Senior High School

Oral Communication
Quarter 1 – Module 5
Oral Communication Activities

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Oral Communication – Grade 11
Alternative Delivery Mode
First Quarter- Module 5: Oral Communication Activities
First Edition, 2020

Republic Act 8293, section 176 states that: No copyright shall subsist in any work of
the Government of the Philippines. However, prior approval of the government agency or office
wherein the work is created shall be necessary for exploitation of such work for profit. Such
agency or office may, among other things, impose as a condition the payment of royalties.

Borrowed materials (i.e., songs, stories, poems, pictures, photos, brand names,
trademarks, etc.) included in this module are owned by their respective copyright holders.
Every effort has been exerted to locate and seek permission to use these materials from their
respective copyright owners. The publisher and authors do not represent nor claim ownership
over them.

Published by the Department of Education

Secretary: Leonor Magtolis Briones
Undersecretary: Diosdado M. San Antonio

Development Team of the Module

Writer: Jane Aikeen A. Villaver

Editor: Desiree T. Roberts
Reviewers: Dr. Clavel D. Salinas
Marivic M. Yballe [Moderator]
Illustrator: Jane Aikeen A. Villaver
Layout Artist: Jane Aikeen A. Villaver
Management Team:
Dr. Marilyn S. Andales Schools Division Superintendent
Dr. Leah B. Apao Assistant Schools Division Superintendent
Dr. Ester A. Futalan Assistant Schools Division Superintendent
Dr. Cartesa M. Perico Assistant Schools Division Superintendent
Dr. Mary Ann P. Flores CID Chief
Mr. Isaiash T. Wagas Education Program Supervisor – LRMDS
Dr. Clavel D. Salinas PSDS/SHS Division Coordinator

Printed in the Philippines by:

Department of Education, Region VII, Division of Cebu Province

Office Address: IPHO Bldg. Sudlon, Lahug, Cebu City

Telefax: (032) 255 - 6405

E-mail Address: cebu.province@deped.gov.ph

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 Senior High School

Oral Communication
Quarter 1 – Module 5
Oral Communication Activities

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 Key Message
For the Facilitator:

Learning is a constant process. Amidst inevitable circumstances, Department

of Education extends their resources and looks for varied ways to cater your needs
and to adapt to the new system of Education as a fortress of Learning Continuity Plan.
One of the probable solutions is the use of Teacher-made Educational Modules in
teaching.

You are reading the Oral Communication – Grade 11: First Quarter
Alternative Delivery Mode (ADM) Module on “Examine sample oral communication
activities” as written and found in the K-12 Most Essential Learning
Competencies.

The creation of this module is a combined effort of competent educators from

different levels and various schools of Department of Education-Cebu Province. In
addition, this module is meticulously planned, organized, checked, and verified by
knowledgeable educators to assist you in imparting the lessons to the learners while
considering the physical, social, and economic restraints in teaching process.

The use of Teacher-made Educational Module aims to surpass the challenges

of teaching in a new normal education set-up. Through this module, the students are
given independent learning activities, which embodies in the Most Essential Learning
Competencies based on the K-12 Curriculum Competencies, to work on in accordance
to their capability, efficiency and time. Thus, helping the learners acquire the
prerequisite 21st Century skills needed with emphasis on utmost effort in considering
the whole well-being of the learners.

In addition to the material in the main text, you will also see this box in the body
of the module:

Notes to the Teacher!

This part of the module gives you helpful

tips, suggestions or strategies that will
make the learning process easy and
efficient to the learners.

As the main source of learning, it is your top priority to explain clearly on how
to use this module to the learners. While using this module, learner’s progress and
development should be recorded verbatim to assess their strengths and weaknesses
while doing the activities presented independently in safety of their homes. Moreover,
you are anticipated to persuade learners to comply and to finish the modules on or
before the scheduled time.

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For the Learner:

As a significant stakeholder of learning, Department of Education researched

and explored on innovative ways to address your needs with high consideration on
social, economic, physical, and emotional aspects of your well-being. To continue the
learning process, DepEd comes up with an Alternative Delivery mode of teaching
using Teacher-Made Educational Modules.

You are reading the Oral Communication – Grade 11: First Quarter
Alternative Delivery Mode (ADM) Module on “Examine sample oral communication
activities” as written and found in the K-12 Most Essential Learning
Competencies.
This module is especially crafted for you to grasp the opportunity to continue
learning even at home. Using guided and independent learning activities, rest assured
that you will be able to take pleasure as well as to deeply understand the contents of
the lesson presented, recognizing your own capacity and capability in acquiring
knowledge.

This module has the following parts and corresponding icons:

The first part of the module will keep the

learner on tract on the Competencies,
WHAT I NEED TO KNOW Objectives and Skills expected to be
developed and mastered.

This part aims to check prior knowledge on the

WHAT I KNOW lesson to take.

WHAT’S IN This part helps link the previous lesson to the

current one through a short exercise/drill.

The lesson to be partaken is introduced in this

part of the module creatively. It may be
WHAT’S NEW through a story, a song, a poem, a problem
opener, an activity, a situation, or the like.

A brief discussion of the lesson can be read in

WHAT IS IT this part. It guides and helps unlock the lesson
presented.

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 A comprehensive activitiy/es for independent
practice is in this part to solidify knowledge
WHAT’S MORE and skills of the given topic.

This part of the module is used to process

WHAT I HAVE LEARNED learning and understanding on the given topic.

A transfer of newly acquired knowledge and

skills to a real-life situation is present in this
WHAT I CAN DO part of the module.

This activity assesses level of mastery

ASSESSMENT towards the topic.

In this section, enhancement activities will be

ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES given to further grasp the lessons.

This contains answers to all activities in the

ANSWER KEYS module.

At the end of this module you will also find:

References: Printed in this part is a list of all reliable and valid resources
used in crafting and designing this module.
In using this module, keep note of the fundamental reminders below.

1. The module is government owned. Handle it with care. Unnecessary

marks are prohibited. Use a separate sheet of paper in answering all
the given exercises.
2. This is a Home-Based class, your reliability and honor in doing the
tasks and checking your answers are a must.
3. This module helps you attain and learn lessons at home. Make sure
to clearly comprehend the first activity before proceeding to the next
one.
4. This module should be returned in good condition to your
teacher/facilitator once you completed it.
5. Answers should be written on a separate sheet of paper or notebook
especially prepared for English subject.

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 If you wish to talk to your teacher/educator, do not hesitate to keep in touch with
him/her for further discussion. Know that even if this is a home-based class, your
teacher is only a call away. Good communication between the teacher and the
student is our priority to flourish your understanding on the given lessons.

We do hope that in using this material, you will gain ample knowledge and skills
for you to be fully equipped and ready to answer the demands of the globally
competitive world. We are confident in you! Keep soaring high

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 WHAT I NEED TO KNOW

Good day dear learner!

This module is solely prepared for you to access and to acquire lessons befitted
in your grade level. The exercises, drills and assessments are carefully made to suit
your level of understanding. Indeed, this learning resource is for you to fully
comprehend the sample oral communication activities. Independently, you are
going to go through this module following its proper sequence. Although you are going
to do it alone, this is a guided lesson and instructions/directions on how to do every
activity is plotted for your convenience.

Using this learning resource, you are ought to examine sample oral
communication activities as inculcated in the K-12 Most Essential Learning
Competencies.

This module presents a capsulized lesson about the nature of oral

communication to be used in examining sample oral communication activities.

After going through this module, you are expected to:

 differentiate formal oral communication from informal oral
communication;
 explain the function of communication on the given sample oral
communication activity;
 write a 250-word essay about an objective observation on the
different transcripts of speeches; and
 value oral communication as an integral part of human life.

Hi! How’s everything going? I know

at some point you feel bored for
being stuck at home for months
already. But, hey! I am here to help
you feel better this quarantine
period.

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 This quarantine has given you more time
than you have ever had. I hope that you
use this time to do things that are
meaningful to you.

In case you need a dose of

encouragement, remind yourself that
Shakespeare wrote “King Lear” when he
was quarantined because of the plague.
So, shake things up and bring your
productivity back. Are you ready for your
quarantine goals? Let’s get started!

WHAT I KNOW Test your knowledge!

Directions: Read each item carefully and write the letter of the correct answer.

1. The most effective form of communication is always through words.

a. It is true because there are always words to convey what we want.

b. It is true because through words we are allowed to express ourselves.

c. It is false because words can inhibit people from saying or declaring the truth.

d. It is false because words can be abused by people and can lead to confusion.

2. What is an indication that communication failed?

a. The communicators fixed the problem that provoked in the process.

b. Both sender and receiver stopped the conversation process.

c. The receiver did not decode the meaning of the message sent.

d. A negative feedback was given by the recipient of the message.

3. The following are functions of communication EXCEPT

a. It gears towards the solution to a problem.

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b. It provides an overview of a social issue for public understanding.

c. It promotes good relationship among people.

d. It establishes blunder that worsens an issue or problem at hand.

4. What is an indication that communication really takes place?

a. when the sender transmits the message

b. when the message enters the channel

c. when the message leaves the channel

d. when the receiver understands the message

5. Which of the following is necessary for effective communication to happen?

a. one-way process c. three-way process

b. two-way process d. both one-way process and two-way process

6. What happens when the message is NOT clearly conveyed?

a. The recipient may receive the wrong message to share with others.

b. The situation will remain unchanged.

c. The communication process continues.

d. The communicators end the communication process.

7. What function entails the use of communication for pleasure?

a. control c. entertainment

b. motivational d. instructive

8. Which must be avoided in formal communication situations?

a. the preference on completely pronounced words over contractions

b. the application of generally agreed syntactic structures

c. the use of slangs and other private vocabularies

d. the expression of ideas in complete sentences

9. What is communication without words?

a. gesture c. there is no communication without words

b. telepathy d. non-verbal communication

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10. Why are there rules about how to communicate?

a. It is to make sure everyone understands each other.

b. There are no rules about how to communicate.

c. Your workplace is obliged to have a policy.

d. Some people are not very good at communicating.

11. How can people use verbal communication?

a. Verbal communication is the use of words but not sounds.

b. Verbal communication is any word used during face to face contact.

c. Verbal communication can happen face to face, telephone and Skype.

d. Verbal communication is the use of words in certain contexts.

12. Active listening involves listening and ____________.

a. action c. being active

b. agreeing d. responding

13. What is a good way to continue the communication?

a. Nod while they make a point c. Ask questions

b. Active Listening d. Make a good eye contact

14. In talking with someone, why should you ask questions?

a. To check you have understood something

b. It shows you are interested

c. You should only respond if a person tells you something.

d. Both a and b

15. You have discussion with a friend about politics, and you don’t agree with him.
What should you do?

a. get angry with your friend c. say what you believe

b. change the subject c. attack his credibility

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 Start accomplishing your quarantine goals! First on
WHAT’S IN
the list, is very much where you should be starting.

A. Directions: Scan through the different pictures below.

FAMILIAR OR NOT? Write YES if you can recognize what the picture is
showing, and NO if you cannot recognize what it is
showing.

1. ______________________ 2. _______________________

3. _____________________ 4. ______________________

5. _____________________ 6. _______________________
Disclaimer: The picture is used to put emphasis and to show concrete examples for
deeper understanding of the lesson. Department of Education-Cebu Province does not
claim or own the presented pictures. Links for the sources are found in the reference
part of the module.

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 WHAT DOES THE PICTURE MEAN? B. Directions: Based on your
own understanding, write the
number of the picture
presented above if it is used to:

Inform Control Motivate

Express Interact Socially

Emotions

WHAT ARE MY FAVORITES? C. Directions: As a student, list at least top three (3)
shows/programs/videos you viewed/watched/heard
that contribute to your physical, emotional, mental
and social wellbeing.

Internet Television Radio

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 WHAT’S NEW

SPEAK UP!

Great communication skills are your ticket to success in the academic, business
world and even in personal life. But have you ever been overcome by fear or anxiety
prior to speaking in front of an audience? Knowing when to choose oral communication
and polishing your speaking skills can help you at every stage of your wellbeing. Get
to know about the story of Frederick Douglas and be inspired!

Frederick Douglas

On August 11, 1841, Frederick Douglass stood in an audience of

strangers, all abolitionists. They called on him to speak. An escaped slave,
Douglass had a lot at stake. He was intimidated to be giving his first formal
speech in front of such a large crowd.

Yet he sensed this was an opportunity to give voice to the injustices

he witnessed. He began articulating the experiences he and others had as
slaves. This was a life-changing experience for him because, from that day
forward, he dedicated his life to speaking out about ending slavery.

Question:
When you are presented with opportunities that could be potential
life-changers, what will you call upon to give you the courage to
speak up? Explain your answer.

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 WHAT IS IT

What is Oral Communication?

It is the process of expressing information or ideas by word of

mouth. It is a way of verbally transmitting information and ideas from one
individual or group to another. It can either be formal or informal depending
on the purpose of communication.

Examples of informal oral communication include:

 Face-to-face conversations
 Telephone conversations
 Discussions that take place at business meetings

More formal types of oral communication include:

 Presentations at business meetings

 Classroom lectures
 Commencement speeches given at a graduation ceremony

With advances in technology, new forms of oral communication

continue to develop. Video phones and video conferences combine audio
and video so that workers in distant locations can both see and speak with
each other. Other modern forms of oral communication include podcasts
(audio clips that you can access on the Internet).

Benefits of Oral Communication

 It saves time
 It is more effective as emotions are well portrayed
 The feedback loop is faster
 Verbal communication is economical
 The tone is easy to read.

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 Understanding Oral Presentation

 An oral presentation is a short talk on a set of topic given to a tutorial

or seminar group
 The 3Ps are important – Plan, Prepare and Practice
 One must focus on the needs of the audience
 Keep it simple

Communication during Meetings

 Business meetings can maximize communication by taking

different steps
 Prepare by choosing participants with care, providing advance
notice and planning clearly articulated agenda
 Recap the meeting’s accomplishments and provide or recap
actionable steps before concluding

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 Face to Face Conversations

 When one person discusses his views, opinion to another persona

and exchange their views in the presence of both then it is called face
to face conversation
 It is a discussion through spoken language and words on a particular
issue among the people to exchange their views freely and fairly with
each other

Benefits of Face to Face Conversations

 Immediate response
 Feelings expressed easily
 Suitable for discussion
 Less chance of misunderstanding

Conclusion

 There is high level of understanding and transparency in oral

communication as it is interpersonal
 It is best in case of problem resolution
 The conflicts, disputed and many issues/differences can be put to an
end by talking them over
 Oral communication can be best used to transfer private and
confidential information/matter

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 WHAT’S MORE
Directions: Read and examine the two phone
calls below and take note of how they differ
YOUR CALL IS IMPORTANT! from one another using the given
comparison chart.
1!
Phone Call 1: Phone Call 2:

A. Hello. A. Good afternoon, this is Rachel. How

B. Hey is Sasha there?
A. Uh, yeah. Who’s this?
B. It’s Pip
A. Hang on just a second (wait a
minute), Pip… Sasha, phone’s for you.
C. Who is it?
A. It’s Pip.
C. Hey, what’s up (slang way to say
“What are you doing?”)
B. Nothing. Just chillin’ (relaxing) at
home. How ‘bout you?
C. Just hanging out.
B. You wanna grab a bite (go out for
food)?
C. Sure, what were you thinking?
B. Let’s just go out and find something.
I’m down for whatever (I’ll eat anything).
C. Sounds good… I’m starving (really
hungry).
B. Meet yah down there in ten (minutes)
C. Cool see yah then.
B. Later.
may I help you?
B. Hello. Is Mr. Savinoy available?
A. May I ask who is calling?
B. My name is Mr. Wilson. I’m calling in
regards to our meeting this week.
A. Would you mind holding for a minute,
Mr. Wilson?
B. Not at all.
A. Thanks so much.
C. Hello.
A. Mr. Savinoy, you have a phone call
from Mr. Wilson about a meeting this
week.
C. Great. Put him through (transfer the
call to me). Hello, Mr. Wilson. What can
I do for you?
B. Hi, Mr. Savinoy. I was just calling to
confirm the details of our meeting.
What’s a good time for you?
A. Well, I’m pretty swamped (very busy)
tomorrow. How about 10 o’clock on
Friday?
B. I may not be able to make it at ten.
Would 10:30 be okay?
A. Sure that works for me. I’ll pencil you
in (put you on my schedule) for 10:30
on Friday.
B. Great. I’m looking forward to it. See
you soon.
A. Sure… thanks for calling. Take care
(have a nice day).

Aspect Phone Call 1 Phone Call 2

1. Style

2. Diction (Choice of
Words)

3. Purpose

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 B. Directions: Read and deliver with conviction the
STAND AND DELIVER! following excerpt taken from Carlos P Romulo’s “I am a
Filipino”, an essay that has been used in speech by
teachers and students during special occasions to show
flowing patriotism for our beloved country, the Philippines.
These words when spoken are exactly what we need to
make our heart swell with pride.

I AM A FILIPINO
by Carlos P. Romulo

I am a Filipino – inheritor of a glorious past, hostage to the uncertain future.

As such, I must prove equal to a two-fold task – the task of meeting my responsibility
to the past, and the task of performing my obligation to the future.

I am a Filipino. In my blood runs the immortal seed of heroes – seed that

flowered down the centuries in deeds of courage and defiance. In my veins yet
pulses the same hot blood that sent Lapulapu to battle against the alien foe, that
drove Diego Silang and Dagohoy into rebellion against the foreign oppressor, that
seed is immortal. It is the self-same seed that flowered in the heart of Jose Rizal
that morning in Bagumbayan when a volley of shots put an end to all that was mortal
of him and made his spirit deathless forever; the same that flowered in the hearts of
Bonifacio in Balintawak, of Gregorio del Pilar at Tirad Pass, of Antonio Luna at
Calumpit, that bloomed in flowers of frustration in the sad heart of Emilio Aguinaldo
at Palanan, , and yet burst forth royally again in the proud heart of Manuel L. Quezon
when he stood at last on the threshold of ancient Malacanang Palace, in the
symbolic act of possession and racial vindication.

I am a Filipino, and this is my inheritance. What pledge shall I give that I may
prove worthy of my inheritance? I shall give the pledge that has come ringing down
the corridors of the centuries, and its hall be compounded of the joyous cries of my
Malayan forebears when they first saw the contours of this land loom before their
eyes, of the battle cries that have resounded in every field of combat from Mactan
to Tirad Pass, of the voices of my people when they sing:

Land of the morning.

Child of the sun returning . . .

Ne’er shall invaders

Trample thy sacred shore.

Out of the lush green of these seven thousand isles, out of the heart-strings
of sixteen million people all vibrating to one song, I shall weave the mighty fabric of
my pledge. Out of the songs of the farmers at sunrise when they go to labor in the

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fields; out the sweat of the hard-bitten pioneers in Mal-ig and Koronadal; out of the
silent endurance of stevedores at the piers and the ominous grumbling of peasants
in Pampanga; out of the first cries of babies newly born and the lullabies that mothers
sing; out of crashing of gears and the whine of turbines in the factories; out of the
crunch of ploughs upturning the earth; out of the limitless patience of teachers in the
classrooms and doctors in the clinics; out of the tramp of soldiers marching, I shall
make the pattern of my pledge: I am a Filipino born of freedom, and I shall not rest
until freedom shall have been added unto my inheritance – for myself and my
children’s – forever.

Retrieved from https://aboutphilippines.org/documents-etc/I-AM-A-

FILIPINO.pdf

C. Directions: When you are delivering a speech, you

MAKE CONNECTIONS! naturally make connections. Speakers can make
different types of connections.

It reminds me of something I did.

 I can connect to the speech
Speech-to-Self because ___________.

It reminds me of another speech.

 This speech reminds me of
Speech-to-Speech another speech because _____.

It reminds me of something in the world.

 This speech makes me think of
Speech-to-World __________ because ________.

WHAT I HAVE LEARNED

A. Directions: Complete the sticky notes ticket below to

SHOW ME THE TICKET! concretize your learning about this topic.

STICKY NOTES

I NOTICED… MY TOP 5 LIST

What’s something you noticed during the If this lesson had a top 5 list, what would
lesson? be on it?

5 ___ 4____ 3____ 2_____ 1_____

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 KEY WORDS The most important thing about
____________ is
List out the important key words you ____________________.
need to know to understand what oral
communication is and its activities.

WISE WORDS IT REALLY STUCK!

What wise words would you share with Share one thing that you learned that will
someone who is studying the same stick with you.
topic?

WHAT I CAN DO

MAKE CONVERSATION MORE MEANINGFUL!

As you get older, and your days are filled with more activities, finding time to sit
around and share your thoughts and feelings is not easy, but it is super important! So
spend more time with your family members by simply having conversation with them.

A. Directions: Let your parents and siblings pick one conversation card to answer and
share. As the initiator of the activity, you answer one conversation card question first.
After your turn, let each family member share too, and record the responses. You can
apply direct quotation, summarizing and paraphrasing in presenting their answers.

CONVERSATION CARDS

How did you help another If you could trade places with
person today? your parents for a day, what
would you do differently? Why?

If you could have one dream If you could pick your own
come true, what would it be? name, what would you choose?
Why?

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 If you could be an animal, Which book character best
what would you be and why? describes you and why?

If you could see your future, If you could be famous for a

where will you be in ten week, what would you be
years? famous for and why?

If you could have any pet, What is your favourite vacation

what would you choose and memory?
why?

Sharer Chosen Response (It can Your reaction upon

Conversation Card be presented hearing about
Question through direct his/her response.
quotation,
paraphrasing and
summarizing.)
1. Mother
2. Father
3. Siblings

PUT ON YOUR THINKING CAP! B. Directions: Use the Venn diagram below
to compare and contrast the nature of formal
oral communication to the nature of informal
oral communication.

Formal Oral Communication Informal Oral communication

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 ASSESSMENT

Directions: Read and examine the different transcripts of

WRITING TIME!
debate speeches below. Then, write a 250- word essay
about an objective observation highlighting the functions of
communication used by the speakers. Use the given
rubrics as your reference.

Aspect 3 2 1

Introduces Topic is clearly Topic is mentioned. Topic is not

Topic introduced. introduced or does
Demonstrates not demonstrate
Demonstrates understanding of understanding of
strong topic. topic.
understanding of
topic.

Uses facts Supports topic Supports topic with Uses no facts or

and skillfully with facts, limited facts, and definitions or
definitions definitions and definitions. provides only
details. opinion.

Organization Organizes ideas and Organizes ideas and No paragraph

information into information into structure is evident.
clear paragraph incomplete paragraph
structure. structure.

Uses effective
linking words to
connect ideas.

Grammar and Capital letters and Capital letters and Capital letters and
Mechanics punctuation are punctuation are punctuation are not
used correctly. mostly used correctly. used correctly.
Produces correct Produces mostly Produces incorrect
simple and correct complete or incomplete
compound sentences. sentences.
sentences.

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 FORMAL TEAM DEBATE

1st Affirmative Speech:

Ladies and gentlemen, today we’re here to talk about something very important.
The topic of today’s debate is whether or not the United States of America should
adopt English as its official language. First of all, when we say “official language,”
my partner and I mean that English should be the language used in all government
business, administration, and publicity. Government documents, the proceedings of
official meetings, and so on could still be translated, but emphasis would be put on
addressing language barriers with English as a second language (hereafter called
“ESL”) education rather than constant and expensive translations.

As you may have already inferred, my partner and I stand in firm affirmation of
this topic: English should indeed be made the official language of the United States
of America. In our first speech, I will be talking to about how our country is suffering
without an official language and why we need one. After taking some time to respond
to our opponents, my partner will address how adopting an official language policy
will be tremendously helpful to everyone, whether they presently speak English or
not.

The first point we want to bring up is something vital: communication. Without

it, a business owner could never sell her products. A patient could never tell his
doctor what his symptoms are. If you do not speak the same language as a person,
it is basically the same as not being able to communicate at all. Right now, in the
United States, we deal with language barriers by making government documents
and materials available in a wide array of languages via translation. The problems
with this are twofold. First, this is a band-aid solution that forces a dependency on
the beneficiary of the translations. Second, translation is not cheap and there is no
end in sight. If the government continues on this course, it will have to dump money
into translating all official materials at an ever-increasing rate.

The second point we would like to address is the equity of the American Dream.
No matter who you are or where you are from, hard work and determination will give
you a fair shot to succeed in the USA. For that to be the case, however, we need to
make sure that we are doing everything possible to make sure that everyone is
getting an equal chance at success. We can only do this by making sure that
everyone served by our government, which is everyone who lives in the USA, can
speak the same language. If we fail in this, our government is neglecting the needs
of non-native English speakers and indirectly favoring those born into families that
speak English.

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1st Negative Speech:

Ladies and gentlemen, our opponents are correct in one thing, and that is
stressing the importance of this topic. To begin, their definition of what an English
Only policy would be like is flawed. By claiming that there would still be translations
but they would save money by switching to ESL education, they are attempting to
claim the benefits of their position without addressing the harms it does to society.

My partner and I disagree with the other team and believe that the United States
should not adopt English as its official language. The US has never had such a
policy, has never needed one, and certainly does not need one now. After showing
why my opponents’ arguments are wrong, I am going to detail the historical basis
for rejecting an English Only policy and why that means we do not need one today.
My partner will also respond to the affirmative team’s arguments and then
demonstrate the ways that such a policy would harm the United States and its
citizens.

The two points my opponent presented can be grouped into one single point,
which is as follows: We need an English Only policy to benefit the people who do
not speak English. The fact is, such a policy would not help them at all. Our
opponents claim that ESL education equips non-English speakers with skills for
economic success, and that’s true, but such programs are already in place in the
US. They could only make a difference with this policy if money were taken out of
providing translations. If that were done, however, tens of thousands of non-English
speaking adults would be disenfranchised unless they were forced to attend ESL
classes, which would quickly become a financial hardship and a violation of personal
liberty.

Fortunately, the United States has always been a nation of immigrants. Since
our inception, people have poured in from all corners of the globe to make the United
States of America what it is today. Indeed, it is our diversity, rather than our
homogeneity, that is our greatest strength. We only have the strong economy we do
because our infrastructure was built by hard working immigrants from places
including Italy, China, Germany, and Switzerland. In the past, these demographics
were mistreated severely. Along with the violation of their civil rights, they were
stereotyped as being isolationist foreigners and a threat to American culture and the
English language. History has shown this notion to be nothing more than alarmist
xenophobia. These groups have integrated into our linguistic culture and even
helped American English to become more distinct from English spoken in other parts
of the world. Just as we did not need legislation or policy to “protect” us linguistically
from immigrants in the past, we certainly do not need it now.

2nd Affirmative Speech:

Allow me to start off by restating that the United States of America definitely
needs to declare English as its official language, and what our opponents have said

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supports that. The biggest example that supports our position is the hardship
suffered by the immigrant groups they listed. When Italian and Chinese immigrants
came over to the US in waves, they had a very hard time obtaining higher education,
securing loans, and generally enjoying the privileges that should, supposedly, be
available to everyone. Is it not possible that this was due, at least in part, to their
inability to speak English? If you and a friend both move to a country where he
speaks the language and you do not, who do you think is going to succeed? Your
friend is, of course, and it was the same way for these poor immigrants. Today,
plenty of people are still immigrating to the USA, and we do not have to let them
suffer like previous generations of immigrants have. We need to apply the lessons
of the past and declare English as the official language of the United States of
America so that we can help them adapt and succeed in our nation.

Such a policy would bring with it a myriad of benefits to our society. First and
foremost would be satisfying the moral obligation we have to help immigrants
integrate into the American community. If we fail in this regard, not only are we guilty
of a moral and sociological trespass, but the byproduct would be creating a
subversive, marginalized element of society. Rather, making English the official
language of the United States would help include immigrating Americans into both
our language and culture, allowing them and their children a more productive means
of socioeconomic growth and helping to keep them away from criminal activity. An
additional benefit would be the amount of jobs created, not just because of the
expanded workforce resulting from more fluent, capable workers but also from the
teaching positions that would become available to make this dream a reality. In
summary, for a better economy, a reduction in crime and, foremost, because it is a
moral obligation, the US ought to adopt English as its official language.

2nd Negative Speech:

The United States does not need an official language, be it English or any other.
So far, our opponents have built their case on some pretty dubious claims that
border on being offensive. Most recently, our opponents tried very gently to say that
the US should have an official language policy to keep immigrants from committing
crimes. Now, let’s not mince words, here: the largest group immigrating to the US
are people from Central and South America. The affirmative team has done a good
job at subtly hinting at it instead of saying it outright, but what my opponents really
want is for you to agree with them out of baseless Hispanophobia. Once you begin
saying, “These poor people from another country deserve to be reeducated and
included in our culture,” what you are really saying is, “We need to remake their
identity as Americans because our culture is superior to theirs.” Obviously, this is
unethical and completely invalidates their claims to be fulfilling a moral obligation.

Making English the official language of the United States would harm our
country in other ways, too. Such a policy sends a clear message: “Who you are
when you arrive here is not good enough. You will change because we want you

19
to.” Our native language is a part of our very personalities; the language of our
innermost thoughts. Rejecting that in a person is hardly the kind of message that
would culturally unify a diverse population. Rather, it divides them, declaring that
English-speaking America is somehow above immigrant America. Because of this,
we could only expect a reaction of resentment and, with it, a rise in crime. A federal
ESL policy would be economically harmful as well for the simple fact that there are
already private English-teaching services in the United States. Is it fair for the United
States government to take customers away from private companies just to satisfy a
misguided sense of linguistic protectionism? Of course not. The only responsible
conclusion is that the United States of America does not need an official language.

3rd Affirmative Speech:

Throughout the course of this debate, we have proven and demonstrated that
the United States should make English its official language. The goal of doing so
would certainly not be to somehow diminish the value of other cultures or languages,
but better equip recently arrived American citizens with the skills they need to thrive
in their new country. ESL education does not teach a person that English is better
than their native language any more than it teaches them that an American brand
clothing or hamburgers with french fries are better than their native attire or food.

My partner and I have demonstrated that the great benefits that would result
from making English the official language of the United States. Immigrants would be
given the tools for financial success, employment opportunities would be created for
teachers and the American people would be united behind doing the right thing by
giving our newest citizens a leg up. The most important thing to remember in this
debate is the message that the Statue of Liberty bears to all those who come to the
United States. It is our responsibility to embrace the tired, poor, and huddled masses
and do whatever is necessary to ensure that they have just as much of a chance to
live the American Dream as native-born citizens.

3rd Negative Speech:

We would like to thank the judges, the audience and our opponents for coming
to this debate. We would also like to state one final time that the United States of
America does not need and should not have an official language. It is important to
remember that all of the economic benefits our opponents claim stem from ESL
education, which we already have in the US. Their other option would be to
federalize ESL, which would infringe on the market freedom of existing language
learning corporations. Their claims of fulfilling a moral duty are also void, as
declaring an official language would violate the higher moral duties of respecting
other cultures and preserving personal liberty.

I am glad that our opponents brought up the Statue of Liberty, because she is
the very symbol of what the United States ought to be. Lady Liberty stands to
welcome all those would come to the US and accepts them as they are, rather than

20
insisting that they change into something or someone else. At the heart of it, that is
all that an English Only policy would accomplish: sending a message to the rest of
the world that they are only welcome to the United States if they conform
linguistically.

Downloaded from http://www.wikihow.com

ADDITIONAL ACTIVITY

A. Directions: Use the graphic organizer

STOP, LOOK, AND MAKE IT!
below to identify and discuss the differences
among the functions of communication.
Then, give three oral communication
activities that depict each function of
communication.

Function Description Oral Communication

Activities

1.
2.
3.
1.
2.
3.
1.
2.
3.
1.
2.
3.
1.
2.
3.

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ANSWER KEYS

Notes to the Teacher!

The teacher will check all the

Answers Vary Part.

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References

Electronic File
Department of Education. Curriculum and Instruction Strand. K to 12 Most Essential
Learning Competencies with Corresponding CG Codes.

Online Sources
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CuiMttlZZNsGrTGh7QjPc3Nm6WjJqmSUAA. Retrieved Date September 2, 2020.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?reload=9&v=uD6g7rN0NBY&feature=youtu.be&fbcli
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FILIPINO.pdf. Retrieved date September 2, 2020.

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September 2, 2020.

Exit Ticket Sticky Notes Activity. Retrieved from www.pinterest.com. Retrieved date
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Make Conversation More Meaningful. Retrieved from www.pinterest.com. Retrieved

date September 2, 2020.

Formal Team Debate. Retrieved from http://www.wikihow.com. Retrieved date

September 2, 2020.

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dev.com%2fwp-

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content%2fuploads%2f2019%2f07%2f67821008_731496723976471_754079438791
6128256_n.jpg%3ffit%3d960%252C540&exph=540&expw=960&q=sona+of+preside
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Social Interaction Image 1. Retrieved from

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Social Interaction Image 2. Retrieved from
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For inquiries and feedback, please write or call:

Department of Education, Region VII, Division of Cebu Province
Office Address: IPHO Bldg. Sudlon, Cebu City, 6000 Cebu
Telefax: (032) 255 - 6405
Email Address: cebu.province@deped.gov.ph

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