Informative Speech Assignment:

1. Select someone as the subject of your speech that you admire. To admire is to respect, to regard with approval, even to be in awe of. We admire people for different reasons, but generally we admire their character, their personal qualities, and their abilities. To admire someone is to find in that person characteristics we would like to imitate. A figure of admiration, then, serves us as something like a role model.

2. Prepare a speech (5-7 minutes) that informs your audience about a person you admire. Your speech should be organized following the pattern of the Three Tell Thems. You will also turn in a written worksheet with this speech. (The worksheet will be given to your instructor prior to giving the speech.)

3. The speech should be delivered extemporaneously using a prepared set of speaking notes. DO NOT READ THE SPEECH. Use your speaking notes to rehearse the speech, especially the introduction and the conclusion, several times.

4. Your figure of admiration can be someone you know, a person with a public life, a historical person, or even a figure from the world of literature. Only as a last resort should you look to an immediate family member as the topic for your speech.

5. Read in your textbook the assigned pages on the informative speech.

6. Due dates: You should have your topic chosen by _____________. Speeches will begin __________.

A WORD OF CAUTION: This speech is not an oral report (like those you may have given in other courses) since it asks you to offer interpretations and make judgments. It should be much more than simply collecting facts. Your goal is to help the audience better understand the person you admire and to see him or her from your personal perspective.