Public Speaking - how to prepare a speech
How to prepare a speech
1: Choose your topic, then make a list of sub topics. Ask yourself questions such as who is the speech for, what area will you focus on, what sort of speech are you giving…
Informative
Entertaining
Persuasive
Remember to keep on topic! Also choose a topic you care about and can speak passionately about.
2: Research. Once you have decided on your topic you will need to collect information.
The internet is a great place to start but choose the websites carefully, also use magazines, books and newspapers in your research.
3: Once you have all your notes, read and re-read them. Start to imagine how your speech could be presented and what visuals you could use to enhance it.
4: Sort your information into some sort of order and discard any irrelevant facts.
What do you want your audience to know?
What can you do to engage them in your topic?
What do you want them to go away remembering?
5: Now see if you have any personal experiences, opinions or stories that could enhance your speech.
6: Once all your facts are collated ensure you consider your audience, the size of your audience and their needs and what they will be hoping to take from your presentation. When you start to write your speech, take the age of your audience into consideration in terms of delivery and vocabulary.
7: Make sure the title of your speech encompasses your content.
Start your speech with impact- a quote- a question- a fact, something which will engage your audience. Then establish a link with your audience. Get the audience on your side, on your wave-length!
For example:
A speech on ‘Dogs as pets’…You could say...How many of you here have a pet? You could then go on and talk about your pet briefly. Then you could throw in some facts or a quotation, or a question.
Humour is a great way to engage your audience.
Make sure you include all your main points. Arrange facts in an order.
A strong beginning, an interesting middle with facts and compassions and a strong closing paragraph is essential.
Finish on a strong image, statement, quote that leaves your audience reflecting on what you have just said.
Use pace and pause and vocal modulation.
Emphasise important parts vocally.
Try to use figures of speech in your presentations, metaphors, alliteration, oxymoron’s and so forth.
Deliver your speech with enthusiasm and energy and remember to match your volume to the room an audience.
- Lastly practise makes better! So practise until you feel secure in the knowledge that you have the best speech you can possible give!!!