Rhetorical Analysis of Speech

Grade level(s): General studies, vg1
Topic/themes: Rhetoric, language devices, writing, interdisciplinary work
Time: Approximately 8 English sessions

Short description

In this lesson plan, a framework is suggested for how pupils can work with rhetoric and language devices in an interdisciplinary context. It covers overlapping competence aims in the English and Norwegian subjects. The pupils should write an essay in English and Norwegian, analyzing a self-chosen political speech. Teaching sequences are conducted in both subjects simultaneously.

This framework allows for expansion and tweaks according to the needs of the user. 

Core elements

  • Critical approach to texts
  • Language learning
  • Working with texts in English

Interdisciplinary topics

  • Democracy and Citizenship
  • Health and Life Skills

Basic Skills

  • Reading
  • Writing

Competence aims LK20

  • Explain the reasoning of others and use and follow up input from others during      conversations and discussions on various topics
  • Write different types of formal and informal texts, including multimedia texts with structure and coherence that describe, discuss, reason and reflect adapted to the purpose, recipient and situation
  • Read, discuss and reflect on the content and language features and literary devices in various types of texts, including self-chosen texts

Learning objectives

  • Write a rhetorical analysis in English and Norwegian and use relevant terminology
  • Experience connections and knowledge transfer value between school subjects 

Resources

Teacher preparations

The lesson as a whole should be planned in collaboration with the Norwegian teacher, particularly in regards to the coordination of teaching sequences. For the English sessions, the teacher needs to prepare two separate vocabulary lists, each consisting of 4-5 key concepts related to rhetoric to be used in a pair-work activity (cf. “plan for lesson”). 

Plan for lesson

  • As competence aims related to rhetoric and language devices explicitly appear in the Norwegian subject curriculum, it may be helpful to begin the learning process in the Norwegian subject. First, the pupils should become familiar with rhetoric as a concept, including relevant language devices. For this purpose, they can either use their primary learning resources (e.g. textbook) or use the proposed links under “resources” as possible starting-points.
  • Simultaneosly in the English lessons, the pupils can tune into the topic of rhetoric by studying the English and Norwegian subject curricula, discussing where competence aims  overlap and where there may be transfer value between the subjects. A natural arrival point is how rhetoric and language devices specifically fit into both subjects. Links to the LK20 curricula for English and Norwegian are found under “resources”. This activity should fasclilitate the learning objective of seeing connections between the subjects.
  • The next step in English is to build a vocabulary base associated with the topic. This is done by having the pupils elicit key concepts related to rhetoric and language devices from the Norwegian lesson and translate them into English. One way to further internalize the concepts and practice speaking skills at the same time, is to let the pupils work in pairs and let them explain concepts to each other in English: give each pupil in the pairs different pre-made vocaublary lists of key concepts (see “preparations”). Then have them take turns explaining the concepts to each other, one at a time, without using the actual words themselves. The other pupil should guess which word/concept that is being explained. The teacher can make his/her own vocabulary lists or use the pre-made example found under “resources”. Sum up the teaching sequence at the end by going through the concepts in a plenary session.  
  • The students now proceed to the main focus of the lesson, which is writing an article in which they give a rhetorical anaysis of a political speech of their own choosing. The idea now is that they work on writing two articles simultaneously, one for Norwegian and one for English. In the writing process, they can make use of both the Norwegian and English teacher for guidance. If more time in each subject is reserved for writing, it may be possible to make use of process-oriented writing.

Reflection and assessment

The two texts serve as separate hand-in assignments in Norwegian and English, respectively. The texts can then be assessed separately in the two subjects. However, it is essential that the Norwegian and English teacher agree on overlapping assessment criteria and which criteria are subject-specific.

Comments and follow-up that may lead to deeper learning

An alternative to doing a written analysis of a political speech is to have the pupils make a speech of their own, which they present orally. In this case, they should use rhetorical language devices consciously in their production.

Idea developed by

Mona Ystehede and Thomas Hansen © Fremmedspråksenteret

Publisert 18. mai 2022 13:45 - Sist endret 18. mai 2022 13:45
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