APPENDIX 2
SPEECH PRESENTATION TECHNIQUES
There is far more to the presentation of a speech than learning a prepared speech by
heart and speaking the words before an audience. There are certain specific
techniques for which trained adjudicators will look / listen and which they will most
definitely take into consideration when evaluating the performance of a speaker. All
speakers need to be aware of these necessary techniques and should practise their
application when preparing a speech for public presentation. These techniques come
more naturally to some speakers than to others; but ALL speakers can benefit greatly
by paying attention to them.
STANCE
The best speaking position is to the front and middle of the floor/stage,
preferably not behind a lectern. The speaker should stand comfortably,
feet slightly apart for balance. Before beginning to speak, speakers
should take the time to establish their preferred stance and then
effectively nail their feet to the floor. The feet should not move unless
some specific movement is to be used for special effect - a great step
forward for Mankind. This does not mean, however, that the remainder of
the body should be rigid or motionless. Body-language is an important
part of the overall performance, therefore, gesture and movement of the
head and body are essential.
GESTURE
It is quite natural for a speaker to use hand gestures to emphasise or
illustrate points that are being made.
Gestures are made quite
unconsciously during normal conversation and it is an important task of
a speaker to ensure that gestures made during a speech appear natural,
not overdone or overly dramatic.
There is no need for constant
gesturing, but there will be obvious occasions during a speech when a
gesture is suggested by the meaning of the words.
The speaker should choreograph a speech for gestures, using those
which are effective, and practising to omit those which are awkward or
unnecessary. Practice in front of a mirror will soon reveal the problems
and positive features. Hands should be kept comfortably by the side or at
waist height during those times they are not engaged in specific gesture.
Avoid unnecessary flapping of hands by the side or any other
idiosyncratic movement which will draw attention from what is being
said.
PALM CARDS
Palm cards are acceptable, but seldom seen at the higher levels of
competition. They need to be small, buff coloured and unobtrusive, and
use must be very sparing. Use of palm cards should be honest with the
cards overtly raised to a position that is convenient for reading. Any
covert use of palm cards detracts from the performance. The use of palm
cards does restrict the use of effective gesture and eye-contact, however,
and a serious speaker should bear this in mind.
EYE-CONTACT
Members of an audience like to feel that they are being spoken to
personally. This effect can be created by the speaker’s effective use of
eye-contact and by the actual wording of the speech. Some speakers
tend to focus their eyes on one spot for the duration of a speech. Others
go to the opposite extreme and move their eyes from left to right, row by
row, missing nobody out. The desirable technique is a happy medium
between the two, where eye movement is not predictable but
encompasses the entire audience in a seemingly random manner. (Make
certain you do not forget to look at the most important members of the
audience - the adjudicators!)
FACIAL EXPRESSION
Facial expression needs to be lively and reflective of the mood of the
speech and the changing trends of the speech. Effective use of facial
expression reinforces the message of a speech and contributes greatly
to the audience impression of whether or not a speaker is genuine with
regard to the treatment of the topic. This can only be achieved if the
speaker is sufficiently familiar with the speech and has no need to look
inward in the struggle to remember what comes next.
VOCAL TONE
Some speakers have been blessed with mellifluous vocal qualities.
These are the ones who can capture audience attention and maintain it
purely because their voices are extremely appealing. Speakers who are
pleasant to hear generally tend to use the lower register of their voices,
avoiding tones that are fine or shrill. They tend, also, to give their vowel
sounds a slightly rounded quality. This can be done without going so far
as to develop an unnatural elocutionary style.
It is possible, with practice, to become accustomed to using the lower
speaking register. The results can be well worth the effort.
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PACING
Public speaking is not an exercise in saying as much as possible in the
allocated time. Some people speak far too quickly. The result is a lack of
vocal clarity and a general failure to communicate meaningfully with the
audience. A pace of 100 words a minute has proven to be most effective.
For an 8 minute speech, a script of approximately 800 words is
adequate.
With appropriate emphasis and use of pause, the time limit of 8 minutes
will be arrived at quite comfortably and the audience will be able to
understand clearly the intended message. Pace needs to be varied to
meet the demands of the speech. Light-hearted segments can be
delivered more quickly; more serious content requires a more measured
pace.
PAUSE AND EMPHASIS
These very necessary aspects of a speech presentation are often underrated or even ignored.
Their correct use can improve a speech
immeasurably, adding vitality, meaning and a sense of purpose. It is
essential that a speaker study very carefully the final written form of a
speech, saying each sentence out aloud and trying different stress
patterns until the most effective one is established.
A system of
underlining or highlighting should be used to assist in the practising of the
speech.
Ironically, one of the most effective qualities of a speech is the use of
SILENCE in the form of pauses at appropriate places for the purpose of
drawing attention to specific words/phrases and allowing the audience
time to assimilate what has just been said. Care must be taken to ensure
that the written form of a speech is effectively punctuated. Pause and
vocal inflection are necessary to translate those punctuation marks into
the spoken form of communication.
A speaker needs to allow a reasonable pause at the end of a “paragraph”,
firstly, to signify a change / progression in content and, secondly, to allow
time for thinking ahead to the opening words of the next paragraph. Pause
can be indicated on the written script and rehearsed along with emphasis.
Example :
Even here, in Australia, the lucky country, we
expect Nature to provide for us.........and she
does.....but she can provide only so much!
Note: Paragraphing a speech is somewhat different from paragraphing an
essay. Initially, paragraph as for an essay, then split long paragraphs into
shorter paragraphs at strategic positions. This aids in the learning
process and assists with size of palm cards for the initial learning stage.
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VARIATION
Variation can add a great deal of spice to one’s life - and it can do the
same thing for a speech. VARIATION needs to become an underlying
theme throughout all aspects of speech preparation. Avoid unnecessary
repetition of words and phrases. Avoid repetitive gestures. Use eyecontact in a seemingly random manner. Use vocal variation with respect
to volume, pace, and tone in an effort to create a sense of light and shade
- soft and loud, fast and slow, higher and lower registers. Ensure that
quotations stand out from the rest of the “text” by delivering them in an
altered tone, perhaps at a slower pace.
TIMING
Timing causes a great deal of concern for most speakers.
In some
competitions, accurate timing is a quite crucial issue. In others, there is a thirty
second allowance before and after the allocated time. As suggested above, a
rate of 100 words per minute allows time for gesture, pause and emphasis.
Additional time should be allowed for laughter in a humorous speech.
Speakers can also consider the safeguard of a sentence or two which can either
be inserted or left out once the warning bell (or absence of the warning bell)
indicates a timing problem. The conclusion should be timed to fit between the
warning bell and the final bell. Speakers should prepare the conclusion
particularly well and should avoid changing it in any way at the time of actual
presentation.
ADDRESSING THE CHAIRPERSON
The Chairperson and the audience should be addressed at the very start of the
speech (Mr Chairman / Madam Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen). The audience
should also be addressed just prior to the opening words of the Conclusion
(Ladies and Gentlemen). Avoid the use of these terms at any other time.
The initial address should precede ALL parts of the speech. Some speakers like
to make a dramatic beginning and then address the Chairperson and audience.
This often breaks into the continuity and mood of the speech and it is not
recommended.
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PALM CARDS for final presentation should be no
more than 9 cm X 5 cm. They should be written /
printed on one side only. THEY MUST BE NUMBERED
CLEARLY.
The entire speech should be memorised.
For the final presentation, the speaker should only
have KEY words on the palm cards not sentences.
DO NOT READ SENTENCES FROM YOUR PALM
CARDS !
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