Public Speaking
Choosing a Topic
Topic must be appropriate for the
assignment
 Choose a topic about which you are familiar
 Choose a topic about which you want to
learn more
 Choose a topic about which you have strong
beliefs
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Finding Information
Personal experience
 Library
 Newspapers
 Internet
 Encyclopedias
 Interviews
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Tips for Preparing
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Start early!!!!!
Take plenty of notes
Stay organized
You are permitted to
take TWO note cards
to the front of the
room. Do NOT write
your entire speech on
the cards.
Beginning the Speech

The Introduction
-Get audience’s attention
*arouse their curiosity
*begin with a quotation or story
*ask a rhetorical question
-Reveal your topic
Organizing the Body of the
Speech

Main Points
-Limit the main points to a reasonable
number.
-Organize your main points in a way that
makes sense.
Ending the Speech

The Conclusion
-Signal the end of your speech
-Summarize the main points
-Remember that “That’s it,” or “I’m
done,” is NOT a conclusion!
Using Language
Don’t use a word if you are unsure of its
meaning
 Choose language that conveys your
meaning clearly
 Use words that are familiar to your audience
 Eliminate clutter
 Use language appropriate to the assignment
and the audience
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Delivery
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Appearance
-Stand still!
-Don’t fidget!
-Be confident!
Delivery

Voice
-Your voice sounds louder to you than to
your audience. (volume)
-Vary your inflections! (pitch)
Questions go up, statements go down,
but avoid sounding sing-songy.
-Control your speed. (pace)
Delivery
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Pauses
-Pauses added intentionally give your
audience signals.
-Avoid “vocalized pauses” (uh, umm)
Ex. Intentional pauses tell your audience that
what you have just said, or what you are
about to say, is important.
Delivery (continued)
Ennunciation
-speak clearly
 Pronunciation
-practice in front of others
-check pronunciation in a dictionary

Delivery (continued)
Your pace (the speed at which you speak)
should be fast enough to keep us interested,
but not so fast that we can’t understand
what you are saying.
 Your delivery should be smooth. There
should not be any long pauses. The best
way to improve smoothness is to practice
out loud many times.
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The Speaker (that’s you!)
Movement
-try to be calm and confident
 Gestures
-anything we notice over and over is
distracting (tucking hair, tapping toes, etc.)
 Eye Contact
-look at your audience!(or at the windows
just over their heads!)
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Don’t forget . . .
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Some speeches may require a visual aid.
Make it interesting.
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The only way you are going to fit within the
time constraints is to practice and
continually tweak your work until it is just
perfect! A 15 second buffer in either
direction will apply.
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Have fun!
7th Grade Speech Topics and
Times
Proverb 1:00-1:30.
 Informational 1:00-1:30
 Celebrity 1:30-2:00
 Travel 2:00-2:30
 Persuasive 2:00-3:00
 How-to (demonstration) 2:30-5:00
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The End