Impromptu-ish speaking 4 rounds

These will all be 2--minute talks, even though they are technically somewhat prepared, they need to seem natural. No notes. Know it, don't memorize it. Rehearse your opening, main points, and closing. Be flexible. Adapt, ad-lib, and improvise where needed. ​YES - any or all of this work can be used as fodder for any other work done this term, including article, memoir, and thesis.
​Round #1 - ​Pitch your article to the class.
  • focus is on your message, the types of support you'll use in your article, and using all three rhetorical appeals: ethos, logos, and pathos (while still doing all expected in talks 1)
  • Your stance is on some aspect of mental health - in this example we have the idea of using mindfulness to help us manage complex emotions, stress, and anxiety. Notice how he ends on his message with what people can actually do to help themselves. 
  • Watch thhis Ted Talk by the co-founder of meditation app Headspace Andy Puddicombe or Hailey Hardcastle's "Why Students Should Have Mental Health Days" 
Round #2 - watch Shawn Achor's TED talk "The Happy Secret to Better Work", then plan a 2-minute talk on a lesson you've learned in life so far that you value, and use anecdote as your central strategy to get this point across, like he does in his opening. Also observe his pacing, and how he alternates between humour and seriousness. I'm calling this game Spinal Tap - Turn it up to 11 - because I want to see variations in tone, emotion, pacing...to engage your audience. Make sure you end on a message we can all learn from your personal experience and at least 3 tips on how to apply this lesson in our everyday lives (like he does with 5 ways to retrain your brain toward the positive).
  • focus on rhetorical strategies, audience engagement, voice, using the anecdote! (while still doing all expected in talks 1 & 2)
​Round #3 - watch author of Deep Work Cal Newport's TED talk "Quit Social Media" (optional you can ALSO watch Nathalie Fratto's "3 Ways to Measure your Adaptability") and make an impassioned plea of your own. For this talk you will use your thesis topic - so make sure you have your argument and your 3 points that you think prove your thesis. You must also cite from news article #1. If you so choose, you can follow his structure and debunk the common arguments. This talk will let you know if you have a good thesis topic and enough clear points to research.
  • Focus on persuasive techniques and oratorical ability. Be convincing (while still doing all expected in talks 1, 2, & 3).
Round #4 - watch Aimee Mullins TED talk "The Opportunity of Adversity". Plan a 2-minute talk inspired by the breakdown of a single word's meaning. Think about how words are used to label, constrict, or expand our perception of self, others, and the world around us. Sauve's typed example.
  • Speaking focus is on poise, stance, & body language; following a structure of the 4 phases: lead & intro, body 1, body 2, move to wrap up and end on message. Your stance is CLEAR.​
  • If you're having trouble finding a word, make two columns, one one side list all the qualities and values other people think you have / think of you, on the right side list the ones you think you have (they may line up; they may not). Somewhere in the gap between the columns will be a concept, a word, that you could use to discuss what people think versus what is.