Art of Public Speaking
8 1.5-hour classes:
1 What is it and why is it important?
2 What makes a good public speaker?
3 The language and audience
4 The structure
5 The structure 2
6 The delivery
7 Putting it all together and practising
8 Showcase (invited parents)
CLASS DESCRIPTION
Debate is a natural progression of both speech and logical thinking. In this course, we focus on the socratic method. This can be defined as “a form of a cooperative argumentative dialogue between two or more individuals, based on asking and answering questions to stimulate critical thinking and draw out more ideas and underlying presuppositions.” This course is offered in beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels. Top performers may be invited to the competition group.
SKILL ONE
PUBLIC SPEAKING: Public speaking is the highest ranked fear among adults—75% according to the National Institutes of Mental Health. Even the best logicians will struggle to perform well if they can’t transfer their thoughts into speech. Therefore, verbal performance is a core skill in this class.
SKILL TWO
SOCRATIC METHOD: This is the way arguments will be examined and structured. The socratic method is the base of all debate forms, and has been the gold-standard for over 2,000 years.
SKILL THREE
THE FOUR P’s: These are the pillars of public speaking; planning, preparation, practice and performance. Students will learn about each step in the four p’s through practical application. They will be used to help transform socratic theory into debate-ready speech.
CLASS TIME
Tuesday and Thursday 2-4:30 pm PST
Class dates: 7/9，11，16，18，23，25，30，8/1
RECOMMENDED AGES
11-14
RETURN & REFUND POLICY
Tuitions are not refundable. Students may transfer the class credit to other classes. Please contact us for details.
Class schedule is subject to change due to teacher's availability and other emergencies.
TEACHER
Mr. Dimitrios is a voice and communication specialist dedicated to helping others become more confident and capable communicators. He trained as an actor in London and holds an MFA in Voice Studies from the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, University of London. He has taught actors and journalists at universities in the UK and the US and has coached numerous public speakers and presenters.
Mr. Dimitrios trains students to articulate their ideas in inspiring and strategic ways, creating a highly interactive learning environment where his students can acquire public speaking skills that can be applied immediately.