Resources: Public Speaking and Role Models

Courtesy of a colleague of please enjoy the two resources below.

Speak Out 
Overview: I recently had the opportunity to use this website; (while subbing) the students, who were working on a 1 minute speech, used the following link http://www.speakoutchallenge.com/tips/ to watch a series of short videos on various public speaking skills. In a class that can at times be a little off task, all of the students were actively engaged while watching the videos and completed a plan to integrate the skills therein when delivering their own speeches. See below for a brief description of the Speak Put Challenge taken directly from their site.

Description from website:
"Jack Petchey’s “Speak Out” Challenge! is a program run by Speakers Trust and funded by the Jack Petchey Foundation.

We believe everybody should have the skills, confidence and desire to speak in public, and are dedicated to helping people of all ages and levels achieve this.

We are a registered charity, and work in partnership with the not-for-profit and social enterprise sectors – from prisons to schools, charities and community groups."

My Hero...

The directory at http://myhero.com/directory/ allows students to search "hero's" or role models by categories. After selecting a category they are taken to rather comprehensive list of heroes and heroines from history to modern day, once a hero is selected the students can read a short bio about the person and their accomplishments. This resource would be great to use for research projects across subject area and/or to complement a service learning project. (They even have a list of animal heroes)