Special Occasion / Ceremonial Speech Assignment – Final for Cooke
The key to find the right special speech topics is addressing five W's and one H. Ask what, why,
to whom, when, where, and how long.
Considerations:
1. Do you want to celebrate or praise? Ask yourself: who or what is being honored or set in a
positive light? Why? Accomplishments?
If it's a person: how does the life and works of this person influence other people? Tribute
speech topics stimulate and strenghten the audiences' sentiments of adoration and excitement.
Share joy over someone's character, or over successes at the beginning or completion of a
project or season.
Other special occasion speech topics to celebrate or praise can be developed for weddings,
birthdays, and roasts and toasts.
Commemorative special occasional speech topics honor and strengthen the values of a person,
group, institution, place, event, idea or subject. Focus on the values of life and past, present,
and future of society.
The special occasion speech topics have to be symbolic. Eulogies honor a deceased person and
praise the person's virtues and character. Tell what we learned and why we are thankful.
2. Inspire your audience? Inspirational special occasion speech topics are based on policy or
value claims. Uplift the moral of an organization.
What do you want to accomplish? How can you persuade the audience to belief, feel or think
the same? This is the core of that type of occasion speech topics.
With commencement special occasion topics you can offer insight and knowledge by revealing
your own personal ideas and thoughts. List behavioral standards and indentify how the
educational institution, company or other group could strengthen those standards.
3. Set a social agenda? Keynote speeches reinforce or establish new goals in special occasional
speech topics. Set the tone and arouse enthusiastic emotions for upcoming discussions.
Of course there are more other unique moments at which a bit more ceremonial speech is
required, such as
a. special occasions such as Christmas or New Years speeches or birth/christening
announcements,
b. vote of thanks speeches (thanking an organization, person, or program that has
changed your life),
c. stump (political) speeches and events at which people are being welcomed, say
farewell, retire, nominated or accept a special award.
4. Who do your special occasional speech topics address? What kind of organization? In case
of a celebration or honoring ceremony: who is being praised? What are her or his needs and
expectations? Is it a special group competition, group discussion or special event? How can
you get in touch with your listeners?
Special Occasion Speech Outline
Here's a simple and effective way to outline your speech topic ideas for your speech writing
purposes:
THE INTRODUCTION
a.
b.
c.
d.
Wake up our interest with your very first line!
Follow up your attention grabber with how it relates to the topic of your speech.
Relate it to your audience – why should we care?
List the main points of the body - your main occasional speech topics.
THE BODY
List the main special occasional speech topics and construct the (include 3):
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
g.
successes,
pros and cons,
values,
examples,
funny remarks,
narratives,
anecdotes or insight stories.
THE CONCLUSION
Choose at least one:





An amusing general remark,
an appropriate joke,
a sincere toast,
a memorable (and topic-related) quote,
or a creative tie back to your introduction
are, in general, effective ways to end special occasion speeches.
Special Occasion Speeches Ideas:
1. Mastering the Toast


Give a toast honoring a person
Give a toast honoring a special day or occasion
2. Speaking in Praise


Prepare a speech praising or honoring someone, either living or dead.
Address five areas concerning the individual and his/her accomplishments.
3. Present an Award


Present an award with dignity and grace.
Acknowledge the contributions of the recipient.
4. Accepting an Award


Accept an award with dignity, grace and sincerity.
Acknowledge the presenting organization
5. Valedictorian speech

It should honor the school and its officials and it should connect with your fellow
students in an inspiring way.
6. Eulogy Speech



Important elements of a eulogy are to let the audience know how you knew the
deceased
Share a personal story or two that sheds a positive light on the character of the person
and to let the family members and friends of the deceased know how much their loved
one contributed to you or the community and how he or she will be missed.
It is perfectly OK to tell a humorous story during a eulogy as long as it is in good taste.
7. Birthday Speech
8. Farewell

A type of tribute given either by the person leaving or a remaining member of the
organization who is honoring the person leaving
9. Speech of Welcome/Introduction (real or fictional person)
10. Retirement Speech
11. Motivational Speaker
 Create event and topic (both must be mentioned in your speech)
12. Proposal Speech
Examples on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2CdJTfGiRCI = 5 year old gives miracle speech
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tpIUzHoMfXU = Will Ferrell posing as Tiger Woods