Welcome back!

This term’s plan

• As part of your English Language GCSE, you have to prepare and present a speech to the rest
of the class.
• Sounds horrendous, but it isn’t really!
• You choose what to talk about, but we prepare it together.
• You’ll practise how to be a confident speaker, which is a really useful skill for life.
• You get a separate certificate that employers may want to see when you go for interviews.
• You’ll learn how to make both your speech and your writing more persuasive, and you’ll
recognise when other people are using those techniques on you!
• You must complete this activity in order to qualify for passing your English Language GCSE.
• It is graded as: fail/pass/merit/distinction.
• Your presentation will be videoed as it has to be sent to the exam board.
 Spoken Language
• AO7: Demonstrate presentation skills in a formal
setting
• AO8: Listen and respond appropriately to spoken
language, including to questions and feedback on
presentations
• AO9: Use spoken Standard English effectively in
speeches and presentations
 Key requirements
• Presentations must be formal.
• Students must identify the subject for their presentations in advance
and agree it with their teacher.
• Presentations must be planned and organised. Students should be
advised that that lack of preparation is likely to prevent access to the
criteria for the higher grades.
• Students may use pre-prepared notes, PowerPoint etc. to assist them
during their presentations but this is not a requirement.
• As part of, or following, the presentation students must listen to and
respond appropriately to questions and feedback.
 Anyone heard of a young man called
Musharaf?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XogvI6TP72M&safe=active
 Your task: ‘Don’t get me started on…’

Choose one thing that really

irritates/annoys/bugs you and plan a presentation
around that topic
 Now time to get thinking!
Task 1:

Pick something that annoys you/irritates you/bugs

you. 1. They’re really unpleasant
• It could be a tv programme, a style of music, a
to look at.
particular animal- anything you don’t like. 2. They leave slime
• Don’t make it someone you know personally, though. everywhere.
It needs to be something general.
3. They can turn up
• Task 2: unexpectedly in your
kitchen.
Write down five things you don’t like about that topic.
4. You can tread on them if
• This is going to be the framework that you’re going to you’re not looking.
build a persuasive speech around. 5. What do they actually DO?
• Don’t worry, this is only a practice. You won’t have to
talk about this for your GCSE presentation if you don’t
want to.
Writing techniques
Direct Address
• Communicate with your reader or listener as if you are speaking to
them.

• Ask yourself. Should people live like this?

• Think: How does this WORK?
Alliteration
• The repetition of initial letters or groups of letters in two or more
words.

•Crushing, crippling hunger.

• Again, how does this work?

Anecdote
• A short, personal story used to add validity your point.

I remember when I was at school…

• Again, how does this work?

Facts
• Something that is true, and provable.

•People are dying of dehydration every

day.

• How does this work?

Opinions
• Not provable, but what the writer or speaker feels about something.

• This government is failing our schools.

• How does that work?

Rhetorical questions
• A question without an answer. Used to make people think.

• Have you ever witnessed a crime?

• How does this make you feel?

Repetition
• Repeating a word or a phrase for emphasis.

• Uniform is pointless. It really is pointless.

• How does this make you feel?

Emotive language
• A word-choice that evokes an emotional response in the reader.

• Puppies are dying of neglect every day.

• How does this make you feel?

Exaggeration
• Over stating an opinion or fact to make a point.

• I’ve asked this question a million times.

• How does this make you feel?

Statistics
• Figures that back up a statement or argument

32% of ten year olds in Derby cannot read.

Why is this effective?

What’s the DANGER here?
Triples
• Three points to support an argument.

• Safer streets means comfort, reassurance and peace

of mind for you, your family and your friends.

• What are the triples? How do they work?

 Ban the biscuit!
We’re now going to read the speech on Page 4 and try to identify some
persuasive writing techniques.

DAFOREST
ENGLISH : KNOWLEDGE ORGANISER: SPEECHES AND RHETORIC
What is rhetoric?
The art of effective
persuasive speaking or
writing.
Non-verbal communication includes:
• Facial expressions
• Tone of voice
• Gestures displayed through body
language
• Posture (how you are standing/
positioned)
• Eye contact
• Using time (pauses/ silences)
Speech: to persuade, inform and
entertain
• Clear address to an audience
• Uses rhetorical/ persuasive
features
• Use of punctuation (pauses)
for effect
• Memorable words and
phrases
• Powerful, clear sign off
Rhetorical Devices (DAFOREST)
D • DIRECT ADDRESS: addressing the listener directly using ‘you’-
instantly involves them and engages them
A • ALLITERATION: the occurrence of the same letter or sound at the
beginning of adjacent or closely connected words.
• ANECDOTE: a short, amusing or interesting story about a real
incident or person. ‘I had a friend who…’
F • FACT: a thing that is known to be true.
O • OPINION: a view or judgement formed about something, not
necessarily based on fact or knowledge.
R • REPETITION: repeating the same words or phrases a few times to
make an idea clearer and more memorable.
• RHETORICAL QUESTION: a question asked in order to create a
dramatic effect to make a point rather than to get an answer.
E • EMOTIVE LANGUAGE: .words or phrases that change the feel of a
sentence through evoking a particular emotional reaction from
the reader/ listener
S • STATISTICS: numbers or facts that are used to provide convincing
information.
T • TRICOLON (TRIPLETS): three related words or points, presented in
quick succession for literary effect
 Anaphora
Repetition of the first part of a sentence:

My life is my purpose. My life is my goal. My life is my

inspiration.
 Modal verbs
These are verbs that indicate likelihood, ability, permission or
obligation.

Words like: can/could, may/might, will/would, shall/should and must.

Racism must be wiped out.

 Hypophora
Posing a question and then answering it.

State of the Union Address 2015, by Barack Obama

But why, some say, the moon? Why choose this as our goal? And they may well ask
why climb the highest mountain? Why, 35 years ago, fly the Atlantic? Why does Rice
play Texas?
We choose to go to the moon. We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do
the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard, because that
goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills, because
that challenge is one that we are willing to accept, one we are unwilling to postpone,
and one which we intend to win, and the others, too.
 Personal pronouns
I, you, he, she, it, we they, me, him, her, us, and them.

You and I both know that the laws are too relaxed in this
country.
 Epizeuxis
Repetition of words in succession within a same sentence

O horror, horror, horror!

 Verbal irony
Sarcasm!

Saying "Oh, fantastic!" when the situation is actually very

poor.
 Apposition
A situation in which two nouns or noun phrases are used to
refer to the same person or thing.

In the expression "my brother Joe", "my brother" and "Joe"

are in apposition.
 Epistrophe
Repetition at the end of a sentence.

I’m tired of this job. I’m over this job. I’m done with this job!
 Analogy
A similarity between like features of two things, on which a comparison
may be based e.g. the analogy between the heart and a pump. It is
used to create new understanding in the audience.

They crowded very close about him, with their hands always on him in
a careful, caressing grip, as though all the while feeling him to make
sure he was there. It was like men handling a fish which is still alive
and may jump back into the water. But he stood quite unresisting,
yielding his arms limply to the ropes, as though he hardly noticed what
was happening.
 Hyperbole
An author or speaker purposely and obviously exaggerating to an
extreme.

She’s going to die of embarrassment.

 Metaphor
A metaphor is a figure of speech that describes an object or action in a
way that isn’t literally true, but helps explain an idea or make a
comparison.

If you’re a black sheep, you get cold feet, or you think love is a
highway, then you’re probably thinking metaphorically.
 Understatement
An understatement is a figure of speech employed by writers or
speakers to intentionally make a situation seem less important than it
really is.

For example, you win 10 million dollars in a lottery. When you tell a
news reporter “I am delighted,” you are making an understatement.
 Allusion
Allusion is a brief and indirect reference to a person, place, thing or
idea of historical, cultural, literary or political significance. It does not
describe in detail the person or thing to which it refers. It is just a
passing comment and the writer expects the reader to possess enough
knowledge to spot the allusion and grasp its importance in a text.

Don’t act like a Romeo in front of her. – ‘Romeo’ is a reference to

Shakespeare’s Romeo, a passionate lover of Juliet, in ‘Romeo and
Juliet’.
ENGLISH : KNOWLEDGE ORGANISER: SPEECHES AND RHETORIC

What is rhetoric? Rhetorical Devices (DAFOREST) More persuasive

The art of effective devices to define and
D • DIRECT ADDRESS: addressing the listener directly using ‘you’- try out:
persuasive speaking or instantly involves them and engages them
writing. A • ALLITERATION: the occurrence of the same letter or sound at the Anaphora
beginning of adjacent or closely connected words.
Non-verbal communication includes: • ANECDOTE: a short, amusing or interesting story about a real Modal verbs
• Facial expressions incident or person. ‘I had a friend who…’
• Tone of voice Hypophora
• Gestures displayed through body F • FACT: a thing that is known to be true.
language Personal pronouns
• Posture (how you are standing/ O • OPINION: a view or judgement formed about something, not
positioned) necessarily based on fact or knowledge. Epizeuxis
• Eye contact Verbal irony
• Using time (pauses/ silences) R • REPETITION: repeating the same words or phrases a few times to
make an idea clearer and more memorable.
• RHETORICAL QUESTION: a question asked in order to create a Apposition
Speech: to persuade, inform and dramatic effect to make a point rather than to get an answer.
entertain Epistrophe
• Clear address to an audience E • EMOTIVE LANGUAGE: .words or phrases that change the feel of a Analogy
• Uses rhetorical/ persuasive sentence through evoking a particular emotional reaction from
features the reader/ listener Hyperbole
• Use of punctuation (pauses)
for effect
S • STATISTICS: numbers or facts that are used to provide convincing Metaphor
information.
• Memorable words and Understatement
phrases T • TRICOLON (TRIPLETS): three related words or points, presented in
• Powerful, clear sign off quick succession for literary effect Allusion
 Room 101
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=It2Zc-LpL7o&safe=active

(Room 101 is a reference to a torture chamber in the novel 1984 by

George Orwell, where prisoners had to face their worst fears. The TV
programme’s a bit lighter than that!)

Who do you think is the most persuasive in the way that they speak and
why (try to acknowledge some techniques if you can!)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9so9N9Rm-dA&safe=active
 Picking a topic
Now is the time to pick a topic and stick with it! Here are some
categories that might help you:

• Food (chewing gum)

• Animals (slugs)
• Injustices (gender pay gap)
• Music (jazz)
• Films (Fast and Furious)
• School (Maths)
 Writing an engaging opening

What do you think makes an engaging opening?

 Evaluating opening paragraphs
Example Positives (techniques, What would improve
style, engagement this particular
level) opening?
 An example opening paragraph

I am here today to talk to you about why I don’t like

slugs and I really hope that after listening to my speech
you will agree with how horrible they are.
 Is this any better?

Slugs are pretty unpleasant to look at. Black, wrinkly,

slimy little creatures, with horrible eyes on fleshy little
stalks. Certainly not the kind of animal you’d choose as
a pet.
 Writing your speech
Opening Despite this, they continue to enter my
house every night.
Reason 1 Firstly, let me tell you a story about
Reason 2 when I stood on a slug.
Finally, let me ask you this: could we live
Reason 3 perfectly happily without them?
However, I do live in an old house so
Reason 4 maybe it’s part of the territory.
Consequently, I went out immediately to
Reason 5 buy slug pellets.

Conclusion In fact, slugs only live two years so that’s

a small mercy, isn’t it?!