Public Speaking is a skills-based class taught to every student at Lucton School Chongqing. Public Speaking is a vital skill necessary in both study and life and can help students to open up, become more confident, organise their thoughts and express themselves clearly.

Year 10 students have been learning about storytelling through comedy in the recent weeks in Ms. Illingworth's class. It is important for them to see and understand how storytelling is a very common aspect of life and actually a form of public speaking we all participate in almost daily. In order to make the lesson both interactive and fun for the students, the lesson has been set up as if it was a stand-up comedy show.
The students have really enjoyed watching stand-up comedy sets from the very funny South African comedian, Trevor Noah. They were able to understand that personal anecdotes can be used to make people laugh by combining the storytelling with body language, facial expression and voice effects. Students can learn a lot from watching examples from real life and pick out traits they would like to emulate in their own performances.

The Year 10 students have been planning their story carefully, considering each step of the process whilst also thinking about how best to express themselves in order to make their audience laugh. Terry Y came up with a very funny anecdote which is short but very effective. Oscar Z realised that something that is funny to him may not necessarily be funny to everyone else. Evan L discovered that quoting dialogue is funnier than explaining what was said indirectly, as you can implement funny voices and over-dramatic reactions. Apple F and Yoyo Z have been working well together, bouncing ideas off each other and giving great peer feedback. Thomas L was struggling to choose just one funny anecdote and has learned how to refine his ideas. Gordon Z is learning how to transfer his off-stage personality onto the stage. Albert Y has been very methodical in his process, from first draft to peer feedback to second draft.

This unit on storytelling can show the students that public speaking uses many skills which can be transferred through to other aspects of study and life. For example, planning, practice, refining ideas, thinking about others, speaking clearly and thoughtfully and editing to name a few.
The students' efforts will come into fruition in the form of a class open mic night. We hope the students’ hard work pays off and they have fun in the process.

Step 1: Brainstorming. Students worked in pairs to think of ideas which make up an interesting and funny story. (Clockwise from top left: Gordon Z, Apple F & Yoyo Z, Oscar Z & Terry Y, Albert Y & Evan L)

From Yoyo Z

From Apple F
Step 2: Students completed an ideas worksheet designed to help them refine their ideas into the different aspects of a story. 

Yoyo Z's first draft
Step 3: First Draft. Students wrote their first draft and annotated things such as pauses, emphasis, hand gestures, body language and facial expressions.