Last week, my students cleaned up the classroom. We had so much fun!!!

I run every weekend. Running keeps me healthy.

My sister has 5 cats. They are Tiger, Cheetah, Panther, Cougar and Blackie.

I love my family. I have two sisters and 3 nephews. I love them very much.

My cat is cute. I love my cats.

I love jogging

Online Task 4

1. Think of at least 3 benefits of using speeches by famous figures, in the classroom.

a. Speeches by famous figures involved real people and reflect real events in life. Therefore, they are authentic and students can learn about the purpose and the history surrounding the writing and delivery of the speeches.

b. Speeches by famous figures are normally well prepared and free of grammatical errors.

c. Students can learn the techniques of persuasive speech and apply them in real life situations.

d. These speeches normally reflect higher level of critical thinking skills. Therefore, they help in sharpening the critical thinking skills of students.

e.These speeches are usually inspirational and motivational. Therefore, students can be motivated by the content of the speeches.

2. Go to www.youtube.com and find the audio-visual on the speech. In not less than 50 words, state would the audio-visual be of any use in helping understand the speech better? State your reasons.
Yes, it would help in understanding the speech better because by looking at the visual, we can analyse elements that are otherwise impossible to observe like body movement, facial expression, the reaction of the audience and the real atmosphere during the speech. For example, from the audio-visual speech, we would be able to detect that there is a remarkable emotion in King's voice and body as he made the speech. Therefore, looking at all these elements would definitely help us to understand the true emotions and feelings that were evoked by the powerful speech.

 
3. Who is Martin Luther King?
Martin Luther King Jr. (1929-1968) was a Baptist minister and social activist who played a key role in the American civil rights movement from the mid-1950s until his assassination in 1968. Inspired by advocates of nonviolence such as Mahatma Gandhi, King sought equality for African Americans, the economically disadvantaged and victims of injustice through peaceful protest. He was the driving force behind watershed events such as the Montgomery Bus Boycott and the March on Washington, which helped bring about such landmark legislation as the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. King was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964 and is remembered each year on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, a U.S. federal holiday since 1986.

4. Based on the questions below, analyse the features of the given written speech:
a. What is the purpose of the speech?
The purpose of the speech is to present as succinctly and as eloquently as possible the guiding principles of the civil rights movement, and to reinforce the commitment of his listeners to those principles. The key message in the speech is that all people are created equal and, although not the case in America at the time, King felt it must be the case for the future. He argued passionately and powerfully about it.

b. What is the tone of the speech? 
The speech is persuasive and appealing in nature.

c. What interesting major feature(s) can you see from the speech? (i.e. repetition of phrases, emphasis on certain things said etc)
One of the most interesting features of this speech is King’s use of language to make the abstract principles of liberty and equality clear and compelling. Throughout, King relies on familiar, concrete words that create sharp, vivid images.  King also uses a lot of metaphors that are appropriate to the occasion and help to dramatize his ideas (e.g. vast ocean of material prosperity; flames of withering injustice; dark and desolate valley of segregation). Besides that, King makes extensive use of repetition (e.g. I have a dream; Let freedom ring; Now is the time) and parallelism to reinforce his message and to enhance the momentum of the speech.

d. Any interesting facts that you can gather based on the background of the speech?
The speech was delivered on August 28, 1963 to some 200,000 people who had come to Washington D.C to participate in a peaceful demonstration to further the cause of equal rights for African Americans.

King spoke from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, in the “symbolic shadow” of Abraham Lincoln (the President who defeated southern states over the issue of slavery) and the crowd filled the vast area between the Memorial and the Washington Monument.

Millions of Americans watched the speech on television or listened to it on the radio.

It took King only 16 minutes to deliver the speech but he had prepared it carefully than any other speech in his career to that time. 

King opened his speech at 92 words per minute and finished it at 145. 

King’s speech was well researched. In preparation he studied the Bible, The Gettysburg Address and the US Declaration of Independence and he alludes to all three in his address.

5. Suggest a while-reading activity that can be derived from this particular speech.

 Students can be asked to find the metaphors used in the speech and discuss how they are used effectively to bring colour to the speech, to make abstract ideas concrete, to clarify the unknown and to express feelings and emotions.