i. Introduction: Speaking in Public Requires More than a Voice
These guidelines are written for university students who want to improve their public speaking skills through competition or otherwise. They indicate some of the proven skills required and briefly indicate how they may be achieved.
A prepared speech should be written before it is delivered. This allows speakers to ensure that they are making relevant and sensible comments in a logical order and using appropriate language. It is evident that preparation requires practice and rehearsal, but it also requires the written speech to be worked on so that notes can be used effectively. Guidance will be given as to how to do this.
When giving a speech or presentation, the “how” is as important as the “what”. It has been found that 70% of communication is visual rather than verbal. Therefore, the content alone may not be enough to hold the interest of an audience. Indeed, there are many potentially interesting and entertaining topics that are made boring because the speaker has not learnt how to deliver their ideas and information appropriately. Likewise, interesting content well delivered in visual terms can be destroyed by a flat monotone, a harsh harangue or a weak chatty voice.
Learning how to give a short speech for which there has not been time given for preparation is a useful skill. It enables people to practice thinking on their feet whilst at the same time organizing what they want to say into an understandable structure. Guidance is provided on how to deal with impromptu speeches.
Guidance is therefore given in three sections:
· How to write a speech – script content and script preparation
· How to deliver a speech – vocal delivery and physical delivery
· Impromptu speeches
Note: Speaking competitions are sometimes judged under 3 headings: Manner (delivery), Matter (content) and Method (language). Method, the language element comes into both delivery (how you say something) and the content (what you say) so it has not been treated as a separate section in these guidelines.
ii. How to Write a Speech (I): Script Content
The English language requires the speaker or writer to make themselves clear. It is not up to the listener or reader to guess what is meant. Therefore it is important to be clear what you want to say and to choose the correct language. A collection of words without meaning (empty words) will not work. Nearly all effective public speakers will write their script in full and work on it before delivering their speech. It is known, for example, that Winston Churchill, one of Great Britain’s greatest orators, who
Part One
演讲的基本原则
had an exceptional command of the English language worked late into the nights on his speeches. They may have sounded spontaneous, but were anything but!
Answering the following questions will help you get started on the right track.
1. What is the topic of your speech· If it has been given to you, then what does it mean·
2. Before starting to prepare a speech, think about who will be in your audience, what do they already know, what do they want to know, what will interest them·
3. Why are you giving the speech, what do you want to achieve, what is your message·
4. How long should you speak for· Where will you deliver your speech·
5. What are you going to say·
In order to answer number 5, brainstorm, think and discuss with friends, colleagues and teachers. Read and research your subject. Gather information and ideas. Make notes.
Also be brave! Be prepared, sometimes, to disagree with the sentiment in the statement or quotation but always give your reasons. Be careful about doing this with very well established ideas. They are well established because they have stood the test of time and have been challenged by many people before you. However, even if arguing for a point, be brave and look at the negative aspects. Few issues are black and white and discussing the negative may strengthen the positive. For example, if giving a speech on what you think is the greatest invention and you decide that it is “eye glasses”, describe what the world would be like without glasses: people bumping into each other, less cars on the road or more accidents; people unable to read, written instructions having to be in huge type, rather than describing what glasses can do for people.
Another approach is to challenge normally accepted ideas – disagree with them! For example, why is the Internet addictive· Is it· Maybe it isn’t· Perhaps people just don’t have anything else in their lives, are too lazy to find other forms of entertainment or have no imagination· What happened to books, music, art· Is reading addictive·
A good speech will have:
· A clear message and purpose
· Interest to the audience
· Adequate development of ideas
· A clear structure
· Logical flow – transitions and signposting
· An entertainment element – humor and/or word pictures
· The use of quotations and idioms
· Appropriate language
A clear message and purpose
a) Many speakers are tempted to try to say everything they know about a topic in order to show that they have done their homework and to prove how clever and deep thinking they are. This is a mistake! A list of undeveloped ideas is useless. The audience doesn’t have time to think about one idea before the next is spoken and even if they could, they can’t mind-read what the speaker thinks or means.
b) A good speech will have one clear message (especially true if it is a short speech) that the audience can find convincing. It will attempt to change people’s perceptions, to provide a new or unusual way of looking at the topic or to provide entertainment. This is why it is necessary to research your topic to find interesting and relevant information.
c) Generally, a speech should have few ideas but each idea should be developed in greater depth with more analysis than is often the case. (See “Adequate development of ideas” on Page 5.)
Interest to the audience
a) There is no value in stating the obvious. It is not interesting to talk about how much you love your parents or grandparents since this is self-evident. 99% of people in the world love their family. What would be more interesting would be to explore why some people don’t love their families, though for that, you may need a PhD in psychology and psychiatry to be able to talk with any authority! Speakers should not make self-evident statements as if they are profound thought. Indeed, they should not make self-evident statements in a public speech at all.
b) Don’t underestimate the intelligence of your audience. People won’t find an idea or information interesting if they already know it or if it is obvious. For example, in one competition, the topic given for the prepared speech was “The Internet”. Many speakers wasted time and annoyed their audience by describing the Internet. This was unnecessary since the audience, all university students and judges would already know what it is. Similarly, don’t say “When I was young, I learnt to walk and talk.” That is obvious!
c) In English, moralistic platitudes such as “working hard for tomorrow”, “striving to do one’s best”, “wanting to live a good life” and “hoping for a bright future” are self-evident and therefore not interesting. Similarly, phrases, such as “a bright future”, “attaining my dream”, are clichéd and in English sound insincere. Don’t say “You should work hard and you will realize your dreams.” That is nonsense! Many people work hard all their lives and don’t realize their dreams because their dreams are unrealistic, or they don’t have and can’t learn the necessary skills, or they just don’t get the lucky breaks. All intelligent people know that hard work is likely to bring some reward, and they don’t have to be told so.
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