Brainstorming for Writing a Speech!

TASK:  To write a speech that answers the following question:  How will we ever get out of this labyrinth of suffering?

In order to answer this question, you must first determine the following:

1. Audience - Who are you writing to?  You must have a particular group of people in mind when writing a speech in order to choose the right words that can motivate them.

2. Topic - What particular kind of suffering is this group the victim of?  You must have a topic in mind in order to address the specific concerns of your audience.

BRAINSTORMING

Respond thoughtfully to each of the following bullet points in your journal.  This is the first step in gathering ideas for writing your speech.  Before moving on to writing the first draft, you must conference with Harrison/Silvia about your journal responses:

• Describe your audience.  Who are you writing to?  This must be a specific group of people that you personally care about. 
• Describe your topic.  What kind of problem does this group of people suffer from?  Why do you care about this problem in the world?  
• Summarize your speech in a few sentences.  What are you going to say to your audience to convince them that you "know the way to the center of the labyrinth?"  

RESOURCES

You may research ideas for your audience/topic on the internet.  You can choose a historical situation, current event, or even a personal problem to focus on for the topic of your speech.

For help thinking of a topic: Persuasive Topics

For help organizing the speech: Writing Center

For ideas on how to write a great speech:  Forbes

For help on how to win a Cannoli eating contest, ask this guy:

AFTER conferencing with Harrison about your topic: 

Find a speech or essay online that addresses the same topic and audience you chose.  Read this text carefully and do the following:  

• List three main points that the writer was trying to make 
• For each point, explain the reasoning and evidence that the writer provided