High School/Senior High School Courses

Intro to Radio & Television

The broadcast media are ever present in our lives. Intro to Radio/TV provides a one semester overview of the TV and radio industries that so profoundly affect our lives. Students will develop skills in media literacy to help them become more knowledgeable media consumers. (Grades 11-12)

Professional Communications

Professional Communications blends written, oral, and graphic communication in a career-based environment.  Careers in the global economy require individuals to be creative and have a strong background in computer and technology applications, a strong and solid academic foundation, and a proficiency in professional oral and written communication.  Within this context, students will be expected to develop and expand the ability to write, read, edit, speak, listen, use software applications, manipulate computer graphics, and conduct Internet research.

(Credits.5)  This course meets the requirement for local speech credit.

Communications Major Studies

This two-year program is available only on the Plano East Senior High School campus where the Plano ISD cable television studio is located. Students get an overview of the communications industry including speech, television, radio, film and broadcast journalism. They research, write, record, and edit individual video projects, as well as receive hands-on training in the production end of the industry. (Grades 11-12)

Debate I

Students learn processes of logic and critical thinking as they prepare for competitive debate. They will make debate presentations in classroom and may earn the right to participate as members of their school's debate team. (Grades 9-12)

Oral Interpretation I

Students in this course study such principles of oral interpretation of literature as selection and analysis of literature, performance techniques, and criteria for evaluation. They participate in presentations in the classroom and may earn the right to participate as members of their school's debate team. (Grades 9-12)

Debate II-III

Advanced courses for students continuing their study of debate. (Grades 10-12)

Oral Interpretation II-III

Advanced courses for students continuing their study of oral interpretation. (Grades 10-12)

Independent Study Speech

This course allows high-achieving students to do research and produce original work in print or some other medium. Students wishing to enroll in a fourth year of study in Debate or Oral Interpretation select this course. (Grade 12)

Middle School Speech & Debate

Communicaton is an integral part of our social, cultural, and academic lives; therefore, middle school students should develop effective communication skills to further their academic pursuits and  perpare for interaction in social, civic, and professional roles.  To become competent communicators, students will develop and apply skills in using oral language, nonverbal communication, and listening in interpersonal, group, academic, and public contexts.  

All Plano ISD middle school campuses offer basic speech classes as 7th and 8th grade elective courses.  Students may choose to take Introduction to Public Speaking, Debate or Oral Interpretation courses for .5 to 1 elective credit.  These courses offer the student an opportunity to develop critical communication skills that are essential in todays society.   

Middle School Speech 1: Introduction to Public Speaking

Introduction to Public Speaking:  Students will develop skills focused on five identifiable functions of expressing and responding appropriately to feelings, participating in social traditions, informing, persuading, creating, and imagining.  To become competent communicators through verbal and nonverbal messages, presentation skills and effective social practices will emerge.  Students will develop and apply skills in using oral language, nonverbal communication, and listening in interpersonal, group, academic, and public contexts.  The student will be given the opportunity to understand the communication process, and will participate in social traditions in order to develop procedural communication processes, respond with informative messages, and develop an understanding of persuasion.  

Middle School Speech 2:  Introduction to Debate/Oral Interpretation

Introduction to Debate:  Students will continue to develop skills focused on five identifiable functions of expressing and responding appropriately to feelings, participating in social traditions, informing, persuading, creating, and imagining.  To become competent communicators, students will develop and apply skills in using oral language, nonverbal communication, and listening through the process of logic and critical thinking in the context of preparing briefs and cases.  The student will be given the opportuntity to continue an understanding of the communication process, express and respond to verbal and nonverbal messages, develop procedural communication processes, respond with informative and negative case messages, develop an understanding of persuasion and learn to write, present and compete in various public speaking events.  

Students will be expected to participate in classroom presentations and local speech tournaments as a required performance component.  

Introduction to Oral Interpretation:  Students will continue to develop skills focused on five identifiable functions of expressing and responding appropriately to feelings, participating in social traditions, informing, persuading, creating, and imagining.  To become competent communicators, students will develop and apply skills in using oral language, nonverbal communication, and listening through the principles of the oral interpretation of literature.  The student will be given the opportunity to understand the communication process, express and respond to verbal and nonverbal performance techniques, and participate in the performance process in order to develop an artistic understanding, respond with criticism, and develop an understanding of different genres and character development.  

Students will be expected to participate in classroom presentations and local speech tournaments as a required performance component.  

Middle School Speech 3:  Advanced Debate/Oral Interpretation

Advanced to Debate:  Students will continue to develop skills focused on five identifiable functions of expressing and responding appropriately to feelings, participating in social traditions, informing, persuading, creating, and imagining.  To become competent communicators, students will develop and apply skills in using oral language, nonverbal communication, and listening through the process of logic and critical thinking in the context of preparing briefs and cases.  The student will be given the opportuntity to continue an understanding of the communication process, express and respond to verbal and nonverbal messages, develop procedural communication processes, respond with informative and negative case messages, develop an understanding of persuasion and learn to write, present and compete in various public speaking events.  

Students will be expected to participate in classroom presentations and local speech tournaments as a required performance component.  

Advanced Oral Interpretation:  Students will continue to develop skills focused on five identifiable functions of expressing and responding appropriately to feelings, participating in social traditions, informing, persuading, creating, and imagining.  To become competent communicators, students will develop and apply skills in using oral language, nonverbal communication, and listening through the principles of the oral interpretation of literature.  The student will be given the opportunity to understand the communication process, express and respond to verbal and nonverbal performance techniques, and participate in the performance process in order to develop an artistic understanding, respond with criticism, and develop an understanding of different genres and character development.  

Students will be expected to participate in classroom presentations and local speech tournaments as a required performance component.