Amplify Student Voices: Equitable Practices to Build Confidence in the Classroom

Learn how to cultivate student voices and facilitate equitable participation so that young people are prepared to speak up and lead when the moment calls for it.

In a world where public speaking often determines whose needs are addressed and whose values prevail, how can we create brave classroom spaces where young people can effectively express their thoughts and advocate for themselves and others?

In Amplify Student Voices, AnnMarie Baines, Diana Medina, and Caitlin Healy introduce Expression-Driven Teaching to show how centering youth voices and expression in the classroom meets both academic and social and emotional learning goals. The authors promote instruction in various forms of public speaking--storytelling, debate, poetry, presentation, and self-advocacy--as a way to pursue equity in education and counter the oppression that has long silenced the voices of marginalized groups.

This engaging book features extensive first-person accounts from young people who describe their journey toward effective public speaking and how it has helped them affirm their identity, confront life’s many challenges, and pursue opportunities with increased confidence. Their insights also inform and supplement the authors’ practical recommendations and how-tos for incorporating the various public speaking formats into everyday instruction at all grade levels and across subject areas.

Both informative and inspiring, Amplify Student Voices challenges traditional notions of ＂good＂ public speaking, broadens its definition, and demonstrates how to engage learners to create a world that is more inclusive and just.