Many students find public speaking intimidating, embarrassing and threatening. In this practical and encouraging book, classroom teachers will discover a wonderful collection of ideas to help students overcome their fear of public speaking and flourish in front of an audience. Speaking Rules! rich in anecdotes and inspiration, is divided into two major sections. The first section focuses on oral communication with specific suggestions for imagining, listening, actively remembering, developing rapport with an audience, using body language, exploring voice, showing composure, improvising and interpreting. The second section deals with performance, especially developing content, coaching student performers, and assessing and evaluating oral communication. This valuable resource is full of classroom-tested games and exercises that help students develop the necessary skills to be confident and effective public speakers. Teachers will find a wealth of material to share with students including: * Step-by-Step suggestions for writing a captivating speech * Tips for selecting a great story to tell and learning to tell it well * Ideas for extending skills into other curriculum areas * Ready-to-copy sheets for teacher assessment and prompts for student reflection Speaking Rules! will help teachers make oral language an important, fundamental, and fun part of language learning.