With so much literature, grammar, writing, and vocabulary to cover in our curriculum these days, it's easy to overlook the importance of oral language in our classrooms. Consider also how reluctant many students already are about "getting up in front of the class," and it's easy to put off teaching about speeches and oral presentations. But with evermore rapid advancements of technology and the internet, listening and speaking skills are becoming increasingly important. The authors of the Common Core State Standards put it this way: "New technologies have broadened and expanded the role that speaking and listening play in acquiring and sharing knowledge and have tightened their link to other forms of communication. The Internet has accelerated the speed at which connections between speaking, listening, reading, and writing can be made, requiring that students be ready to use these modalities nearly simultaneously." American Rhetoric.com is a good choice.