit a draft and then make changes if necessary. Students will be encouraged to work alone on their work, but assistance will be available if required.
Generalise Learning
How will we reflect on the learning? / Why is it important to learn how to write a speech and to deliver a speech/opinion/argument?
When will we need to use this skill?