A Long Walk to Water Activity - Salva Dut's Speech Analysis and Discussion
Inspire your students with Salva Dut’s powerful message of perseverance, hope, and leadership through this A Long Walk to Water speech analysis and discussion activity. After viewing Salva’s online speech, “I Kept Walking,” students will analyze key quotes from his speech, make meaningful text-based and personal connections, and reflect on how his story continues to inspire change today.
This is included in a unit plan:
>>> A Long Walk to Water Unit Plan
Included in the A Long Walk to Water I Kept Walking Speech Analysis, Discussion, and Activity:
➡️ Salva Dut Speech & Discussion Task Cards: Students watch Salva’s inspiring speech (video link included) and engage in rich discussion using task cards that highlight key excerpts that share important themes that emerge during the speech and that connect well with the novel.
➡️ Speech Response Assignment: Students select one quote or idea from the discussion cards to explore in depth through a written reflection, connecting Salva’s message to A Long Walk to Water, their own lives, or the wider world.
➡️ Teacher Instructions and Answer Key: Use the detailed teacher guide for setup, discussion facilitation, and assessment. A completed answer key is also included to support feedback and class discussion.
How the A Long Walk to Water I Kept Walking Speech Activity Works:
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Begin by showing Salva Dut’s speech, “I Kept Walking,” to introduce his message of perseverance and hope.
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Next, students work collaboratively with the discussion task cards, analyzing key quotes and connecting Salva’s message to events in A Long Walk to Water.
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Finally, students complete the Speech Response Assignment, selecting one prompt to explore more deeply through personal reflection and textual evidence.
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