Prepared Speaking

ORAL COMMUNICATION

Not everyone is a born speaker, but everyone has the ability to develop effective oral communication skills.

The ability to speak in public is a life skill that can and should be developed.

Sincerity, a natural approach and a pleasing tone of voice will endear you to your audience.

Makes listeners feel needed, wanted and appreciated.

Has the power to keep the listener’s attention , to make the listener think and to sway the listener’s opinion.

Believes in himself and this gives others the confidence to believe in him/her.

Uses an holistic (rounded) approach of mind, heart and body.

Embraces Public Speaking with a positive attitude.

An effective speaker

The most important aspect of speech making is sincerity. Be yourself!

Poised and relaxed stance = look confident and listeners feel comfortable.

Moderate your pace and avoid racing through your speech.

Crisp articulation and projection are essential.

Facial and vocal inflections enhance interest.

Modulate your voice effectively with regard to volume, pitch, pace, pause and inflection.

Presentation

Controlling mechanisms allowing the speaker to hold the audience’s attention.

Achieve contact between listener and speaker.

Time to think. Time for listener to absorb. Allows speaker to change

direction in his or her thinking. PAUSE = VOLUME, PITCH, PACE,

INFLECTION.

PAUSE

Eye contact is not quick, but a meaningful glance.

Body language = your body should be in tune with the message that you are delivering.

Avoid distracting movements.

Use gestures to stress a point, but do not overdo it.

Audience Contact

Reduce speech to key words. Number Comfortable level – not too

high or too low. Natural – should not obstruct

the flow of the speech. REMEMBER: It is public

speaking, NOT public reading!

Cue cards

THE PREPARED SPEECH

Persuade Inform Entertain

Different purposes

Careful planning, structuring, editing and re-editing will ensure a successful speech.

Brainstorm and plan ideas using a mind map, flow chart etc.

Content should suite audience and the level of language should be appropriate.

When researching a topic, avoid regurgitating chunks from the internet.

Preparation

Introduction = gripping and should immediately hold the audience’s attention. E.g. quotation, rhetorical question or contentious statement.

Body= should develop logically – facts, opinions, statements, use humour appropriately.

Conclusion = should linger and provide the listener food for thought – restate your position and summarise the main points.

Construction

Present

Write

Research

TOPIC

Analyse your topic by looking at the key words of the instructions.

E.g. Write a speech of 2 – 3 minutes on the event which changed the world in your opinion.

1. TOPIC

EVENT CHANGED THE WORLD YOUR OPINION There are various

interpretations of this topic. Name a few.

How do you interpret the

topic?

List or use a mind map to identify all the aspects that need to be researched.

E.g. Information on the nature of the event; i.e. dates, specifics, historical figures, the functioning of society before, during and after the event etc.

That way you are aware of ALL the aspects that need to be covered in your speech.

Analysing the topic

Google is not the only resource available.

Use other sources as well. Use your analysis of the topic

to find information on each aspect.

2. RESEARCH

Remember: Regard your speech as a holistic piece, but also as a holistic entity comprised of smaller building blocks.

Decide how many arguments/paragraphs/building blocks your speech must contain, depending on the length of the speech.

Critically review the arguments/paragraphs/building blocks which will most effectively support your conviction (main point).

Each argument/paragraph/building block must focus on one theme/topic/aspect.

3. WRITE

Write your arguments/paragraphs/building blocks i.e. THE BODY!

THEN write your introduction and conclusion.

The conclusion CONCLUDES what you have spoken about in your body, it brings everything together. Restate what you have discussed in your body and focus on the main point of your speech.

The introduction must captivate the audience, use some techniques mentioned earlier. However, do not use an introduction which does not connect with the main topic of your speech. Mention what the rest of your speech will contain.

… 3. WRITE (First Draft)

Edit your speech. Not only spelling errors or

grammar mistakes, BUT enrich your speech with various “wordsmith TOOLS”.

ADJECTIVES, ADVERBS, FIGURES OF SPEECH, MIND PICTURES, ETC.

Connect your ideas (paragraphs or sentences) using LOGICAL CONNECTORS.

HOWEVER, FIRSTLY, SECONDLY, FINALLY, FURTHERMORE, IN CONCLUSION, ETC.

… 3. WRITE (Editing)

… 3. WRITE YOUR FINAL PRODUCT!!!

AND THEN

4. PRESENT