Business Writing · Lesson Plan

The Importance of Ethics in Public Speaking

Whether speaking privately or to a crowd, you should speak ethically. This public-speaking lesson distinguishes ethics (the rules that guide behavior) from morals (personal values about right and wrong), explains why ethics matter so much for a speaker who is trying to influence an audience, and examines the ethical responsibilities a speaker carries. A companion to the communication-process lesson.

Grades 9–12 Lesson Plan 45–60 minutes Free Lesson Plan Lesson & Activity: Full Membership

Ethics in public speaking lesson illustration

For Teachers

Lesson at a glance

Topic: Business Writing
Grade Level: Grades 9–12
Resource Type: Lesson + Worksheet
Estimated Time: 45–60 minutes
Format: Lesson + activity
Materials: Printable lesson, activity sheet, pencils

What Students Learn

Learning objectives

Define ethics and distinguish them from morals
Explain why ethics matter in public speaking
Describe a speaker’s ethical responsibilities
Recognize unethical speaking practices
Apply ethical standards to a speech

Materials

What you’ll need

Printed lesson and activity (one per student)
Pencils

Key Terms

Vocabulary

Ethics: The rules that guide a person’s behavior.
Morals: Personal values about what is right and wrong.
Credibility: The trust an audience places in a speaker.
Plagiarism: Presenting someone else’s work as your own.
Audience: The listeners a speaker addresses.
Responsibility: A duty a speaker owes the audience.

For Teachers

Lesson plan

Estimated time: one 45–60 minute class period.

Lesson sequence

Ethics vs. morals (12 min). Define each and how morals shape ethics.
Why it matters (15 min). Why a speaker who influences others must be ethical.
A speaker’s duties (10 min). Honesty, fair use of sources, and respect for the audience.
Activity (11 min). Students judge whether sample speaking choices are ethical.

Assessment

Assess the activity for sound reasoning about a speaker’s ethical responsibilities.

Discussion

Discussion questions

What is the difference between ethics and morals?
Why must a public speaker be ethical?
What ethical responsibilities does a speaker have?
What makes a speaking choice unethical?
How would you handle a source in an ethical speech?

Printable Lesson & Activity