Public speaking creates discomfort for many students. Instead of seeking to avoid this inevitable discomfort, six speech-variation activities explained in this paper are intentionally designed for, a little bit at a time, embracing momentary discomfort in public speaking. By embracing the inevitable discomfort of public speaking head-on in a fun…

Courses: English Language Arts (9-12), Media Studies, Public Speaking. English Language Arts (9-12), Media Studies, Public Speaking. Objectives: The unit's goals are for students to build a foundation for analytical thinking, acquire tools for critical reading and analysis of graphic and digital texts, and use visual analysis to engage readers and…

Impromptu speaking is a typical exercise in communication-focused courses. This format is often used to practice reducing or assess speaking anxiety, getting to know one another, and delivering project updates and ceremonial remarks. For students to practice their skills in quick thinking and speech preparation, instructors commonly have students…

Audience analysis is essential for creating successful messages across communication fields. The audience persona is an effective tool for understanding the characteristics and needs of a target audience. Through this unit activity, students experience the process of persona development, build skills in data collection and analysis, and gain…

This activity is designed to help students recognize ableist assumptions in rhetoric and how we evaluate what constitutes a "good" speaker and their ethos. It will highlight how ableism is embedded in social norms, using classroom public-speaking rubrics to do so. Students learn how to identify these ableist assumptions better and…

Online activism is a space of opportunity for students to encounter social justice issues, explore the possibilities of visual rhetoric, practice persuasive speaking skills, and actively contribute to the momentum of social movements. At the same time, digital activism raises concerns about "slacktivism," limiting the necessary…

Courses: Public Speaking, Rhetorical Criticism, Intercultural Communication. Objectives: By utilizing a culturally competent Asiacentric approach to public speaking, students will be able to: (1) identify public-speaking techniques that more readily align with culturally relevant paradigms; (2) adopt a mindful approach to public speaking that…

Higher education frequently utilizes collaborative learning, and collaboration is also emphasized as an important skill in the workplace. However, students often feel apprehensive about group projects. The semester-long Collaborative Writing and Presenting course teaches students how to collaborate on communication projects using best practices…

Unaffordable textbooks highlight neoliberal regimes in higher education, whereby privatization and profit undermine student success. The cost of textbooks has risen more than 1,000% since 1977 (Popken, B. 2015, Aug. 6. College textbook prices have risen 1,041 percent since 1977. NBC News. https://www.nbcnews.com/…

Courses: Persuasion, Marketing, Advanced Public Speaking, Argumentation. Objectives: The aims of this assignment are to introduce students to the concept of data mining as a tool for audience analysis and to improve students' ability to adapt a message to a specific audience.

Courses: Public speaking. Objectives: This assignment reduces speech anxiety through the affect-reframing power of gratitude, and enables students to consolidate their gains by experiencing social support from a staff mentor.

Students are challenged to write papers and give oral presentations across disciplines. Yet, the audience for students often remains the same: college personnel and classroom peers. Communication classrooms are ideal places to learn about and practice audience adaptation, specifically modifying content for different audiences, contexts, and…

Courses: Introduction to Rhetoric and Communication, Basic Course, Public Speaking, Classical Rhetoric. Objectives: To re-establish disciplinary commitment to civic education in perilous democratic times through "imitatio."

This activity extends the rich pedagogical scholarship on impromptu speaking by integrating visual imagery into the impromptu speaking exercise. The goal of this semester-long series of exercises is to provide students with the opportunity to apply effective delivery skills across general purposes of speaking, receive feedback, and thus develop…

E-journaling invites students to reflect upon and synthesize their experiences, readings, discussions, and presentations in a series of electronic entries, usually viewed only by the student and the instructor. E-journaling assignments have become easier to complete and grade in the last few years because they are now supported by learning…