Title Do you believe?
Venue Dallas Independent School District Teachers Conference
Notable Elements 10-year-old 5th grader Dalton Sherman delivers an inspirational speech to 20,000 teachers about the importance of believing in each other.
How can you inspire your audience? Ask 10-year-old Dalton Sherman.
by Andrew Dlugan
Nov 6th, 2008
[pic]
Is fifth grader Dalton Sherman the next Barack Obama?
Of course, it’s far too early to tell, but that’s how he refers to himself in an interview on the Ellen show, where my wife first saw this extraordinary young man who can teach us all something about inspirational speaking.
This article reviews the keynote address at the Dallas Independent School District (D.I.S.D.) Teachers’ Conference delivered by a 5th grade student: 10-year-old Dalton Sherman from Charles Rice Learning Center.
This article is the latest in a series of video speech critiques which help you analyze and learn from excellent speeches.
View Dalton Sherman Speech Video
I encourage you to:
1. Watch the video;
2. Read the analysis in this speech critique; and
3. Share your thoughts on this presentation.
Speech Critique — Dalton Sherman
This speech is remarkable for many reasons, including:
▪ Repetition of signature phrases
▪ Connecting personally with audience members
▪ Vocal variety which signals key statements
▪ Humor throughout
▪ The rule of three
These areas are discussed in the speech critique below.
Repetitive Refrain – “Do You Believe…”
Dalton repeats the signature phrase 11 times during his keynote speech. [Note that numbers in brackets refer to the time in the speech.] These lines emphasize the central theme that teachers and students need to believe in each other.
1. “Do you believe in me?” [0:43]
2. “Do you believe that I can stand up here fearless and talk to over 20,000 of you?” [0:51]
3. “Do you believe in me?” [1:12]
4. “Do you believe in my classmates?” [2:05]
5. “Do