Activity
- Ask students to watch a Greta Thunberg speech and explain how speeches are effective tools for voicing opinions and influencing others. Next, ask them to analyse it and consider:
- Purpose and audience – who is the target audience? What are the facts and what is she trying to accomplish?
- Content and tone – is there a hook, startling statement, or a story? Is it funny or serious?
- Language – are rhetorical devices used such as repetition, metaphor or simile?
- Structure – how do the opening and closing statements capture our attention?
- Delivery – how clearly does she talk? How is she standing? Does she come across as nervous/calm/excited/in control? How does she pace herself?
2. Ask students to devise ideas for a short speech about the climate emergency. Their ideas need to urge people to do more for their planet and to take responsibility for their actions. Remind them that like Greta, their actions can make a real difference. Words are powerful and young people can use their unique perspective to inform adults about the gravity of the situation.
Reflection
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What are the benefits of adding humour, powerful words or persuasive language in a speech to influence an audience?
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What techniques helped you dare to be different in your speech?
Go Further
Challenge the students to work the ideas up into a short speech and perform to each other. Ask students to analyse the purpose, content, language, structure and delivery of each other’s speeches. How could they be improved? You could use our full Teaching for Creativity lesson plans: Speeches That Changed the World based on acting techniques.
Imaginative: Exploring and Investigating
This supports students to explore daring to be different and standing up for what they believe.
