Preparing a Speech by Vardas Pavarde

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Preparing a Speech

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When Barry Loco, the famous chain-saw juggler, came to our English class to talk about juggling, everyone—and I mean everyone— paid attention. As he was sharpening the teeth of the saw, he cautioned us, "Never, never look bored or t u r n your back on someone about to juggle C H A I N SAWS! I f you do, your stay i n his class could be—cut short." For some kids and adults, delivering a speech i n front of a group of people is as difficult and scary as juggling chain saws. Well, maybe not quite as scary, but i n both cases your mouth may get dry, your knees may start shaking, and your palms may t u r n warm and slippery. And like a chain-saw juggler, you w i l l need to go through a little trial and error before you are ready to perform. Listening to a speech or a story or a lecture is rarely frightening, but i t can be boring, difficult to follow, and frustrating. I n this section, we'll offer you suggestions to improve your abilities to present speeches, read poems, tell stories, conduct interviews—and listen to others as they do the same. Then you, too, w i l l be ready to dazzle your listeners—even without chain saws. 1H

Why Am I Going to Speak? The purpose behind all speaking is the same. I t is to pass on ideas or f l i n g s and get a favorable response i n return. When you have to give ieech or an oral report, you must remember that the purpose is still the same. Below are a number of questions which you can ask yourself as you prepare your speech or report: id What is the ournose of mv speech? Is i t to share information? Is i t to show my classmates how to do something? Is i t to persuade my audience? Who am I giving this speech for? My classmates? M y teacher? Another class? Does my speech have to be about a particular topic, or may I select a topic I like and one which I t h i n k my audience will like as well? WM How long should the speech be? ?! *V May I use visual aids? 1

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What Should I Speak About? I f your speech may be on any subject, select a person, place, thing, or event which you are familiar w i t h . This could be anything from taking photographs to a trip you took last summer. What's more important is that you like the topic, and you're pretty sure your audience w i l l , too. I f your speech has to be on a current topic, you will need to find help from some other source. Possibly one of your teachers or a close friend will have some suggestions for you. I f not, head for the library. Most libraries have some form of vertical file which contains hundreds of articles on current topics. Look through the articles and see i f one would work as a speech topic. The Readers' Guide to Periodical Literature lists magazine articles by subject, providing hundreds of possible current topics. Every newspaper or magazine contains dozens of articles on the major issues i n the world today. Encyclopedias and other reference books (even textbooks) can be very helpful tools when i t comes to finding a speech topic.

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Once you have found a possible topic, decide j u s t how much of that topic you can cover i n the time limit you've been given. You should now have a specific topic that w i l l interest your audience and fit your purpose.

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391 What A m I Going to Say?

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After you have selected your topic, you are ready to gather details. You may begin by w r i t i n g down your own thoughts on the topic, along with any personal experiences related to the topic. You may also ask friends and family members what their feelings or memories are about this topic and use these details to help you write your speech. I f you need factual details, go to your library and use the material which is available there.

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How Do I Say It? W r i t i n g a speech is much the same as w r i t i n g a paragraph or an essay. You must write i n a clear, natural way so that your speech moves smoothly from one point to the next. Your information should be arranged into a beginning, a middle, and an end.

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A speech is written to be heard rather than read. I t must, therefore, sound good as well as look good on paper. I t must be written using vivid, concrete words which create a clear, colorful picture for the audience. I t must also be w r i t t e n w i t h words that bounce and glide rather than plod along.

The Introduction

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After you have collected enough information for your speech, you should arrange these details into an introduction, body, and conclusion. Your introduction should do the following: 1) gain the attention of your audience, 2) make it clear what your talk is going to be about, 3) get your audience to want to hear more about your topic, 4) lead into the main part of your speech. You may use one of these ideas in your introduction: an amazing fact or humorous story a series of interesting questions or a short history of the topic a short demonstration or a colorful visual aid a personal reason for picking the topic

The Body

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In the body of the speech, you should move smoothly from one point to the next. You should cover the topic i n an easy, natural way. You should use your own language—language which lets your audience feel like you're talking to each one of them personally.

Don't use big words just to t r y to impress your audience. They'd rather hear the real you, not some talking machine reciting facts, figures, and dates. You should, however, t r y to include enough "new" or little-known information to make your speech interesting.

Arrange your details i n the best possible order—order of importance, dironological order, comparison, cause and effect, and so on. Explain or S c r i b e each part of your topic clearly so that your audience can follow along easily and enjoy what you have to say. I f you are giving your opinion about something, make sure you support your point of view w i t h enough reasons and facts to convince your audience.

The Conclusion E n d your speech by reminding your audience what the purpose of your speech is. You might tell them why you feel your topic is important or why i t may be important i n the future. You may invite them to "get involved," "learn more," or " t r y i t sometime." However you end your speech, always know exactly what your final two or three sentences are going to be—word for word. This is true even i f you "make up" most of your speech as you go along. Otherwise, you may end up saying something corny like "That's the end of my report," "That's a l l o r " I guess that's i t . "

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396 How Will I Give My Speech? Preparing the Speech for Delivery Once you are satisfied that your speech is well written, you can write your final copy. Follow the suggestions listed below: B Always write or type your copy as neatly as possible and leave an extra-wide margin at the bottom of your card or paper. m Never r u n a sentence from one page to another. K3 Never abbreviate unless you plan to "say" the abbreviation. For example, YMCA and F B I may be abbreviated because you will actually read each letter; A . M . and P.M. should not be used when you intend to say morning or afternoon, 'm Number each page.

397 Practicing the Delivery After you have finished w r i t i n g your speech, practice giving your speech (out loud) as often as you can. T r y to get an audience of family or friends to listen to you. They can help you get used to "speaking" and can also offer suggestions for improvement. Practice until you feel comfortable or until you know your speech well enough to put the m a i n points i n your own words without looking at your paper or notes.

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I f you are able to use a video recorder, practice your speech i n front of i t and review i t for loudness, eye contact, posture, and so on. (Practicing i n front of a mirror can also be helpful.)

398 Giving Your Speech I f you have practiced often and well, giving the actual speech should be easy. You may still feel a little nervous at first, but soon you w i l l relax and enjoy sharing your "story" w i t h your audience. Keep the following suggestions i n mind as you give your speech: 1? Speak loudly and clearly. U Don't rush. Take your time and let your voice add color and interest to your topic. #5 Use your hands. Sometimes you w i l l need your hands to hold a chart or a poster. A t the very least, let your hands hold your note cards or paper (if they are allowed). Never leave your hand movements to chance. ÂŁ3 Look at your audience as you speak. S Keep both feet firmly on the floor. Don't slouch, sway, or teeter. Show enthusiasm for your topic from start to finish.