Each non-approved class absence drops your grade one notch. Merely reading a speech is seldom successful. Try instead to speak from an outline or 3x5 cards. A good speech has an introduction that grabs attention, a clearly stated thesis, persuasive support for the thesis, and a conclusion that the audience will remember. One strategy is to tell the audience what you will say, say it, and tell them what you said.
Physical presentation is important.
Class Attendance and Participation is required. Some of you will need to practice assertiveness, others restraint. Your presence in this class is an implied request for me to call on you, unless you tell me otherwise. Class discussions are a Commons, you are partly responsible for their collective quality, and you will be so graded. Those of you who are very quiet should definitely elect to keep a journal instead of participation.