Mastering the Art of Speaking and Listening

Students in Speech class have been studying Lorraine Hansberry's classic play A Raisin in the Sun. Each class period students are assigned different parts of the play to read out loud. The experience not only allows them to study an important piece of American literature, it also requires them to practice their speaking and listening skills. Small group discussions allow them to discuss how they think a character might be feeling and use that inflection in their group performances of the play. Class discussions focus on the content of the play as well as the importance of inflection and language usage in public speaking.