Introduction to Public Speaking {an IEW Review}

Last Updated: December 27, 2025

This post contains affiliate links. Learn more in my disclosure policy. With the exception of free items received during the Twelve Days of Christmas Giving event, we have purchased all of our IEW curriculum.

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If you’re like me, public speaking is one of those classes that you would rather outsource than tackle teaching on your own. That’s why I was delighted when IEW released Introduction to Public Speaking, which is a twelve-week video course led by master speaker and IEW founder, Andrew Pudewa.

I knew my kids needed a public speaking course, and I knew that I did not have the knowledge or experience to guide them to success. Thankfully, I’ve had the pleasure of hearing Andrew Pudewa speak at many homeschool conventions, keeping my interest for the full hour every time. Introduction to Public Speaking is a master class filled with valuable teaching. Andrew Pudewa connects well with middle and high school students, bringing the classroom right into your living room.

One thing I particularly enjoyed about this video course was that the students in the video were just like my own kids. They weren’t chosen because they already knew how to speak well in public. Their speeches weren’t perfect. Watching Andrew Pudewa critique their speeches with grace helped me when when my own kids’ speeches were similarly imperfect.

What is the ideal age range for Introduction to Public Speaking?

IEW recommends Introduction to Public Speaking for middle school and high school students. While writing courses from IEW are not prerequisites for this class, familiarity with key word outlines for writing and speaking is helpful. I watched the videos along with my children and learned quite a bit. Even college students or adults could benefit from this course.

Our oldest two children completed Introduction to Public Speaking in 2025. They began in July and wrapped up the course at the end of September, completing one lesson each week. At the time our son was an incoming junior while our daughter was just beginning eighth grade.

How much parent involvement is required for Introduction to Public Speaking?

As a homeschool mom without a lot of extra time on my hands, I prefer classes that are open-and-go. Introduction to Public Speaking was easy to facilitate.

I did go ahead and watch the videos with my kids so that I wouldn’t be caught off guard by any assignments and would fully understand what was expected of them. However, I think the Teacher’s Manual does an excellent job of providing notes that keep the parent/facilitator in the loop even without watching the videos.

My kids are very familiar with IEW curriculum, so this class was an easy fit for them. We watched the video at the beginning of the week, and they completed their “homework” on the other days. Unless they needed input for a speech or someone to listen to them practice, I was largely uninvolved with their weekly assignments.

When they presented their speeches it was usually just the three of us in the room, but we did have their dad join us for the persuasive and impromptu speeches. Those of us in the audience filled out the evaluation forms.

I didn’t assign grades to their speeches, but they both completed every assignment in the course and improved their public speaking skills along the way. Thus, they both received an A for the course.

What types of speeches are covered in Introduction to Public Speaking?

This twelve-week video course introduces students to five types of speeches.

• Self-introductory speech (5 minutes | weeks 3 – 5)
• Narrative speech (7 minutes | weeks 5 – 7)
• Expository speech (7 minutes | weeks 7 – 9)
• Persuasive speech (10 minutes | weeks 9 – 11)
• Impromptu speech (5 minutes | weeks 11 – 12)

Which speeches were most memorable?

Because our children took advantage of the persuasive speeches to ask us for things they really wanted, these stand out as the most memorable. Our son tried to convince us to buy a 3D printer to further his education. Our daughter motivated us to attend an informational meeting at 4 Paws for Ability.

In the end they both succeeded. Although we did not run out and buy a 3D printer, a family member donated an old one to us. The informational meeting at 4 Paws for Ability won us over to the idea of fostering a service dog in training in 2026.

Which IEW products are required for Introduction to Public Speaking?

First and foremost, Introduction to Public Speaking is a video course, so you will need to purchase either the DVDs or the Forever Streaming package.

The standard DVD or Forever Streaming package includes the following items. Some can also be purchased separately.

• Binder and Student Packet
• Teacher’s Manual
• Portable Walls for the Public Speaker
• 12 Forever Streaming Videos OR 12 DVDs

Because I had two students taking this course at once, I opted to purchase an additional binder and student packet. You can purchase the binder and student packet individually as well. Although any binder will do, this one comes with tabbed dividers specific to the course content. Every student needs a student packet.

Portable Walls for the Public Speaker is a very handy synopsis of the concepts learned in Introduction to Public Speaking. This is a great resource to refer back to during and long after the course has been completed.

IEW also offers a bundle called Speaking Basic Plus Package that includes both Linguistic Development for Poetry Memorization [Audio CDs] and Introduction to Public Speaking [Forever Streaming]. Note that Linguistic Development for Poetry Memorization is a longer program and can be started much earlier than Introduction to Public Speaking.

What is the weekly course content for Introduction to Public Speaking?

Week 1

• Video length: ~ 1 hour 5 minutes
• Class notes:
  • Five canons or rhetoric
  • Writing and speaking from a key word outline (KWO)
  • Memory and delivery techniques
• Homework:
  • Memorize one of four selected poems to recite the following week, recording and self-evaluating during the week.
  • Write, test, and practice delivering a KWO for “Socrates’s Story of Theuth and the Gift of Writing.”

Week 2 – Poetry Recitation (one of four preselected poems)

• Video length: ~ 1 hour 23 minutes
• Class notes:
  • How to evaluate a speaker based on poise, locution, contact, and content
  • The structure of a basic speech
  • Memory and delivery techniques
• Evaluations:
  • Critique four students (from the video) as they recite short poems.
  • Present your memorized poem to an audience (parents, siblings, classmates, etc).
• Homework:
  • Memorize a stanza from “Friends, Romans, Countrymen” while working on memory and delivery techniques.

Week 3 – Recitation (Friends, Romans, Countrymen – one stanza)

• Video length: ~ 1 hour 18 minutes
• Class notes:
  • The structure of a basic speech (review)
  • How to develop a five-minute self-introductory speech
  • Calculate the number of words needed for a five-minute speech
• Evaluations:
  • Critique four students (from the video) as they each recite a stanza from “Friends, Romans, Countrymen.”
  • Present your chosen stanza to an audience for evaluation.
• Homework:
  • Write the body paragraphs and key word outline for your self-introductory speech.
    (This speech is due in Week 5.)
  • Memorize one stanza of “Casey at the Bat” to recite for next week, recording and self-evaluating during the week.

Week 4 – Poetry Recitation (Casey at the Bat – one stanza)

• Video length: ~ 1 hour 5 minutes
• Class notes:
  • Learn how to write an introduction and conclusion for a self-introductory speech.
  • Write and practice giving the speech from a memorized key word outline rather than by reading it.
• Evaluations:
  • Watch as Nathan gives a dramatic recitation of “Casey at the Bat.” This is an exemplar provided as an ideal model worth imitating.
  • Recite your chosen stanza of “Casey at the Bat” to an audience for evaluation.
  • Watch as William shares his self-introductory speech. This is another exemplar to provide a high level to students, but they are not expected to reach this level with their speeches.
• Homework:
  • Refine your self-introductory speech, practicing it daily with recordings and self-evaluations.

Week 5 – Self-introductory Speech (five minutes)

• Video length: ~ 55 minutes
• Class notes:
  • Structure of a narrative speech
  • How to critique a speech
• Evaluations:
  • Critique two students (from the video) as they present their self-introductory speeches.
  • Present your five-minute self-introductory speech to an audience for evaluation.
  • Watch as Michelle gives an exemplar of a narrative speech.
• Homework:
  • Write and practice a seven-minute narrative speech. Time it and add or omit information as necessary.
    (This speech is due in Week 7.)
  • Practice memory and delivery techniques.

Week 6

• Video length: ~ 55 minutes
• Class notes:
  • How to be heard and be effective
• Homework:
  • Ask someone to listen to your narrative speech and provide feedback so that you can improve it during the week, focusing on how it can be more engaging.
  • Practice breathing and vocal techniques.
  • Practice and memorize the seven-minute narrative speech, recording and evaluating along the way.

Week 7 – Narrative Speech (seven minutes)

• Video length: ~ 1 hour
• Class notes:
  • Types of expository speeches
  • Structure of an expository speech
• Evaluations:
  • Critique two students (from the video) as they present their narrative speeches.
  • Present your narrative speech to an audience for evaluation.
  • Watch as Rachel gives an exemplar of an expository speech about how to dress well on a budget.
• Homework:
  • Create a key word outline to write the body paragraphs of an expository speech. Then outline and write the conclusion and introduction.
    (The seven-minute expository speech is due in Week 9.)
  • Increase credibility with quotes or paraphrases from well-known sources and/or include relevant stories of your own experiences.
  • Work on timing and content to achieve a seven-minute speech.
  • Practice memory and delivery techniques.

Week 8

• Video length: ~ 1 hour
• Class notes:
  • How to incorporate three modes of persuasion
    • Ethos (character of speaker)
    • Pathos (emotion)
    • Logos (logic)
• Homework:
  • Practice your expository speech in front of someone and ask for feedback on content.
  • Write and refine your key word outline, removing unnecessary words as you memorize.
  • Incorporate ethos, pathos, and logos into your speech as you practice.
  • Continue practicing memory and delivery techniques.

Week 9 – Expository Speech (seven minutes)

• Video length: ~ 1 hour 5 minutes
• Class notes:
  • Structure of a persuasive speech
  • Two different goals of a persuasive speech:
    • Convert (change opinion)
    • Motivate (encourage to action)
• Evaluations:
  • Critique two students (from the video) as they present their expository speeches.
  • Present your seven-minute expository speech to an audience for evaluation.
  • Watch as Claire gives an exemplar of a persuasive speech about stress.
• Homework:
  • Choose a subject and decide on the goal of your persuasive speech.
  • Research your subject as necessary.
  • Follow the persuasive speech template to outline and write your body paragraphs.
  • Outline and write your conclusion and introduction.
  • Incorporate ethos, pathos, and logos into your speech, focusing on logical transitions.
  • Practice your speech and adjust content so that it lasts about ten minutes.
    (This speech is due in Week 11.)

Week 10

• Video length: ~ 1 hour 10 minutes
• Class notes:
  • Review three modes of persuasion
  • Memory Techniques
    • Speaker’s Triangle
    • Method of Acronym
    • Method of Loci
  • New delivery technique: dress well for the speech, erring on the side of formality
• Homework:
  • Present your speech to someone for feedback.
  • Try to incorporate ethos, pathos, and logos into your speech.
  • Write a key word outline of the speech and practice it, aiming for ten minutes of length.
  • Use memory techniques as you practice your speech. Reduce your key word outline as you go.
  • Practice delivery techniques including hand gestures.
  • Plan to dress professionally for the speech.

Week 11 – Persuasive Speech (ten minutes)

• Video length: ~50 minutes
• Class notes:
  • Types of impromptu speeches
  • How to quickly plan an impromptu speech
• Evaluations:
  • Critique two students (from the video) as they present their persuasive speeches.
  • Present your ten-minute persuasive speech to an audience for evaluation.
  • Watch as Maria gives an exemplar of an impromptu speech based on Rudyard Kipling’s quote, “Words are, of course, the most powerful drug used by mankind.”
• Homework:
  • Review and memorize the process for preparing an impromptu speech.
  • Throughout the week prepare and practice three different impromptu speeches based on the given prompts.
    • Record yourself and self-evaluate.
    • Ask someone to evaluate you.

Week 12 – Impromptu Speech (five minutes)

• Video length: ~ 45 minutes
• Class notes:
  • Further speaking opportunities (speech and debate organizations)
  • Types of speeches at competitions
• Evaluations:
  • Critique two students (from the video) as they present their impromptu speeches.
  • Present your five-minute impromptu speech to an audience for evaluation.
• Homework:
  • Find opportunities to hone your skills for writing, memorizing, and delivering speeches.

Additional IEW Reviews

• IEW: The Definitive Guide
• Fix It! Grammar
• Poetry Memorization
• Structure and Style for Students
• Wonders of Science Writing Lessons

Conclusion

It has been a pleasure to review Introduction to Public Speaking from IEW because this video course was truly beneficial to our family. My kids gained confidence to think about and present their ideas.

I, too, gained confidence. In the midst of this course, I had the opportunity to speak at my city council meeting in favor of allowing chickens in our city. I was nervous, especially since the meetings are live-streamed. However, it was important for me to demonstrate to my kids that I could do something hard (public speaking) to work toward change for our community. The ordinance to allow chickens as small livestock passed just before Christmas 2025.