Making the Speech

Taking the fear out of creating and delivering a good speech, this program features Stanley, the “king dweeb boy” whose grand finale at last year's speech contest included falling off the stage. If Stanley is going to survive the rest of high school, he has to redeem himself and win this year's contest with the help of cool coach Doug Masters, who is brought in to save Stanley from a lifetime of emotional damage. Breaking down the process of speechwriting into doable steps, Masters guides Stanley through researching, writing, and presenting his speech—including tips on outlining, word choice, notecards, and props—with winning results. Set in a real high school, this informative and entertaining program is another great entry from Jumby Bay Studios—a company that really understands how to maximize the DVD format. Bonus features here include “Doug's Drills” (offering quick lessons on specific speech topics), onscreen and printable quizzes, a teacher's guide with discussion questions, and printable versions of 25 famous speeches. Highly recommended. Aud: J, H, P. (L. Stevens)