Speech ClassDelivering Your Speech

Many speakers are so concerned with what they will say (i.e., the content), that they are unaware of how they will say it.

Your delivery needs to be natural!

Pay attention not only to your

Verbal Delivery,

but also to the

Non-Verbal Aspects

of your speech.

Non-Verbal Aspects of Delivery

1. Eye-Contact

2. Posture & Stance

3. Gestures & Movements

4. Facial Expressions

5. Dress

Eye-Contact

This is really important!

Eye-Contact helps in 2 important ways:

Engage1 the audience.

Get feedback from the audience.

1Attract and hold (the attention of someone). To draw into / involve.

Eye-Contact

Engage the Audience

A speaker engages audience members

– through eye-contact –

by convincing them that the message

is just for them.

Eye-Contact

Engage the Audience

• First, look at the audience in general, but don’t focus on particular individuals.

• Focus directly on specific individuals, just for a few seconds at a time.

• Rotate your eye-contact to different people in the audience.

• Make sure you circulate throughout the room, not ignoring any areas of the room.

Eye-Contact

Get Feedback from the Audience

Although people rarely give verbal feedback during a speech, they will give you

important feedback from their eyes, facial expressions, and posture.

This will enable you to gauge how you are doing, and allow you to modify your

delivery – if necessary.

Posture and Stance

Stand up straight,

but not so stiffly that you look like a statue!

Posture and Stance

Don’t stand in the same place all the time. Move around a bit.

Don’t speak with your hands in your pockets.

Don’t keep your hands in the same position all the time.

Gestures and Movements

You can keep the audience attentive and make your speech more interesting by

using natural gestures.

Gestures and Movements

Use appropriate hand gestures that:

• Indicate emphasis, surprise, agreement

• Demonstrate the size of something

• Outline a shape

Remember not to fidget!!!

Facial Expressions

Be natural!

Match the mood of your speech.

Smiling is usually a good idea.

But be more serious, if appropriate.

Dress

Dress according to the setting.

(e.g., Classroom – casual)

In a formal setting, dress at least as formally as the audience members,

perhaps a bit more so.

Verbal Delivery

1. Tone of Voice – pitch and volume

2. Rate of speaking

3. Fillers (non-fluencies)

4. Pronunciation

Verbal Delivery

Tone of Voice (How you sound)

Be sincere.

Talk to your audience, not at them.

Use inclusive language –

we, us, our

instead of

I, me, you.

Verbal Delivery

Tone of Voice – Volume (loudness)

Vary your volume,

which can help to emphasize important points.

Project your voice –

“Throw” it far enough so people in the back of the room can hear you.

Verbal Delivery

Tone of Voice – Pitch

(how high / low the voice is)

Use your natural pitch.

Vary your pitch occasionally to make a point.

Verbal Delivery

Rate of Speaking

• Speed up, slow down – as appropriate.

• When speaking in your second language, it’s

better to speak more slowly than normal.

• “Chunk” sentences (break them into groups

of words), and use pauses in the right

places.

Verbal Delivery

Example of Chunking and Pausing

“Ideally, for any speech or presentation that

you’re going to give in English, you would

work with a native speaker. Check the

pronunciation, pausing and emphasis of

each section of your speech.”

Make sure your sentences aren’t too long!

Verbal Delivery

Fillers (non-fluencies)

Try to minimize the use of fillers such as

Um, er, a, ah, etc.

The best way to do this is to practice your speech and know your material well !!!

Verbal Delivery

Pronunciation

Make sure you know how to pronounce every word that you use in your speech.

If you are not sure how to pronounce a word, ask someone for help ahead of time, or choose a different, easier-to-pronounce

word.

Final Recommendations

Practice, practice, practice !!!

Practice in front of a mirror.

Practice out loud.

Practice in front of a friend or roommate.

Practice makes perfect! 熟能生巧！(And gives you confidence)