An introduction to basic public speaking techniques.

1. S A Y I N G W H A T
Y O U M E A N
. . . A N D M E A N I N G
W H A T Y O U S A Y
PUBLIC
SPEAKING
Laura Kirby-McIntosh,
O.C.T. ©
For classroom/training
purposes only
Do not reproduce
without permission

2. S: Tell a Story
 Try to be descriptive,
using lots of adjectives in
order to draw pictures in
the minds of your
listeners
 If you are comfortable
sharing a personal story
or anecdote, do so—it’s a
powerful tool

3. P: Practice Good Posture
 Standing correctly,
smiling, and appearing
relaxed are key
components of a
successful speech
 Avoid rocking back and
forth, fidgeting or
distracting your audience
with other movements

4. E: Show your Energy & Enthusiasm
 Demonstrate how much
you care about your
issue, adjusting your
energy level to suit the
audience
 Energy can be
contagious. If you are
energetic and full of
enthusiasm, you just
might spark the same
passion in you listeners.

5. A: Ask for Action
 This is something that
many speakers forget to
do. If you are speaking
about an important
social issue, don’t just
describe the problem.
That can quickly become
depressing!
 Tell your listeners how
they, too, can become
active in your campaign.
If possible, offer them
choices on how to help.

6. K: Knowledge is Power
 Know your audience, and
tailor your speaking style
accordingly
 Do your homework—
make sure you know more
about your topic than
anyone else in the room
 People won’t take you
seriously if you don’t
know what you’re talking
about

7. LET’S REVIEW
S—Tell a Story
P—Practice Good Posture
E—Energy & Enthusiasm
A—Ask for Action
K—Knowledge is Power

8. DO’S & DON’TS
 Wait for the noise in the room
to die down before you begin
 Make eye contact; look at your
audience and smile
 Direct your speech to the entire
audience, not just to those
people immediately in front of
you or one side of the room
 Wear comfortable clothes that
are appropriate for the
presentation
 Speak slowly, loudly, and
clearly
 Don’t clasp your hands, hold them
behind your head, or put them in
your pockets
 Don’t exaggerate your hand
movements
 Don’t move your feet or shift your
weight from one leg to the other
too often
 Don’t chew gum
 Don’t read your speech word for
word off the page. Some speakers
memorize their entire speech,
while other s periodically refer to
speaking notes writing on index
cards, which is acceptable

9. TIPS FOR MEMORIZING
 Read your speech over and over again. Read it
silently. Read it out loud. Read it to your family,
friends, and even your pet
 Record your speech on tape and listen to it when you
have some free time: on your way to school, before
bed, or while brushing your teeth
 Write out your speech several times. Eventually, you
will no longer need your notes
 Have someone videotape you giving your speech and
play it back so that you can see what your audience
will see

10. AND NOW FOR SOME EXAMPLES...
 The Hockey Helmet (3 mins 28 seconds)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rWjBvcfhRX0
 The Power of Words (9 mins 38 seconds)
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J88Pcw3jPXU&f
eature=related
 The Girl who Silenced the World (6 mins 49
seconds)
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xPx5r35Aymc