Writing a speech: openings and closings
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can craft an effective opening and closing paragraph for a persuasive speech.
Key learning points
- It is important to consider how the tone of a speech opening will engage the audience and establish your viewpoint.
- An introduction should hook your audience in, regardless of the topic.
- The ending of your persuasive speech presents the last opportunity to influence your audience.
- At the end of your persuasive speech, your audience should know exactly how to help or what to think or feel.
- Using rhetorical devices can elevate your opening and closing paragraphs.
Keywords
Impactful - memorable and significant
Compelling - convincing and attention grabbing
Viewpoint - a person’s opinion or perspective on something
Reinforce - to strengthen or further support something - in this context- an idea
Establish - to set-up, create or clearly introduce something - in this context - a viewpoint, argument or perspective
Common misconception
I don't have time to write an effective closing, I just need to get my work finished!
The ending is arguably the most important part of the piece of writing. You need to leave your audience with a clear message that is memorable. You will get quicker at writing effective closings the more you practice using specific strategies.
Teacher tip
There are opportunities for peer assessment or the sharing of work after Task A and B. This could be facilitated as a written or verbal task. You may also wish to prepare and share some effective opening and closing paragraphs from either published speeches or written models.
Content guidance
Depiction or discussion of discriminatory behaviour
Supervision
Adult supervision recommended
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Which of these is an example of anaphora?
Q2.Which of these is a declarative sentence?
Q3.Which of these words are not modal verbs?
Q4.Which word beginning with 'C' describes a piece of writing where all of the parts are clearly connected and well structured?
Q5.Which of these sentences would be considered informal?
Q6.Which device is being used in this sentence: "A government of the people, for the people, by the people, shall not perish from this earth."?
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Which of these sentences uses a modal verb?
Q2.What device has this opening sentence used: 'Like a badly swatted fly, the debate will not die.'?
Q3.Which type of sentences are the following: "A historic date for women. A historic date for humanity."?
Q4."We must kick those age old stereotypes into the past! We must take control of the game now! It’s time to shift the goal posts!" is an example of ...
Q5.Mirroring is a good way to close your speech. This is where ...
Q6.Which of the following is not part of creating a successful 'call to action'?
To help you plan your 9 English lesson on: Writing a speech: openings and closings, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 9 English lesson on: Writing a speech: openings and closings, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 3 English lessons from the Women's rights across the ages: non-fiction reading and writing unit, dive into the full secondary English curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.