Introduction to Speech Writing

Overview

This 50-minute lesson is the first of six in the unit "Mastering Speech Writing" designed for Year 8 students. It introduces the purpose, structure, and key components of speeches aligned with the National Curriculum for England (English programmes of study: Spoken language and Writing). The lesson emphasises clear, scaffolded learning suitable for lower ability learners while providing opportunities for extension.

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National Curriculum Links

• Writing – Composition (Year 7 & 8):
  • Plan, draft, write, edit and proofread imaginative, informative and persuasive texts. (NC English Programme of Study)
  • Pupils should be taught to propose changes to vocabulary, grammar and punctuation to enhance effects and clarify meaning.
• Spoken Language
  • Listen and respond appropriately to spoken language, including speeches.
  • Consider and evaluate different viewpoints, attitudes and interpretations.
  • Use spoken language to develop understanding through speculating, hypothesising and exploring ideas.

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Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:

1. Explain the purpose of speeches in different contexts (e.g. persuasion, information, motivation).
2. Identify the main parts of a speech: introduction, body, conclusion.
3. Analyse examples of speeches to recognise key features and structure.

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Success Criteria

• I can describe why people give speeches and the effects they want to achieve.
• I can label the introduction, body, and conclusion of a speech.
• I can explain how these parts work together to make a speech effective.

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Resources

• Copies of 2 short, age-appropriate speeches (one persuasive, one informative)
• Whiteboard and markers
• Sentence starters handout for support
• Speech structure visual organiser (introduction, body, conclusion boxes)
• Laptops/tablets or printed guidance for homework extension research
• Projector or printed example extracts

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Lesson Structure (50 minutes)

1. Starter Activity: What is a Speech? (10 minutes)

• Activity:

  • Ask students: “Can anyone tell me what a speech is? Where might you hear one?”
  • Write ideas on the board (e.g. school events, political speeches, sports).
  • Explain that speeches have different purposes — to inform, persuade, entertain or motivate.
  • Show a brief video/audio clip or read aloud a short influential speech extract to engage their interest.

• Differentiation:

  • Provide a word bank of key terms (speech, persuade, inform, motivate).
  • Use visuals for vocabulary support.

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2. Explore Speech Structure (15 minutes)

• Teacher Input:

  • Introduce the three main parts of a speech: introduction, body, conclusion using a simple diagram on the board/projector.
  • Explain in detail:
    • Introduction: grabs attention, states purpose.
    • Body: presents main points and evidence.
    • Conclusion: summarises and calls to action.

• Activity:

  • Give students printed copies of two short speeches.
  • In pairs, students highlight/underline the introduction, body, and conclusion in different colours (or annotate).

• Differentiation:

  • Provide annotated exemplar with colour codes for lower ability learners.
  • Sentence starters for explaining sections, e.g., “The introduction is...”, “The body says...”.

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3. Group Discussion: Why Structure Matters (8 minutes)

• Activity:

  • As a class, discuss why having a clear structure is important. Prompt with: “What happens if a speech doesn’t have a clear introduction? Why do you think a strong conclusion is important?”
  • Encourage students to give examples or relate to their own experiences.

• Differentiation:

  • Allow alternative contributions through drawings or mind maps for students struggling verbally.

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4. Independent Task: Identify and Explain (10 minutes)

• Activity:

  • Using the speeches again, students complete a worksheet that asks them to:
    • Label parts of the speech.
    • Write one sentence explaining the purpose of each part using sentence starters.

• Differentiation:

  • Sentence starters provided on the worksheet, e.g.,
    • “The introduction is used to...”
    • “The body explains...”
    • “The conclusion’s job is to...”
  • Provide a word bank with useful verbs and phrases.

• Extension:

  • Challenge more advanced learners to note techniques (e.g. rhetorical questions, repetition) used within each part.

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5. Plenary: Reflection and Next Steps (7 minutes)

• Activity:
  • Invite 2–3 students to share which part of the speech they found easiest to identify and why.
  • Recap the lesson’s learning objectives and success criteria.
  • Introduce the homework/extension: “For your extension, research a famous speech (like Martin Luther King Jr.'s 'I Have a Dream' or Malala Yousafzai’s UN speech). Prepare to explain its structure in our next lesson.”

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Differentiation Strategies

• Visual aids and colour-coding to support comprehension.
• Sentence starters to scaffold writing and explanations.
• Paired and group work to encourage peer support.
• Oral options or mind maps as alternative outputs.
• Extension challenge for high ability students who can analyse rhetorical devices.

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Assessment

• Formative assessment through questioning and observation during paired and group activities.
• Review work on identifying and explaining speech sections to check understanding.
• Use plenary sharing to gauge confidence with objectives.
• Homework extension provides evidence of wider research and deeper engagement.

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Additional Notes for Teachers

• For lower ability groups, keep language simple and provide extra guided support with examples.
• Use clear visual organisers consistently throughout the unit for structure support.
• Encourage confidence by praising effort in the first session and framing speeches as a powerful tool to communicate.
• Consider briefly modelling a very short speech introduction live, demonstrating tone and pause, to engage kinaesthetic learners.

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This lesson sets a solid foundation ensuring pupils understand why speeches are structured as they are, and prepares them to craft their own speeches confidently in upcoming lessons.