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Public Speaking 101

Mic check. 1, 2, 3. Is this thing on?

  • Course Length: 6 weeks
  • Course Type: Basic
  • Category:
    • Humanities
    • Life Skills

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No matter what field of work you go into, chances are good that at some point in your career, you're going to have to stand up in front of a bunch of people and jabber at them. (By "jabber," of course we mean, "speak intelligently and eloquently about an important topic.")

You're probably not entirely new to public speaking, even if you think you are. Have you ever had to give an oral report for a class?

Boom. Public speaking.

Have you given a toast at a wedding or shouted into a megaphone at a pep rally?

Boom again. Public speaking.

Have you stood on a street corner, shouting about how the end of the world is nigh?

Sorry. Unless you managed to get an audience, that isn't technically public speaking.

Public speaking isn't just a job skill—it's a life skill. And who doesn't want to bulk up on their life skills? Yes, that's right. We're telling you that taking this course will make you better at life.

Even if you already having some public speaking experience under your belt, there are lots of ways to improve, and in ways you might not expect. This course will equip you with a large and varied toolbox full of techniques that'll help you say what you want to say, say it well, and say it in a way that will make your audience really listen.

For those of you who have somehow avoided speaking in public until now…your time will come, friend. Your time will come. (Does that sound super ominous? Good. We meant it to.) Taking this class is an excellent first step to preparing for this near-inevitable moment in your life.

Unit Breakdown

1 Public Speaking 101 - Basics and Background

In this first unit, we'll go over some of the basic principles of public speaking. We'll also explore a brief history of public speaking, as well as ethical concerns a speaker must keep in mind. Along the way, you'll watch (or read) several speeches from real life to see some public speaking in action.

2 Public Speaking 101 - Rhetoric

This unit will introduce the art of rhetoric and cover many rhetorical concepts and techniques that effective speakers employ. We'll take a close-up look at Martin Luther King, Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech to see just how effective the use of rhetoric can be. We'll also start reading Thank You For Arguing: What Aristotle, Lincoln, and Homer Simpson Can Teach Us About the Art of Persuasion by Jay Heinrichs. (You'll be seeing more of him later in the course, too.)

3 Public Speaking 101 - Speech-day Preppers

Unit 3 is all about how to prepare for an effective speech. You'll learn about the types of speeches, how to perform audience analysis, and how to identify the main idea of speech. The unit also covers the importance of critical thinking, research, and outlining. We'll read more from Thank You For Arguing, as well as chapters from Confessions of a Public Speaker by Scott Berkun. The more speakers to teach us, the better.

4 Public Speaking 101 - Crafting the Speech

Developing effective strategies for writing a speech is the name of the game in this unit—though we're guessing the title gave that away. We'll explore the fundamentals of writing effective introductions and conclusions, but the bulk of the unit focuses on how to employ language effectively in many different ways, from figures of speech to humor to talking in "code." Get ready for more speech-watching, more book-reading, and more public speaking excitement all around. 

5 Public Speaking 101 - Let's Get Visual

When it comes to public speaking, the words a speaker says are pretty important. But that's not all there is to knocking a speech out of the park. 

This unit will focus on the images and other visuals a speaker can use to engage the audience and convey information effectively. We'll take a look at all kinds of visual aids out there, but our main squeeze is going to be the most common form of visual aid: the slide presentation. You'll get the scoop on all aspects of creating effective slides, from graphic design to diagrams to the use of effective images.

6 Public Speaking 101 - Practicing the Speech

This unit is all about developing effective strategies for practicing a speech, and building confidence before actually delivering said speech. Since speaking in public is intimidating for a lot of folks, we're going to get up close and personal with these common fears—and techniques to overcome them. 

7 Public Speaking 101 - Delivering the Speech

It's finally here: it's time to actually deliver the speech. (Hypothetically speaking, that is. Unless you want to give a practice speech to your dog—but that's totally optional and doesn't count for extra credit.)

This unit will explore methods of delivery, the importance of the physical space where you're speaking, ways of keeping an audience's attention, and cross-examination. We'll read a few more chapters from Confessions of a Public Speaker, plus we'll watch some videos of author Scott Berkun in action as he delivers actual speeches of his own. Finally, we're going to end this unit with a bang when you watch and read about three stellar speakers: Barack Obama, Steve Jobs, and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. 

8 Public Speaking 101 - Learning to Listen

We'll keep things short and sweet in our final unit. In just a few lessons, you'll explore effective listening and feedback strategies, review an original rubric to see how a speech should be evaluated, and watch real-life speeches to put that original rubric to use. Get those red pens ready.