Presentational Speaking Anthology

In the current economic and socio-political climate, it is not enough to follow the conventional path. Today s students face unique challenges; today s instructors must be willing and able to adapt. The traditional model for a course in presentational speaking looks something like this: the instructor provides a textbook full of predictable chapters, academic theories, and possibly a few case studies for hypothetical application. Students then demonstrate their understanding of the assigned material through tests and speeches that only imitate the actual speaking situations they might encounter outside of the classroom. This model fails to prepare students for those unique challenges mentioned above. How can an instructor deliver the course material in a way that acknowledges the student s need for immediate and obvious connections to the real world? Presentational Speaking Anthology attempts to solve the problem by working outside of the expected public speaking or business communication models. This book combines academic perspectives on topics not commonly found in a speech textbook with popular pieces created by the speakers out on the front lines. This new model better prepares students for immediate success. Michele S. Foss-Snowden, Ph.D., has been teaching presentational speaking in college classrooms since 1997. She earned her B.A. in Communication from Stanford University, her M.A. in Rhetoric and Communication from UC Davis, and her doctorate from the University of Florida (go Gators!). In addition to classes in presentational speaking, Dr. Foss-Snowden also teaches courses in rhetorical criticism, media criticism, and communication theory. Her current research interests include the representation of race and gender in the media, and the effects of diversity/multiculturalism in the organization/workplace. She and her husband live in Sacramento with their beagle, Jules.