Public speaking is such an important life skill, so to help you get started here are some helpful resources for homeschool speech class.
Helpful Resources for Homeschool Speech Class
I know, most people are terrified of public speaking! However, most of us will have to do some public speaking sometime in life. So, why not equip our teens to feel confident when they face these times where some kind of speech must happen?
Sometimes parents have asked me, my homeschooler will never be a teacher, preacher or politician so how will they need preparation for public speaking?
Here is my answer: Any time you are speaking and a group of any-aged people are looking at you, that is public speaking. And one thing that tends to make folks feel nervous is the feeling of “eyes on them”.
Therefore, your homeschool high schooler might find themselves public speaking when they:
- Teach a lesson in Sunday school or children’s church
- Do fundraising for a missions trip or service project
- Make a presentation as part of a scholarship competition
- Give a report in a homeschool co-op or group class at their umbrella school
With this in mind, we trained our teens in our local homeschool co-op and group classes in speech-making skills using the information and activities in the curriculum that became 7Sisters Speech 1 curriculum. (For groups there is a teacher’s manual (or for use by individual students- not in a class), student workbook, as well as an excerpt so you can get a feel for this actually-fun curriculum. Not only that, but remember we offer group discounts.)
7Sisters Speech curriculum helps build teens’ confidence in public speaking by introducing skills gradually and in a light-hearted manner. The teacher’s manual has videos and activities outlined but we know that teens often want more suggestions.
So, here are more helpful resources for homeschool speech class based on the chapters in the curriculum
Remember, there’s not ONE right way to homeschool high school. Therefore, there’s not ONE right way to teach public speaking. Ignore or adapt any 7Sisters curriculum and resources to your needs!
BTW- One helpful resource in 7Sisters Speech curriculum is the evaluation printable cards that are included in each chapter. These cards are used by the teacher as a student shares their public speaking project. Not only that but the other teens in their class learn to be polite listeners and evaluators as they also use the cards.
Note: Here are some Lesson Plans for Speech class teachers to help you get organized. Also, click here for information on ways to earn various amounts of Speech credit, along with a sample syllabus.
Kid Lit/Interpretation of Children’s Literature- Lesson 1 in the text
In this lesson, teens learn to read aloud favorite children’s books. Every family has favorite books that they read aloud when the kids were little. In case your teens have forgotten them, here are a few classics that make good read alouds:
- Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No-Good,Really Bad Day by Judith Viorst
- Amazing Grace by Mary Hoffman
- Aunt Flossie’s Hats by Elizabeth Fitzgerald Howard
- Goodnight, Moon by Marguerite Wise Brown
- Change Sings by Amanda Gorman (a new book)
- Corduroy by Don Freeman
- Curious George by HA Rey
- If You Give a Mouse a Cookie by Laura Numeroff
- Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel byVirginia Lee Burton
- Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
- You Are Special by Max Lucado
Bible Reading- Lesson 2 in the text
In this lesson, teens read a favorite Bible passage. Sometimes teens feel overwhelmed trying to choose passages out of the entire Bible. There are suggestions in the text but here are a few more:
- Psalms 19, 23 or 91
- Parables such as Matthew 13:31-32 or Matthew 13:47-50 or Matthew 18:10-14
- The Beatitudes (Matthew 5:1-11)
- Love is…(I Corinthians 13:1-8)
- Rejoicing and wise thinking (Philippians 4: 4-9)
Spoken-Word Poetry- Lesson 3 in the text
Beginners should choose a short and simple poem for their first experience with spoken-word poetry. There are some suggestions in the text but here are a few more:
- A Red, Red Rose by Robert Burns
- Dreams by Langston Hughes
- Fire and Ice by Robert Frost
- No Man is an Island by John Donne
- Ozymandias by Percy Bysshe Shelley
- Stopping by the Woods on a Snowy Evening by Robert Frost
- The Cross by John Newton
- The Lord Will Provide by William Cowper (feel free to edit out a couple of verses)
- The New Colossus by Emma Lazarus
- This is Just to Say by William Carlos Williams
Presenting a Humorous Monologue- Lesson 4 in the text
This lesson is a bit different, so I would suggest sticking with the monologues in the text. However, if you wish, feel free to find others.
You will not need samples for the rest of the text because the remainder of the Speech 1 text coaches teens through organizing, writing and presenting several types speeches.
Our homeschool graduates tell us that they are so grateful for the training they had in public speaking. They have found that in small and large ways they have used those skills.
You will give your homeschool high schoolers a true life-preparation course when you give them Speech 1. Let us know what your teens choose for their public speaking experiences! Check out more information on teaching public speaking in our Authoritative Guide post.
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