ABSTRACT
Over the past 100+ years, academic literature has explored the topic of public speaking instruction. The present paper explores the trends in public speaking instruction literature alongside important events inside and outside of the communication discipline that have impacted public speaking instruction. Major events indexed include the founding of the National Communication Association and related academic publications and sub-groups, the implementation of Common Core State Standards in K-12 schools, and enrollment trends in universities. Trending topics in public speaking instruction literature over time are identified, including the challenge to balance theory and practice, critical communication pedagogy, individualized instruction, and the teaching of public speaking online. Limitations of existing public speaking instruction literature are acknowledged, and future directions for public speaking instruction research are identified.
