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Lesson 1 of 4
  • Year 5

What makes a successful speech?

I can understand what makes a successful speech.

Lesson 1 of 4
New
New
  • Year 5

What makes a successful speech?

I can understand what makes a successful speech.

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. A speech is written for a specific audience in order to achieve its purpose.
  2. Speeches can inform an audience about something they may not already know about.
  3. The purpose of a speech is always to impact the audience in some way.
  4. A speech will often try to persuade an audience to agree with its main themes.

Keywords

  • Speech - the communication of someone’s thoughts, through words, to an audience

  • Persuade - to convince or to make someone agree with you

Common misconception

Pupils may try to include every one of these features in their speech.

Teach pupils that a speech does not need to contain all of these features. Encourage pupils to choose three features to include.


To help you plan your year 5 English lesson on: What makes a successful speech?, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

In the second learning cycle, you will watch Martin Luther King's 'I Have A Dream' speech, given in August 1963. Prepare this ahead of the lesson so that you are ready to show your class.
Teacher tip

Equipment

You will need access to a video clip of Martin Luther King's 'I Have A Dream' speech, given in August 1963, for this lesson.

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

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6 Questions

Q1.
True or false? A speech is usually made in front of an audience.

Correct Answer: true, True

Q2.
Which of these features of a successful speech did Martin Luther King Jr. use in his speech 'I have a Dream'?

adding humour
Correct answer: repetition
using facts and statistics

Q3.
How can a speaker connect to the audience when making a speech?

by looking at the floor
Correct answer: by looking at the audience
by look at the sky

Q4.
True or false? It is not important to speak loudly when making a speech.

Correct Answer: false, False

Q5.
Which of these people may make speeches as part of their jobs?

postal workers
Correct answer: teachers
bus drivers

Q6.
A speech is usually given ...

sitting down.
Correct answer: standing up.
lying down.

Assessment exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
True or false? A speech is the informal communication of someone’s thoughts, through words, to an audience.

Correct Answer: false, False

Q2.
True or false? A sports coach may deliver speeches to their team.

Correct Answer: true, True

Q3.
True or false? The purpose of a speech is to have an impact on the audience in some way.

Correct Answer: true, True

Q4.
Which of the following are features of a successful speech?

Correct answer: provoking an emotional response
Correct answer: using rhetorical questions
having an unclear purpose
presenting no proof
Correct answer: using facts and statistics

Q5.
Persuading means __________ someone to believe or do something by presenting arguments and reasons.

Correct answer: convincing
telling
asking

Q6.
Select the top tips for being a successful speaker.

Correct answer: Stand up to speak.
Speak quietly.
Correct answer: Engage your audience by showing confidence and charisma.
Read directly from your notes.
Correct answer: Make eye contact with the audience.