Writing Workshop
This workshop brings the unit together. It moves from choosing an occasion to delivering a short speech of one to two minutes. The aim is a speech that fits the moment, honours the people present and knows when to stop.
The workshop at a glance
| Stage | Time | Output |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Occasion | 5 minutes | A chosen occasion and purpose. |
| 2. Audience | 5 minutes | A short audience profile. |
| 3. Focus | 5 minutes | One quality or one message. |
| 4. Story | 10 minutes | One specific memory or example. |
| 5. Draft | 15 minutes | A spoken-style draft. |
| 6. Cut | 10 minutes | A draft one third shorter. |
| 7. Rehearse | 15 minutes | Two timed runs with the handover. |
| 8. Deliver and reflect | 10 minutes | A short delivery and a written reflection. |
Step 1: Choose the occasion
Choose a real or plausible occasion. It should be specific enough to shape the speech: a Year 9 graduation, a farewell for a teacher, a community garden anniversary, a welcome to a school event, a toast at a family celebration or a tribute to a local figure.
| Occasion | Purpose | Register |
|---|---|---|
| Year 9 graduation | Mark a transition; thank the community. | Semi-formal, warm. |
| Farewell for a teacher | Honour contribution; wish them well. | Warm, light, specific. |
| Community garden anniversary | Celebrate shared work; invite the future. | Informal, celebratory. |
| Welcome to a school event | Orient guests; acknowledge Country. | Formal or semi-formal. |
| Tribute to a local figure | Honour a quality; show its effect. | Respectful, specific. |
| Memorial commemoration | Remember; console; refuse to forget. | Solemn. |
Step 2: Audience
Identify who is present and what they need: recognition, context, comfort or celebration. Note any protocol, access needs or sensitivities. Decide what not to say as well as what to say.
Step 3: Focus
Choose one quality or one message. A speech that tries to cover everything becomes a list. One clear focus gives the audience something to hold.
| Too broad | Focused |
|---|---|
| “She was a wonderful teacher.” | “She remembered every student's name.” |
| “The garden is important.” | “The garden taught us how to share a harvest.” |
| “He contributed a lot.” | “He kept the club running for thirty years.” |
| “This year was hard.” | “This year taught us how to ask for help.” |
Step 4: Story
Find one specific memory or example that shows the focus. Use the story shape: situation, complication, turn, resolution, point. Keep it to one to two minutes.
Model focus and story: The focus is “she made room for the quiet ones.” The story is a lunchtime library group where a silent student slowly began to speak. The point is that the teacher's gift was not performance; it was patience.
This is an original teaching example, not a transcript of a real speech.
Step 5: Draft
Write for the ear. Use short sentences, concrete nouns and active verbs. Read each sentence aloud as you write. If you run out of breath, split it.
| Written | Spoken |
|---|---|
| “It is with great pleasure that I welcome you to ...” | “Welcome to ...” |
| “The individual in question was characterised by ...” | “She was the kind of person who ...” |
| “Please be advised that ...” | “Please ...” |
| “In conclusion, I would like to ...” | “Before I finish, ...” |
Step 6: Cut
Cut a third. Most first drafts contain a long welcome, a second example that repeats the first and an explanation of the story's meaning. Remove them. The audience can infer more than you think.
| Cut | Why |
|---|---|
| The second example | The first one already made the point. |
| The background paragraph | Start closer to the story. |
| The apology | It lowers expectations. |
| The list of everyone present | Group or acknowledge separately. |
| The moral at the end | The story already carries it. |
Step 7: Rehearse
- Read the speech aloud once without stopping.
- Time it at ceremonial pace, not classroom pace.
- Mark the pauses after names and key memories.
- Practise the handover.
- Rehearse in the space if possible.
- Ask a listener what they remember.
- Cut or adjust one thing and rehearse again.
Step 8: Deliver and reflect
Deliver to a small audience, then write 100–200 words:
- What occasion did you choose and why?
- What was your one focus?
- Which specific detail did the most work?
- Where did the audience respond, and how did you know?
- What did you cut, and what changed?
- What would you do differently at a real occasion?
Planning template
| Element | Your notes |
|---|---|
| Occasion | |
| Purpose | |
| Audience and protocol | |
| One focus | |
| Specific story or detail | |
| Opening | |
| Close | |
| Handover | |
| What to cut |
Model speech
Occasion: Farewell for a library assistant.
Opening: “Most of us met Mrs Alvarez because we were looking for something.”
Focus: She found the thing you did not know you needed.
Story: “I asked for a book about volcanoes. She gave me one about volcanoes, and one about the people who live beside them. I read both in a week.”
Point: “That was her gift. She never just answered the question. She opened the next one.”
Close: “Thank you, Mrs Alvarez. We will keep asking.”
This is an original teaching example. The name is illustrative, not a real staff member.
Common errors
- Trying to cover a whole life. Choose one quality.
- Using generic praise. Use a specific detail.
- Writing an essay. Spoken language needs shorter sentences.
- Running long. Cut a third.
- Forgetting the handover. The program stalls.
- Reflecting only on nerves. Reflect on whether the speech fitted the occasion.
Next, read the teacher notes for planning and differentiation. The sources and provenance page records what is original and what is excluded.