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      Deciding the purpose of a speech

      Lesson details

      Learning outcome

      I can decide the purpose of a speech.

      Key learning points

      1. The purpose of your speech is the reason why you are speaking.
      2. Speeches often try to persuade an audience to agree with its main themes.
      3. Speeches can inform an audience about something they may not already know about.
      4. Speeches can provoke an emotional response.

      Keywords

      • Purpose - the reason for which something exists or is done

      • Persuade - to convince someone to think, feel or do something

      • Inform - to give someone information

      • Provoke - to stir up feelings or emotions

      • Anecdotes - short stories from a person's real life

      Common misconception

      Children may think that speeches do not need to have a specific purpose.

      A speaker must consider their purpose for speaking before they write their speech so they know what impact they wish to have on the audience

      Teacher tip

      Each lesson would benefit from speaking and listening games being played at the start to warm-up the class. Try the game articulate, where one person is describing something without using its name.

      Licence

      This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0
      except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions
      (Collection 2).

      Lesson video

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      Prior knowledge starter quiz

      6 Questions

      Q1.
      What is the name for the way that something is organised?

      a skeleton
      a survey
      Correct answer: a structure

      Q2.
      Which two of these are benefits of using a structure when making a speech?

      Correct answer: reducing nervousness
      Correct answer: appearing prepared and professional
      making the speech louder
      making the speech longer

      Q3.
      Put these parts of the PEPS structure in order.

      1 - point
      2 - explanation
      3 - proof
      4 - summary

      Q4.
      Which part of the PEPS structure will be where a speaker will expand on their opinion with extra details?

      point
      Correct answer: explanation
      proof
      summary

      Q5.
      The word 'because' is found in which part of the PEPS structure?

      Correct answer: point
      explanation
      proof
      summary

      Q6.
      How many reasons should a speaker give in their point when they are justifying their opinion?

      zero
      Correct answer: one
      two
      three

      6 Questions

      Q1.
      What is the word for the reason that something exists or is done?

      point
      Correct answer: purpose
      proof

      Q2.
      Which two of these are reasons for making a speech?

      Correct answer: to inform
      to instruct
      to collaborate
      Correct answer: to persuade

      Q3.
      A reason for making a speech may be to provoke what from an audience?

      applause
      Correct answer: an emotional response
      silence

      Q4.
      Which word means 'to convince someone to think, feel or do something'?

      Correct answer: persuade
      persevere
      persist

      Q5.
      Before writing their speech, what must a speaker decide?

      Correct answer: what emotional response they want from the audience
      what side of the audience to look at most
      what they will wear

      Q6.
      What is an anecdote?

      a rhyme
      a sentence containing a person's name
      Correct answer: a short story told from real life experience

      To help you plan your 4 English lesson on: Deciding the purpose of a speech, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...