The Role of Public Speaking in

China’s English-Language

Curriculum-- Stephen E. Lucas

Is there a Is there a permanent permanent

place for public place for public speaking in the speaking in the

English-language English-language curriculum at curriculum at

Chinese Chinese universities?universities?

Bidding for the Bidding for the Olympic GamesOlympic Games

Entrance to the Entrance to the WorldWorld Trade Trade

OrganizationOrganization

What is the What is the relationship between relationship between

a public speaking a public speaking course and courses course and courses

in in oral English?oral English?

Technical Competence in Technical Competence in Oral EnglishOral English

VocabularyVocabulary GrammarGrammar SyntaxSyntax UsageUsage PronunciationPronunciation Accent Accent

Public SpeakingPublic SpeakingMore than technical More than technical proficiencyproficiency

Act of communicationAct of communicationStrategic communicationStrategic communicationUse of English as a Use of English as a working languageworking language

Situations Requiring Situations Requiring English as a Working English as a Working

LanguageLanguageFormal public speechesFormal public speeches Informal speechesInformal speeches Negotiations and small-Negotiations and small-group communicationgroup communication

One-on-one One-on-one communicationcommunication

Where does a Where does a course in course in

public speaking fit public speaking fit in the English-in the English-

language language curriculum?curriculum?

What are the What are the primary primary

topics to be topics to be covered covered

in a public in a public speaking course?speaking course?

ContentContent

Structure Structure

LanguageLanguage

DeliveryDelivery

ContentContentInformative: Convey Informative: Convey information to audienceinformation to audience

Persuasive: Change Persuasive: Change beliefs or actions of beliefs or actions of audienceaudience

ContentContentMain pointsMain pointsSupporting materialsSupporting materials

Content in Content in “The Great Wall of “The Great Wall of

China”China”

StructureStructureIntroductionIntroductionBodyBodyConclusionConclusion

Importance of Importance of StructureStructure

Speech unfolds over timeSpeech unfolds over timeAs with a film, a speech As with a film, a speech

must make sense to the must make sense to the audience as it develops audience as it develops across timeacross time

Structure in Structure in “The Great Wall of “The Great Wall of

China”China”

LanguageLanguageAccuracyAccuracyClarityClarityVividnessVividness

Language inLanguage in “The Great Wall of “The Great Wall of

China”China”

Delivery Delivery

Speaker’s VoiceSpeaker’s VoiceRate (Speed)Rate (Speed)VolumeVolumeVocal varietyVocal variety

Bodily ActionBodily ActionGesturesGesturesEye contactEye contactUse of visual aids Use of visual aids (PPT)(PPT)

Visual Aids/PPTVisual Aids/PPTEnhance speaker’s ideasEnhance speaker’s ideasPrepare carefully: clear Prepare carefully: clear and professional and professional

Present effectively: Present effectively: integrate with speaker’s integrate with speaker’s presentationpresentation

Delivery inDelivery in “The Great Wall “The Great Wall

of China”of China”

Stagefright:Stagefright:Qie ChangQie Chang

CreativityCreativity

What is the most What is the most effective method effective method

of of instruction in instruction in

public public speaking?speaking?

Ideal MethodIdeal Method of of InstructionInstruction

Small classesSmall classesChance to develop skillsChance to develop skillsExperiential and active Experiential and active learninglearning

Consultation time for Consultation time for instructor instructor

Teaching Public Teaching Public Speaking Speaking

in a Large Classin a Large Class Rely on lecture rather than Rely on lecture rather than

discussiondiscussion Fewer speaking opportunities Fewer speaking opportunities Break class into small units for Break class into small units for

speechesspeeches Students create their own Students create their own

speaking opportunitiesspeaking opportunities

Are there other Are there other courses related to courses related to

public speaking that public speaking that could contribute to could contribute to

the English-language the English-language curriculum in China?curriculum in China?

RhetoricRhetoricArt of effective Art of effective

communication between a communication between a speaker (or writer) and an speaker (or writer) and an audienceaudience

Developed in ancient Greece Developed in ancient Greece Aristotle’s Aristotle’s RhetoricRhetoricStudied for 2,500 yearsStudied for 2,500 years

Rhetorical Rhetorical TheoryTheory

Public Public AddressAddress