Thematic Units starting with Famous Speeches

Colleagues, 

Recently, I was working with teachers as they developed instructional to adapt to the online experience. One teacher was using the famous speech A Whisper of AIDS to teach pathos, logos, and ethos. I revisited this powerful speech and thought of dozens of ways it could be used in the adult education classroom.

  • Teaching critical listening skills by teaching students how to analyze a speakers' message, motives, and meaning.  
  • We could talk about soccial sciences, health issues, and politics (this particular speech occured at the Republican National Convention).
  • We could extend this to digital literacy and explore relavant websites such as the AIDS quilt   

Thematic units, such as the one I am introducing, were once a popular trend both professional develolpment and instruction. The benefits of using this type of instruction is it increases student interest and helps students build connection from one content area to another. 

Sincerly, 
Kathy Tracey

Comments

Integrating media into the classroom has multiple benefits and below are ideas about how to develop lesson plans using Jon Meacham's new Podcast, It Was Said. This 10 episode limited series is developed in partnership with the History

So far, three episodes have dropped: 

  • Episode 1: MLK Junior., The Last Speech
  • Episode 2: RFK, A Equogy for King
  • Episode 3: President Obama's Charleston Sermon

So, let's help each other out and build a lesson plan for the Adult Education classroom? How can you use this podcase series, or the speeches indicated in the original post? 

I'm looking forward to seeing what we can come up with. 

Kathy