SPEECH-WRITING

CHOOSING YOUR ESSAY QUESTION

• The Personal Writing Section of your exam is worth 70 marks.

• That means this question is worth more than any other question on your paper, so it is well worth taking the time to prepare for this task.

CHOOSING YOUR ESSAY QUESTION

Typically the Personal Writing Section asks for a response in one of the following forms:

Short Story Talks/SpeechesPersonal EssayDescriptive EssayNewspaper or Magazine Articles

ANSWERING YOUR ESSAY QUESTION

• Imagine your answer is a SUITCASE – the examiner is looking for certain TAGS.

T = Topic. Stick to the topic. Have plenty of ideas. If debating a point, identify problems but also offer solutions.

A = Audience. Who are you writing for? What kind of language is appropriate? (formal/informal)

G = Genre. Are you writing a short story/debate/speech etc…? What layout is expected?

S = Style. What techniques will you use? Vivid imagery, address audience etc…?

• If these elements are there then you should have everything you need in your answer.

SPEECH-WRITING: KEY SKILLS TO PRACTISE

• Choosing the right language to use for your audience.

• Planning and structuring your answer.

• Supporting your key points with facts.

• Using emotive language.

• Using accurate spelling, punctuation and grammar.

TOP TIPS FOR SPEECH-WRITING

A. Planning Your Speech

• Get a clear idea in your mind as to the purpose of your speech.

• Always be aware of the audience for whom you are writing your speech.

• Brainstorm ideas: With your audience and reason for the speech in mind brainstorm as many ideas as you can. Including a large number of ideas such as facts, statistics, anecdotes, examples etc., will make your speech more interesting

• Link Ideas: Going through all your ideas, link any that are similar and can be grouped together to form a paragraph topic.

TOP TIPS FOR SPEECH-WRITING

B. Writing Your Speech

• Organise your ideas: When planning your speech set out your ideas under a beginning (introduction), middle (body of speech), and an end (conclusion). Try to include about four or five main points in your speech.

• Your Opinion: Decide what angle or viewpoint you will take on the topic. Have an opinion! Don’t be neutral!

• Your language: Write clearly and use language that your audience will understand. Support your points using facts, examples, or your own experiences.

TOP TIPS FOR SPEECH-WRITING

C. Using Persuasive Techniques

• Emotional appeal can be very persuasive. Try to appeal to the emotions of the audience. A personal story can grab the audience’s attention.

• Try to include one key idea in each paragraph that will be memorable for the audience.

• Involve your audience in the speech – make those listening feel you understand their concerns and appreciate their efforts.

• Be polite at all times and when finishing your speech thank your audience for attending and listening to you.

PARAGRAPH LINKS:

• Use a word or phrase to make the transition from one paragraph to the next. This gives your talk a sense of coherency and structure.Again

Also

Although

Another

As a result

As well

At the same time

But

Consequently

Equally

Even though

Finally

For this reason

Furthermore

However

In any event

In the first/second/third place

In the meantime

Later

Meanwhile

Moreover

Nevertheless

Next

On the contrary

On the other hand

On the whole

One day/week/month later

Similarly

Soon afterwards

Then

Therefore

Thus

Too

In contrast to

SPEECH-WRITING TECHNIQUES

1. Address the audience – welcome them, address them directly frequently during your speech and again at the end.

2. Present your topic and opinion immediately.3. Use emotive language e.g. use language that is

going to play on the audience’s emotions and make them feel sad, outraged, passionate etc.

4. Use the pronouns ‘we’ ‘us’ ‘our’ to make the listener feel that you’re all in this together.

5. Rhetorical Questions keep the listener’s attention.

SPEECH-WRITING TECHNIQUES

6. Repetition of key persuasive phrases hammer the idea home e.g. “We must never accept….we must never allow” e.g.“It is foolish to think…it is foolish to presume”

7. Connecting phrases create a flow & help build a series of related ideas for the reader e.g. ‘however’ ‘therefore’ ‘thus’ ‘nonetheless’ ‘of course’ ‘furthermore’ ‘similarly’ ‘indeed’ ‘if’ ‘on the one hand’ ‘on the other hand’ ‘besides’ ‘by contrast’ ‘this reminds me of…’

8. Concrete examples/evidence are absolutely essential – they prove you know your topic.

9. Facts/Statistics make your opinions seem watertight & beyond discussion. Name the source report, the researcher, their qualifications and the institution they are affiliated to.

SPEECH-WRITING TECHNIQUES

10. Refute counter arguments – point out why those who disagree with you are wrong. Prove that their arguments are weak, flawed and incorrect.

11. Clear, logical structure is vital – one main idea per paragraph, develop each idea fully.

12. Contrast is an excellent technique because it allows the audience to see things more clearly. You could contrast past and present; males and females; powerful and powerless individuals; rich and poor; knowledgeable and ignorant etc…

13. Identify problems but also offer solutions – nobody likes a whinger, we much prefer visionaries who can offer us a better way forward.

14. End with a call to action - what is it that you want your audience to do? Don’t give out to them, inspire them. Suggest practical steps towards change that they can take.

SAMPLE SPEECH

• Your community has been offered €100,000 euro for use on any local project. Write the speech you would make to a meeting of your local Community Association in which you outline the project that you think the money should be spent on.

• T – Topic• A - Audience• G - Genre• S - Style

SAMPLE SPEECH

Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. My name is Niamh McCarthy and I am a resident of Oakfield Park. Like everybody here tonight, I was extremely pleased to hear that the local businesses have donated such a large sum of money, €100,000 to be exact, for use on a community project. As you all know, there has been much excitement generated and many people have strong views on how the money should be spent. Although we may have different proposals, I'm sure you will all agree with me that this is a marvellous opportunity for us to improve our local amenities in a way that can, and should, benefit the whole community.

SAMPLE SPEECH

I have heard several different ideas put forward on how the money should be used to help specific groups within the area: the elderly, children, teenagers and so forth but what I am proposing is something which I believe will benefit every single member of our community. Everybody here is familiar with the large plot of waste ground between the library and the boy's primary school. At the moment, this is nothing more than a dumping ground for rubbish, it is a dreadful eyesore which badly needs to be tackled once and for all.

SAMPLE SPEECH

I propose that we use the money to turn this overgrown field into a community park, with a playground at one end and the rest landscaped with trees and grass. We could also lay some cement pathways and place a number of benches around the park. I have spoken to a landscape gardener who says that all this could be easily achieved for €100,000. The land is owned by the Council and they have already stated that they would have no objection to such a plan, indeed, they have agreed to maintain it by mowing the grass and picking up any litter.

SAMPLE SPEECH

A local park with a playground and benches would be an ideal area for people of all ages to stroll and meet friends and a playground would be of great benefit to parents of young children. Such an amenity would also enable residents to walk their dogs and would be a safe place for teenagers to meet and chat. I would strongly encourage you to accept this proposal as I believe it will kill two birds with the one stone. An ugly eyesore will be removed and replaced with an attractive, functional park.

SAMPLE SPEECH

In catering to young and old and providing a place in which all the members of our community can enjoy themselves, won't we be truly benefiting everyone in our area, not just one specific group? I think so and I hope you do too.

Thank you for giving me the chance to speak to you all here this evening. I look forward to your decision.

YOUR TURN!

• Using all this information, you will now write a talk.

• Title: Continual assessment at second level.

• Audience: Second level students from various schools.

• You have been asked to prepare a talk on this topic. You are free to argue for or against continual assessment.

Sample Introduction

•Begin by explaining what continual assessment is and clearly state your viewpoint on the topic.

In favour of continual assessment

Continual assessment is a big name for a very simple idea. It means that students are assessed or judged all through the year, unlike the present system where everything is tested in one final exam. Some people have suggested that we should change the present system at second level and opt for continual assessment. I heartily agree.

Sample Introduction

•Begin by explaining what continual assessment is and clearly state your viewpoint on the topic.

•In favour of continual assessment•Continual assessment is a big name for a very simple idea. It means that students are assessed or judged all through the year, unlike the present system where everything is tested in one final exam. Some people have suggested we should change the present system at second level and opt for continual assessment. I totally disagree.

ESSAY TITLE

The Leaving Certificate should be abolished and replaced with a system of continual assessment.