Content

• To step
• Method 1 of 3: Write the speech
• Method 2 of 3: Practice and recite the speech
• Method 3 of 3: Dos and Don'ts
• Tips
• Necessities

A good speech can earn you the admiration of teachers and classmates. You probably won't give the kind of speech you hear in movies, and that's a good thing: people appreciate your own unique angle much more. From finding a great idea to overcoming stage fright, these steps will help make your speech a memorable and captivating success.

To step

Method 1 of 3: Write the speech

1. Choose a topic or theme. Your speech is intended to largely follow one topic (or multiple topics within one theme). What this theme is depends on the type of speech you are going to give. Graduation speeches are usually about memories or the future, speeches before the school elections try to convince others that you will make good decisions if you are elected and speeches that you have to give as an assignment for the class usually deal with a controversial topic.
   • If you are not sure which theme to choose, write down some stories or statements that you could mention in your speech. Choose the stories / statements that appeal to you the most and see if there is a common theme that unites them.
   • See Do's and Don'ts for more tips on finding a theme.
2. Choose a tone that makes you feel comfortable. Write a funny speech if you like to make people laugh, or create reflective moments if you are a serious person. End your speech in an inspiring or uplifting way. This is especially important for graduation speeches.
3. Use short sentences and avoid words that your audience doesn't understand. Also avoid long, meandering sentences and overly complicated arguments. Unlike when writing an essay, while giving a speech, it will be difficult to explain technical terms or refer to arguments previously mentioned. So keep your sentences easy to follow. If there are younger children in the audience, use words and concepts that children understand at that age.
   • Do not interrupt your sentences with clauses or other extra information. Rather than saying “our tennis and basketball teams, which, as we all know, won the regional championship two years ago, need extra funding to compete” it is better to say, “our tennis and basketball teams both won the regional championships two years ago. So now is the time for extra funding, so that they can continue to compete with other schools. ”
   • You can refer to the (street) language in your school a few times to make people laugh, but don't go too far, especially if there are parents in the audience.
4. Write original stories and messages. You can write a rough first draft or a collection of different stories and inspirational phrases that fit your theme. Stick to your own ideas and specific details. People remember original and detailed sentiments better than generic phrases such as “I will make our school proud” or “our class will continue to do great things”.
   • Look for a broad message in which the entire audience can find themselves and at the same time fits within a specific theme. For example: "Become an even better version of the hero that inspires you" (but of course don't steal your idea from this website!)
   • Your stories can be specific events from your own life or history, but you can also talk about general ideas. For example, you could tell a story about your sibling's hospital visit, and then talk about overcoming anxiety and difficulties in general.
   • If you're happy with what you're writing, but it doesn't fit the theme you had in mind, then it's also fine to change your topic or choose a completely different topic. Switch between writing stories and brainstorming on a theme if you get stuck.
5. Look for an engaging way to start your speech. Choose an engaging and thematic story to start with, one that immediately gets the audience's attention and prepares listeners for the tone and message of your speech. Pay extra attention to the first sentence:
   • Surprise your audience by immediately presenting them with a shocking story. "When I was ten years old, I lost my father."
   • Make your audience laugh by telling a joke, especially one that everyone will understand. "Hello everyone. Let's give a round of applause to the guest who installed the air conditioning here. ”
   • Start with a big statement that makes people think. "Our Milky Way contains billions of Earth-like planets, and we are only at the beginning of their discovery."
   • Probably someone else will introduce you, and most people already know you. Unless you are specifically asked to introduce yourself, you don't have to and you can start with the real thing right away.
6. Make the theme clear. Your audience should know what the theme of your speech is before the end of the first few sentences. Say exactly what you are talking about or at least strongly suggest it at the beginning of your speech.
   • To cite an earlier example, if your theme is “become an even better version of the hero you inspire,” you could start your speech with two or three sentences about your hero, then say, “We all have heroes who inspire us, but we don't have to simply follow them. You can even become better than those you look up to. ”
7. Let one idea flow naturally into the next. Don't go from a joke to a story of how you survived a car accident. Think about what the audience feels and expects after each part of your speech. It's good to surprise them, but do so with your unique ideas, not by confusing them with a completely new topic.
   • Use phrases such as “now I'd like to talk about…” and “but we also need to remember that…” when moving forward with a new idea.
8. End your speech with a memorable comment. A good joke or an idea that makes people think are good ways to end a speech, depending on the feeling your speech evokes. When you prove a point of view, summarize it briefly by repeating your point of view.
   • Work towards a grand ending, then close the speech with a joke. “And I know you are willing to do the right thing tomorrow when you go to the polling booth. Protect your own interests and those of the school by washing your hands afterwards. Do you know how many people touch that thing? ”
   • When you deliver a graduation speech, the aim is to fill your audience with enthusiasm and awe for the future. This is a great moment and you have the power to make it happen. “Years later, you will be the father or mother that your child looks up to, the writer who changes our way of thinking, the inventor who creates new ways of life. Climb onto the podium and be tomorrow's hero! ”
9. Edit and refine your text as much as possible. Congratulations, you have made the first draft. But you are not done with this yet. To write a good speech, you will have to keep working on it, thinking about it, and perhaps rewriting your entire text.
   • Have a teacher, family member, or friend check your text for grammar errors and provide feedback. Spelling is of minor importance as you will recite the speech out loud.
10. Consider using visual aids. Cards, photos or other materials are very useful for speeches that you have to give as an assignment for the class. This way you have something to write on and you don't have to move your materials outside the classroom. However, you do not need them for a graduation speech.
    • If your topic is full of numbers and numbers, it is helpful to write them on the board for your audience to remember.
11. Write keywords on index cards and start practicing your speech. No one wants to listen to someone reading an essay aloud. So you have to know your text well enough to be able to read it confidently while looking at your audience. However, it is useful to write a number of keywords on an index card as a reminder.
    • These keywords are there to help you remember what comes next and what the most important facts are. "Continue with bear fight story (the man's name is Paul Bunyan)" is about how much detail you need.

Method 2 of 3: Practice and recite the speech

1. Think of movements and materials. Do you deliver your speech standing or sitting? Do you have enough room to walk a bit, or will you stay in one place? Where do you keep your index cards, visual aids and other materials? What do you do with this when you have finished your speech?
   • Practice your speech in a situation that is as close as possible to that of your actual speech.
   • In general, you should stay fairly still during the lecture, but making small hand gestures or walking every now and then is fine, especially if it helps you feel and appear more confident.
2. Practice speaking loud and clear. When speaking in front of a room or auditorium full of people, it is important to learn to project your voice correctly and not to mumble or shout. Stand with your legs shoulder-width apart and your back straight. Use your diaphragm while speaking and push the air out from low in your chest.
3. Keep time as you recite the speech out loud. Copy the posture and techniques described above. If you already know your speech by heart, use your index cards. If you don't know it yet, you can of course just read the text.
   • If your speech is too long, you should absolutely cut some passages or shorten the longer stories and ideas. Try to stay under 10 to 15 minutes if you are giving a graduation speech. An election speech should last no more than a few minutes, and at a class presentation your teacher will tell you the time limit.
4. Speak slowly and pause between ideas. It's easy to rip off your speech when you're nervous. Take a break after each sentence, and at the end of a passage, before moving on to the next idea, take a slightly longer pause to make eye contact with the audience.
   • Calculate how long it should take you to each passage if you find yourself talking in a hurry. Write the number of minutes on your cards and practice near a clock so you can check that you are running at the correct pace.
5. Practice in front of the mirror until you can recite your speech by heart. Start by reading your speech out loud, then try to look less at your paper and make more eye contact with your reflection. Ultimately, you should be able to deliver your speech using just your index cards to help.
   • Use slightly different words each time when you know your main ideas. It's not about exact memorization. Using a new phrase to convey your idea will make your speech sound more natural.
6. Pay attention to other details once you are comfortable with the content. Take a closer look at your reflection once you know your ideas well and you connect them easily. Correct areas for improvement as soon as you notice them.
   • Practice different facial expressions if your face looks rigid.
   • Also try to vary in your voice. Make sure you don't seem like you are reciting rehearsed sentences, but speak as you would in a "normal" conversation.
7. Practice in front of a trial audience. Get your family or friends together and ask them to listen to your practice speech.
   • During your speech, try to make eye contact with different people from the audience. Don't stare at one person for too long.
   • Resist the temptation to hide by standing close to a corner or large object.
   • Do not make nervous movements. You can lose nervous energy by slowly walking back and forth on stage.
8. Use the feedback from your trial audience to practice more. The audience can point out problems that you had not thought of yourself. Take their advice to heart, they do you a favor by letting you know what your areas for improvement are.
9. Prepare to be confident. Go to bed early the night before and have a filling meal that won't upset your stomach. Distract your mind with other activities in the hours before the speech.
   • Dressing well will increase your confidence and gain respect and attention from your audience.

Method 3 of 3: Dos and Don'ts

1. Choose an appropriate theme (for an election speech). Take a short time to list your qualifications, but for most of the speech, focus on what you plan to change or accomplish if you are chosen. If possible, try to place these in a memorable category or a catchy message.
2. Choose an appropriate theme (for a graduation speech). Here are a few examples of common themes. You are supposed to convert one of these themes into a more specific, original topic:
   • Memories that your class shares and personal memories that many people can relate to, such as your first day at school.
   • Overcoming obstacles. Share how your classmates overcame academic, financial, and health challenges and how proud everyone is to be here.
   • The diversity of your classmates and celebrating the variety of experiences, personalities and interests in your school. Describe some of the many ways people will continue to do good things in the world.
3. Use techniques to make your speech more memorable. You may not see yourself as a writing genius, but there are certain decisions you can make to make your speech more catchy:
   • Address your audience directly. Ask them questions to get them thinking (but don't expect an answer).
   • Use groups of three. The human brain loves repetition, especially triplets. Start three sentences with the same words, speaking a little louder with each sentence.
   • Use emotional language. Instead of presenting them with a list of facts, try to elicit a strong emotional response in your audience.
4. Thank specific people, but don't go on too long. If relevant, you can thank your teachers, parents or other influences on your life. However, don't do this in too much detail unless it is part of a compelling story. You don't want to bore or confuse your audience.
5. Refer to things that your audience understands, not what is outside of it. With a quote from a popular movie or a reference to a well-known event at your school, you will keep your audience's attention as long as you don't use this technique more than a few times.
   • Don't tell stories that only a few of your friends will understand. Even events that your entire class understands should not be referred to too often if there are parents in the room as well.
6. Avoid clichés. The same hackneyed sayings keep coming up in speeches. If you can keep them to a minimum, you will stand out from the crowd. Here are some phrases that are too often used in graduation and election speeches:
   • Change the world!
   • Today is not the last day of your formation, but the first.
   • The future is yours.
   • If I am elected, I will be the voice of the students.
   • It's time for a change!
7. Don't insult anyone. Speeches are not meant to destroy a fellow student, not even in a funny way. You will also gain more respect in the school elections if you focus on your own qualities instead of attacking your opponent.
   • When you give a graduation speech in high school, realize that not everyone in your class is going to college. Don't joke about how your further education will keep you from ending up with a "bad" job. Chances are someone of the parents in the audience has that job.

Tips

• Look at everyone in the audience, not one person.
• Don't insult or embarrass your audience.
• Before you start, choose a place on the wall to focus on. Keep looking at that place after each sentence. This shows your audience and the teacher that you can make eye contact.
• Know your speech through and through. Keep learning until you know him by heart.
• Choose language that keeps your audience interested.

Necessities

• Paper
• Writing utensils
• Index cards