BERNICE P.

SERQUINA
SPCM 1 V
Persuasive Speech Outline

General Topic: Learning to play a musical instrument

Specific Topic: Incorporating learning of musical instrument in everyday life
General Purpose: To persuade the students that learning to play a musical instrument gives them
additional skills that can greatly improve their quality of life.
Specific Purpose: To convince the students to incorporate learning how to play a musical instrument in
their everyday life.
Thesis statement: Playing a musical instrument should be included as an activity in our everyday life as
it helps increase skills needed for problem-solving; develops social skills; fosters discipline; improves
memory; and provides entertainment.

PLAY MUSIC, BE FANTASTIC

I. Attention Step
A. Becoming a musician may be one of the keys to becoming successful.
B. There are so many scientists that play musical instruments, including Albert
Einstein, who played the piano and the violin, Thomas Edison, who played the
piano, and Neil Armstrong, who played the horn (Estrella, 2017).
C. According to a study by Miller and Coen (1994), 66% of applicants with musical
training were accepted into medical schools, as opposed to the 44% of
students with biochemistry degrees.
D. Playing a musical instrument should be included as an activity in our everyday
life as it helps increase skills needed for problem-solving; develops social skills;
and provides entertainment.
II. Need Step
A. College students nowadays have become more reliant on technology, where
heavy use of digital gadgets may induce Internet Addiction Disorder, a mental
health issue that is increasing in incidence among adolescents, which damages
different parts of the brain; leading to a decrease in numerous brain functions
(Lin, et al. 2012).
B. Increased internet use has dulled social and empathic abilities among
teenagers and young adults (Wolpert, 2009).

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 C. Easy access to technology has caused teenagers to become “phone bored”
(Lorenz, 2018).
III. Satisfaction Step
A. Learning to play a musical instrument improves overall brain function by
increasing critical thinking and problem-solving skills (Gaser & Schlaug, 2003).
B. Playing a musical instrument develops social skills and improves empathic
ability (Seinfield, 2013).
C. Learning how to play a musical instrument is entertaining and lessens
boredom.
IV. Visualization Step
A. Musical training increases cognitive functions overall, which improves our
ability to solve every day problems (Miendlarzewska & Trost, 2014).
B. Enhanced social skills and empathic ability by musical training improve one’s
ability to work in teams and ability to perform in public (Dixon, 2017).
C. People who are less involved with technology and more with other activities
are less likely to be bored (Lorenz, 2018).
V. Action Step
A. The benefits of learning how to play a musical instrument not only provides us
with entertainment, but it also provides us with additional skills that would
improve daily living.
B. While musical training improves the quality of life, it’s also an added benefit that
most people view musicians to be more complex, talented, and other positive
things.
C. With all the information discussed, it is up to each one of us to discover our inner
musicians.
D. There is more to life than just Facebook, Twitter, or Mobile Legends; let us
discover ourselves and see that life has more to offer.

References:

Cole, D. (2014 Jan 3). Your aging brain will be in better shape if you've taken music lessons.
National Geographic. Retrieved from

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 https://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2014/01/1 40103-music-lessons-brain-
aging-cognitive-neuroscience/

Dixon, I. (2017). How learning an instrument can boost your social life. Session Player.
Accessed from http://www.session-player.co.uk/blog/2017/12/29/how-learning-an-
instrument-can-boost-your-social-life

Estrella, E. (26 April 2017). Famous people who play a musical instrument. ThoughtCo.
Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/famous-people-who-play-music-
instrument-2456173

Gaser, C. & Schlaug, G. (2003). Brain structures differ between musicians and non-musicians.
Journal of Neuroscience. 23(27): 9240-9245. doi: 0270-6474/03/239240-06$15.00/0

Lin, F., Zhou, Y., Du, Y., Qin, L., Zhao, Z., Xu J., & Lei, H. (2012). Abnormal white matter integrity
in adolescents with internet addiction disorder: A tract-based spatial statistics
study.PLOS ONE. 7(1): e30253 https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0030253

Lorenz, T. (2018). Generation Z is already bored by the Internet. Daily Beast. Accessed from
https://www.thedailybeast.com/generation-z-is-already-bored-by-the-internet

Miendlarzewska, E. A. & Trost, W. J. (2014). How musical training

affects cognitive development: rhythm, reward and other modulating variables. Front.
Neurosci. 7(279). doi: 10.3389/fnins.2013.00279

Miller, A. & Coen, D. (1994). The case for music in the schools. The Phi Delta Kappan. 75(6):
459-461. http://www.jstor.org/stable/20405141.

Seinfeld S., Figueroa, H., Ortiz-Gil, J. & Sanchez-Vives, M. V. (2013). Effects of music learning
and piano practice on cognitive function, mood and quality of life in older adults. Front
Psychol. 4: 810. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2013.00810.

Wolpert, S. (27 Jan 2009). Is technology producing a decline in critical thinking and analysis?
UCLA Newsroom. Accessed from http://newsroom.ucla.edu/releases/is-technology-
producing-a-decline-79127.

Zatorre, R. J., Chen, J. L., & Penhune, V. B. (2007). When the brain plays music: auditory-motor
interactions in music perception and production. Nat Rev Neurosci. 8(7): 547-58. doi:
10.1038/nrn2152

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