Finding your voice: choosing and researching a topic
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can choose an appropriate topic for my presentation and use research skills to begin developing ideas.
Key learning points
- Part of being an effective public speaker is ‘finding your voice’.
- Developing your authentic voice is all about your views and your voice.
- When picking a topic you could choose something that is important to you.
- Creating a meaningful statement or title can help to develop and focus ideas in your topic.
- Effective research can elevate a presentation, but must come from credible sources.
Keywords
Authentic - to be genuine, real, or true to yourself, without pretending to be someone or something else
Unique - one of a kind, unlike anything or anyone else
Credible - believable or trustworthy
Reliable - consistently provides accurate and valid information; can be depended upon
Reputable - having a good reputation or being considered trustworthy and reliable
Common misconception
When choosing a topic, you should not choose something personal to focus on.
Choosing something meaningful and personal can help you to find and develop your authentic voice. It's all about ensuring you talk about the topic in enough detail and complexity, regardless of what you choose.
Teacher tip
You may wish to adapt LC2 to suit the reserach resources available to your pupils.
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Which of these may not be considered a spoken language task?
Q2.What could be considered the primary purpose of public speaking?
Q3.The way someone holds themselves when they’re seated or standing is known as...
Q4.A speech's tone refers primarily to...
Q5.Which of the following is an example of non-verbal communication in spoken language?
Q6.What is the correct definition of the word 'gesture'?
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.When choosing a topic for a presentation you could...
Q2.Which of the following answers is not true? 'Finding your voice' can mean....
Q3.Complete this sentence: an authentic voice is a voice that…
Q4.Which word beginning with 'u' can be described as: 'one of a kind, unlike anything or anyone else.'?
Q5.Which word beginning with 'c' could be used to complete this sentence: 'The evidence was , believable and trustworthy.'?
Q6.Which of the following sources could be considered reputable?
To help you plan your 11 English lesson on: Finding your voice: choosing and researching a topic, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 11 English lesson on: Finding your voice: choosing and researching a topic, 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 4 English lessons from the Spoken language masters: refining public speaking skills unit, dive into the full secondary English curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.