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SkimaTalk Official Course

Advanced Speech Delivery Lesson 5: “First Inaugural Address”

by Barack Obama

1.  “I Have a Dream” 2.  “Inaugural Address” 3.  “Remarks at the Brandenburg Gate”

4.  “iPhone Introduction”

5.  “First Inaugural Address” by Barack Obama

Advanced Speech Delivery

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Today’s Lesson!

Session Guidelines

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Your session with your SkimaTalk instructor will be structured as follows:

Introduction / briefing

Deliver the speech (speech text on pages 9 – 11)

Teacher feedback / discussion

5 min

10 min

5 min

5 min

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Deliver the speech again (time permitting)

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Preparation�

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Speech Tip #5: Change Your Speaking Pace as You Transition Topics or Tone

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Changing pace signals a new topic or a change of tone in the speech

Notice how President Obama changes pace as he moves from one part of the speech to the next.

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Are You Ready?�

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1

2

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Preparing For Your Speech

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You should spend 1 hour preparing for your SkimaTalk session. To prepare, please take the following steps:

Read the speech that you will be delivering for this course (pages 9 – 11).

Watch the video of the original speech by Barack Obama (video link on page 8). Note Obama’s use of different speaking paces during the speech.

Practice delivering the speech in front of a mirror. Use the speech notes as an aid; you should try to make eye contact with the audience as much as possible.

Speech Details

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Speech Title: “First Inaugural Address” Speaker: U.S. President Barack Obama

Overview: In this lesson, you will deliver a portion of Barack Obama’s “First Inaugural Address” speech. The speech, which was delivered in Washington, DC in 2009, outlines President Obama’s plans and goals for his presidency.

Video source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VjnygQ02aW4#t=757 Text source: New York Times, http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/20/us/politics/20text-obama.html?pagewanted=all

Speech: “First Inaugural Address” (pg. 1)*

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My fellow citizens: I stand here today humbled by the task before us, grateful for the trust you have bestowed, mindful of the sacrifices borne by our ancestors. I thank President Bush for his service to our nation... as well as the generosity and cooperation he has shown throughout this transition. Forty-four Americans have now taken the presidential oath. The words have been spoken during rising tides of prosperity and the still waters of peace. Yet, every so often the oath is taken amidst gathering clouds and raging storms. At these moments, America has carried on not simply because of the skill or vision of those in high office, but because We the People have remained faithful to the ideals of our forebears, and true to our founding documents. So it has been. So it must be with this generation of Americans.

* The speech in this lesson is an excerpt from President Barack Obama’s 2009 “First Inaugural Address”. The full text can be found on the New York Times website: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/20/us/politics/20text-obama.html?pagewanted=all

Speech: “First Inaugural Address” (pg. 2)

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That we are in the midst of crisis is now well understood. Our nation is at war against a far-reaching network of violence and hatred. Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age. Homes have been lost, jobs shed, businesses shuttered. Our health care is too costly, our schools fail too many, and each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet. These are the indicators of crisis, subject to data and statistics. Less measurable, but no less profound, is a sapping of confidence across our land; a nagging fear that America's decline is inevitable, that the next generation must lower its sights. Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real, they are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this America: They will be met.

Speech: “First Inaugural Address” (pg. 3)

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On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord. On this day, we come to proclaim an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn-out dogmas that for far too long have strangled our politics…

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End of Lesson We Hope You Enjoyed It!