Blog #17 - Carol Lian - Period 2- 3/11/20

Blog #17

March 11th, 2020

Carol Lian, Period 2

Aim: How can a comparison of speeches reflect the continued relevance of ideas held in society today? 

Do Now: Think/Pair/Share

1. Why do you believe that when someone speaks they seem to grab and maintain the attention of those who are around them?
2. Why do you believe that a person’s words are vital to the message they’re trying to make, and why do we often place so much emphasis on our “Choice of Words”?

• Charismatic leadership → method of persuasion/ communication that captures the attention of others/followers 
• Ex: Martin Luther King Jr. - “I Have A” Dream speech 
• Ex: George Washington - convince an army of soldiers to fight 
• Ex: Theodore Roosevelt - the ability to convey his visions to other people through actions and words 
• Vocabulary - using different vocabulary can affect how people may view you as an individual 
• Ex: Using medical terminology on a  daily basis or first impressions can lead people to believe that you work in the medical field
• Limits - using different vocabulary words can be useful during conversations but if used too many times/have too many exotic words in one breath can make the conversation hard to follow
• Posture - body language can speak more than you think
• Maintaining eye contact can tell a person that you’re interested/listening to their conversation
• Fidgeting and spinning your body can be mistaken as boredom 

“I Have A Dream” speech - August 29, 1963 (video is not the exact video shown during class) → https://youtu.be/smEqnnklfYs 

Worksheet (Empty Version): 

Reflection: 

For today’s lesson, we discussed the different ways in history by famous leaders that were used to maintain the attention of followers/those around them. For example, Martin Luther King Jr. is widely known for his inspiring “I Have A Dream Speech” which he presented on multiple occasions. George Washington, the first president, was able to convince the soldiers to fight for the country and Theodore Roosevelt who was able to convey his visions to his followers through actions and words. We also mentioned charismatic leadership and how many historic leaders possess this trait that allows them to gain many followers. Facts aside, personally, I believe that a person’s ability to persuade others can be seen through their speech and actions whether they’re the presenter or the audience. For example, as an audience, keeping eye contact on the presenter tells the presenter that you’re interested in their presentation and it also shows respect towards the person in general. Overall, by highlighting these different techniques, we were able to understand how many historic leaders were able to persuade the audience.