5 public speaking resource files
Story starters, Expert interviews, Picture prompts ...
Here's 5 instantly available printable resource files for 5 impromptu public speaking activities, suitable for middle school and up.
I know from experience they'll persuade your students public speaking truly can be fun! You'll find the activities eagerly asked for again, and again.
Get ready to introduce your class to the joys of:
The 5 activities supported by these printables are brilliant and worth while 'fillers' for those spare time at the end of lesson situations, for a wind down session preceding the holidays, or for short notice relief teaching. They teach serious skills almost effortlessly. And you can set them up in a moment!*
Use sturdy card to print the files and you'll have five evergreen resources you can use over and over again.
*Please note, two of these activities and their printable files are part of my public speaking games ebook: 28 games plus all the resource files needed to play them. Additionally, four of them were originally put together as special Christmas gifts for my Speaking Out Loud newsletter subscribers and the fifth supports a page on using picture as prompts I developed to assist people homeschooling for the first time because of Covid-19.
Now here they are, available whether you subscribe to my newsletter or not, in one convenient bundle for $5.95 US. ☺
What these impromptu speaking games help achieve
Many students are terrified of public speaking. Presenting in front of their peers is often top of a 'to-be-avoided-at-all-costs' list.
What the games, that you'll use these resource files to play, principally do is to allow students to practice public speaking in non-threatening, safe way. A lot of the time they'll literally forget to be scared because they're having so much fun.
You'll see them grow in confidence and relax. You'll see them beginning to take risks to speak up, to be heard, and to be seen. They'll string ideas together more fluently, and more coherently. They'll become more flexible thinkers: able to pivot readily and find something relevant to say about whatever they're asked to.
If you're nervous about introducing them to your students, put your anxiety aside. These games are valuable additions to your teaching repertoire. You'll soon relax and enjoy facilitating them as much as the people in your classes enjoy playing them. (If you'd like them I have prepared tips for teachers on setting the scene for playing public speaking games safely and respectively.)
Take a peek!
About the games
1. Story Starters
I marked the holiday season of 2018 by sending Story Starters to my newsletter subscribers.
The game is an invitation to suspend truth, embellish reality and immerse yourself, your students, friends and family, in storytelling, and fun.
The pdf has all the instructions you need and a printable of 80 story starters. Eg. This is a secret I've never shared before.
To play print off the number of starters you need. Put them into a container, topic side down. When it is their turn, a person picks a topic from the container. Whatever is on the card they've chosen is what they must begin their story with.
Here's just a few of the skills telling 2-3 minutes stories using Story Starters will help develop:
- an awareness of the elements of entertaining storytelling – structure, appeal, characterization, varied vocabulary ...
- imaginative, creative thinking
- all aspects of vocal variety – pace, pause, pitch, volume, fluency
- use of body language
- audience awareness – the ability to gauge when to change direction if the audience is not responding well, and when to finish the story.
2. Expert Interviews
In 2017 subscribers got 100 Expert Interview Ideas.
Expert Interviews is one of the most loved public speaking games I play with people. From middle school age and up, it's always been a success.
It's a paired game. One person is the interviewer and the other is the expert on a topic unknown until the interviewer lets them know in their introduction. Eg. Please give our visiting expert Malcom Jones a very warm welcome. Malcom, please tell us a little about where your passion for growing unusual vegetables began.
When the first 2-3 minute interview is finished, the roles are swapped over.
The file contains instructions for playing the game, and a printable of 100 Expert Interview Ideas; name and subject. Eg. Malcom Jones, Grower of rare vegetables.
3. Would you rather ...?
And in 2016, newsletter subscribers got 'Would You Rather' questions to play with.
Some questions are tricky. And some are quite silly. ☺However what's guaranteed is they're bound to get people talking and there'll be loads of laughter!
Print the questions. Cut them out. Put them in a container face down. Get your players together. Nominate who starts. That person picks a card. Whatever card they draw they must talk on. So: 'Would you rather tell a lie to avoid an unpleasant scene, or tell the truth and face it?'
The goal is a 1 - 2 minutes response. And then it's the next person's turn to choose a card and speak.
4. Song titles
In 2015 the Christmas thank you was a collection of 100 Song Titles to use as prompts for a round of one minute speeches: Blue Suede Shoes, Clouds In My Coffee, Paint It Black, Nowhere Man ...
A title could also be the beginning of a speech, (a story starter), or its end line.
5. Picture prompts
Lastly, here's a resource file of 40 high quality images. It, like the other files, was originally a give-away. It was specifically put together to provide teachers or homeschooling parents with suitable and immediately accessible images to use with these five picture based public speaking activities. (Visit the link for more information about the activities.)
For US based teachers
The activities belong to the English Language Arts (ELA) Literacy strand and meet the Common Core Standards (CCSS) Speaking & Listening criteria listed below. (To find out more click the grade link you want. It will take you to the page on the Common Core State Standards website, www.corestandards.org/, that will give you more information.)
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.6.4
Present claims and findings, sequencing ideas logically and using pertinent descriptions, facts, and details to accentuate main ideas or themes; use appropriate eye contact, adequate volume, and clear pronunciation.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.6.6
Adapt speech to a variety of contexts and tasks, demonstrating command of formal English when indicated or appropriate.
Safe place purchasing
I want you to be happy with your purchase and the download process.
If you find these five public speaking resource files are not what you need, or what you thought they were, email me within 30 days of buying them and I'll refund your full purchase price.
Or if you run into problems with the download process contact me via my product support page. I'll sort it out for you as fast as possible.
Download instructions
Please note:
You are buying 5 instantly available downloadable pdf files. To get them, after you have paid;
Step one
You will be automatically returned from the PayPal payment page to a special page on this site containing the Five Public Speaking Resource pdf download links.
Step two
Click on the pdf links. When they open, download and save each of the pdfs to your computer.
Download support
If you have any problems with the download process contact me as soon as you can. I'll sort it out for you as fast as possible.
From fear to fun in 28 ways
A complete one stop resource to scuttle fear in the best of all possible ways - with laughter.
