Self-Learning Module for Grade 11

ORAL COMMUNICATION IN CONTEXT

A. How to Use this Module

Hello! Today you will have a new learning experience through this module. This
is prepared for you to learn and enjoy at the same time. The sections are as
follow:

A. Warm Up – You need to answer this part to assess about your knowledge
about the topic.
B. The Guide for the Know-it-All – This section is the lesson proper. It is
divided into sub-categories.

B.1. Challenge Accepted – This is where you do fun and enjoyable

activities.

B.2. Sight Seeing – Here you will answer questions about the
activities. It will ask about your realizations on the activity.

B.3. Level Up! – This is the lesson part. Take it easy. Do

not rush. Read it thoroughly over and over again if needed.

B.4. Do it! – Here you will apply what you have learned
on Level Up! Rubrics are given for rating. You can also evaluate yourself to
check your progress.

B.5. Reflection – In this part, you will do creative activities

about your insights on the lesson. Be ready to unleash your artistic side

C. The Aftermath – Please answer this part to check your

learning. I know you can do it well.

D. Next Steps - Here you are given additional information

about the topic mostly using internet and gadgets. This will help you recall
key points and add more idea.
Learning Competency: Uses principles of effective speech writing focusing on
audience profile, logical organization, duration, word choice and grammatical
correctness (EN11-12OC-IIcj-25 - EN11-12OC-IIcj-25.5)

Learning Content: Principles of Speech Writing: Choosing a Topic

Learning Objectives

By the end of the lesson, you will have been able to:

o assess student’s schema on choosing speech topics;

o brainstorm on the possible topics that appeal to your interest and knowledge;
o identify the steps in choosing a topic of your speech;
o choose a topic suitable on the given scenario/situation;
o accomplish the checklist for topic selection and decide on best topic for your
speech; and
o reflect on your learning about choosing a topic.

Foreword

How do you think one should prepare for his or her speech? What will you consider in
selecting the topic for your speech?
Why is it important to consider the members of the audience’s age, religion and culture,
and educational and professional backgrounds?

As you begin to prepare for any speech, it is important to pin down exactly t
what you plan to talk about. You might have been given a specific topic by your
teacher, or you may be given the freedom to select a topic of your own choosing.
Knowing how to carefully select your topic is an important first step in preparing for a
successful speech.

This module will help you out lighten the burden of deciding what to talk about
in front of your audience. Let’s break down the process of finding the best speech topic
when you are given the gift of choosing any topic you would like.
 A. Warm-up

Tick the column that determines how often you practice what the statements
say. Do this as objectively as possible. Bear in mind that there are no wrong answers.

Usually Sometimes Seldom Never

1. When choosing a topic, I tend to just
use any subject that comes to my mind.
2. I can freely express my ideas when
the topic is geared towards my interests
and needs.
3. I select a topic that my audience can
easily relate to and feel interested in.
4. It becomes a dilemma when I am
given absolute freedom to think of any
topic that comes into my mind.
5. It is important for a speaker to know
the purpose of the speech and identify
the needs of my audience as a whole.
TOTAL
Grand Total
 B. The Guide for the Know-it-All

B1. Challenge Accepted

Dig into your Treasure Chest of Interesting Topics

If you aren’t feeling confident about the topic to put into your speech, then you want to
start with some personal discovery. Excavating your own treasure chest of interests
and hobbies will surely give you a great deal of topics for your speech.

Now, you just have to fill in this treasure chest with the possible topics that you
have in mind. Make sure that “specific topics” will be written below.
B2. Sight Seeing

Keep it or Cross it out?

After excavating your ideas on interesting topics, it is time for you to limit them
and come up with the best topic for your speech. But first, you need to fill the Keep it
or Cross it out Chart below:

KEEP IT OR CROSS IT OUT CHART

Topics Reasons for keeping it

or crossing it out
KEEP IT (Limit it to at least 1.
three (3) topics)
2.

3.
CROSS IT OUT 1.

2.

3.

The following guide questions will help you in determining what topics to keep or
cross out:

o Does the topic appeal to my interests and area of expertise?

o Is the topic suitable for my listeners/audience’s needs and interests?
o Will the topic match the desired purpose of the event?
B.3 Level Up!

CHOOSING THE TOPIC

In selecting a topic, most students are given this absolute freedom to write
and speak of ‘anything under the sun’ but with absolute freedom comes absolute
terror because now, you have unlimited speech topics to choose from.

Your first step as a speaker is to focus your mind in limiting this unlimited
topics into specific ones. Usually you will do best if you draw the subject out of your
own experience and interest. You may start by thinking about the main purpose of
the speech, the topic you know and most passionate about, and of course your
audience needs and interests.

In choosing a topic to discuss, the speaker must consider these three

important ideas: the things you know about, topics you love the most and suitable
topics for both the audience and the event.

What do you know about?

You don’t have to unleash the know-it-all side of yourself just to be able
to think of topics to use for your speech. All you need to do is to have your pen and
paper ready as you list down the topics that you are knowledgeable of. It establishes
credibility when a speaker knows what he/she says. However, when you’re trapped
into a bad choice, you’re only left with the topic and your shallow idea of it, all you
have to do is to conduct a comprehensive research to cover the vital points of your
speech.

What do you love to talk about?

2 Since you’ve written down everything you know about, it’s about time
to look through the list and circle the topics you feel passionate and excited
about – the ones where your knowledge and enthusiasm collide like asteroids
falling into earth’s surface. Do not circle a topic for the reason that your
 audience might like it – this right now is about you with absolute freedom to
choose. Now, what topic do you feel most passionate about?

What is the best topic for your audience and event?

3 You know what you know and appreciate the topics you love to talk

about but now you have to understand your audience. You have to consider their
educational and professional backgrounds as well as their needs. Look at the topics
you circled. Find the topic that best serves your audience and your passion as well.
If you have already found it, this is the topic you should speak about.

o If the speaker has ample time to prepare for the presentation, he or

she can conduct a survey of the attendees, their profession, age
range, what they are interested to know, etc. This way gives him or
her an idea of what to talk about with the audience.
B4. Do it!

YOU’VE GOT MAKE A CHOICE!

You are invited to deliver a speech in front of a thousand Senior High School
students of your school. What possible topics can you, as the speaker, discuss to your
target audience?

Brainstorm on the possible speech topics for this event using any graphic
organizer of our choice and consider all bits of information that you have learned in
today’s discussion. Your goal is to select the best topic that would suit your expertise,
interest and audience’s needs then, provide your reasons behind your selection.

Best topic: Reasons for Selection:

A checklist in choosing a topic is provided below to guide you in determining

the best topic for your speech event. Use this in all the possible topics that you have
identified and sum up your responses. The topic with the most number of ’s will
definitely be the best choice for your speech.
CHECKLIST IN CHOOSING A TOPIC

Topic Title:____________________________________  
1. Is the topic something you like to do?
2. Is it practically aligned to the purpose of your speech?
3. Does it have a single idea or theme?
4. Is it something you think others would like to know about?
5. Is it timely or seasonal?
6. Is it interesting and worthwhile to you and your audience?
7. Is it a topic that you can do in a limited time?
8. Is the topic suitable to your age, experience, and
surroundings?
9. Is it something that has economic or practical importance to
your community, your family or to you?
10. Is it a topic you already have some knowledge on, would like
to know more about or have interest in?
(Note: The speech topic with the most number of’s will definitely be the best choice.)
B.5 Reflection

ITS REFLECTION TIME

Reflect on what you have learned after taking up this lesson by completing the chart
below:

In choosing a topic, I learned that…

C. The Aftermath

True or False. Read each statement below. Write T if the statement is True
and F If it is false on the space provided.

_____ 1. In choosing a topic for your speech, you are free to choose any topic
that you would like without any considerations.
_____ 2. A survey must be conducted on the possible attendees of the event
to ensure that the topic suits them.
_____ 3. The topic must have some economic and practical importance to you
and your community.
_____ 4. Your speech topic must be decided only by your audience or
community.
_____ 5. Your topic must be aligned with the event’s purpose, audience needs
and your interest as a speaker.