1. Bullseye! Hitting the target with your speech
“Giving Your Speech”
I. Using Language
“The ill and unfit choice of words wonderfully obstructs the understanding.” —Francis Bacon, 1561–1626
Meanings of Words
Words have two kinds of meanings—denotative and connotative. Denotative meaning is precise, literal, and objective. Connotative
meaning is more variable, figurative, and subjective. It includes all the feelings, associations, and emotions that a word touches off in
different people.
Using Language Accurately
Using language accurately is vital to a speaker. Never use a word unless you are sure of its meaning. If you are not sure, look up the word
in a dictionary. As you prepare your speeches, ask yourself constantly, “What do I really want to say? What do I really mean?” Choose
words that are precise and accurate.
Using Language Clearly
Using language clearly allows listeners to grasp your meaning immediately. You can ensure this by using words that are known to the
average person and require no specialized background, by choosing concrete words in preference to more abstract ones, and by eliminating
verbal clutter.
Using Language Vividly
Using language vividly helps bring your speech to life. One way to make your language more vivid is by using rhetorical devices. Rhetoric is
the art of using words to communicate ideas. Alliteration, sequnce, repetition, metaphor, cliché, and active voice are just a few useful
devices that can keep your audience listening to your words.
Using Language Appropriately
Using language appropriately means adapting to the particular occasion, audience, and topic at hand. It also means developing your own
language style instead of trying to copy someone else’s.
II. Delivery
“By prevailing over all obstacles and distractions, one may unfailingly arrive at his chosen goal or destination.”
—Christopher Columbus, 1451–1506
Methods of Delivery
There are four basic methods of delivering a speech: reading verbatim from a manuscript, reciting a memorized text, speaking impromptu,
and speaking extemporaneously. When speaking extemporaneously, you will have a brief set of notes or a speaking outline and w ill choose
the exact wording of your speech at the moment of delivery.
Method Description Disadvantages Advantages
Manuscript
speaking
Reading your speech
from a prepared text
(script)-- use only when
exact wording is crucial
Your speech is likely to sound as if it is
being read.
It takes considerable skill and practice to
make the message sound interesting.
You can craft the message carefully, which is
especially important if it is being
presented to the media.
The language can be beautifully refined,
polished, and stylized.
Memorized
speaking
Giving a speech from
memory without using
notes
You may forget your speech.
You may sound overrehearsed and
mechanical.
You can have direct eye contact
with the audience.
You can move around freely or use gestures
while speaking, since you don’t need
notes.
Extemporaneous
speaking
Knowing the major
ideas, which have been
outlined, but not
memorizing the exact
wording (cue cards)
It takes time to prepare an
extemporaneous speech.
It takes skill to deliver the speech well.
It is well organized and well researched.
Your speech sounds spontaneous and yet
appropriately polished.
most recommended for speech class
Impromptu
speaking
Delivering a speech
without preparing in
Your speech is likely to be less well
organized and smoothlydelivered.
You can more easily adapt to how your
audience is reacting to you and your

2. advance Your lack of advance preparation and
research makes it more difficult to
cite evidence and supporting
material for the message.
message during the speech.
The audience sees and hears an authentic
speech that is spontaneously delivered
without notes.
The Speaker’s Voice The Speaker’s Body
To use your voice effectively you should work on controlling your
volume, pitch, rate, pauses, vocal variety, pronunciation,
articulation, and dialect.
Posture, personal appearance, facial expression, gestures, and eye
contact also affect the way listeners respond to speakers. Dress and
groom appropriately, use gestures and bodily movement to enhance
your message, and make eye contact with your listeners.
Practicing Delivery
Practice. Practice some more. Then spend some time practicing. If you get tired of practicing, rehearse for a while.
Rehearsing Your Speech Before Delivering YourSpeech
Start early!
Spend more time preparing and rehearsing,
to earn a higher grade. (Write a
preparation script to practice what
you have written into spoken
discourse)
Finish speaking outline two days before
speech.
Rehearse aloud several times and time your
speech before making speaking notes
/ cue cards.
Make rehearsals as much like the real
speech as possible.
Critique video of your rehearsal.
Get a good night’s rest.
Eat carefully.
Arrive early.
Visualize success.
Avoiding Distractions
A distraction is anything that turns your audience’s attention—or your own—away from your words toward something else. The best way
to discover your own distractions is to video yourself during speech practice. Pay attention to these elements, and then rehearse your
speech in front of the camera again, deliberately avoiding those mannerisms. With practice, this avoidance will become a habit.
Verbal Mannerisms Physical Mannerisms
Verbal filler words (ah, um,
like, okay,
you know, etc.)
Monotone
Repetitive intonation (upspeak,
etc.)
Speaking too fast or too slow
Touching your face
Fiddling with clothes or jewelry
Hugging yourself
Playing with objects, such as
notes or a pen
Facial ticks
Handling the Unexpected
Ask for help
Improvise
Make a joke at your own expense
Carry on and ignore technical problems
Adjust
Plan ahead (troubleshoot in advance)
Answering Audience Questions
A. What steps should you take when
preparing for a question-and-answer
session?
B. What should you concentrate on when responding to questions during the session?
Listen carefully (without judgment) to the
questions
Approach them positively
Respond to them briefly, graciously, and
straightforwardly
Admit when you don’t know the answer
Bring off-topic questions back to your
message
Respond to the whole audience
Warn when the Q&A is ending
Anticipate the most likely questions (and
possible hostile questions)
Prepare answers to them
Practice delivering those answers.
Helpful resources:
Dictionary
www.learnersdictionary.com / www.dictionary.com
Thesaurus
www.thesaurus.com
Write Out Loud
www.write-out-loud.com
The CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
http://www.speech.cs.cmu.edu/cgi-bin/cmudict/
Famous Speeches in History
http://www.history.com/speeches
MSU Vincent Voice Library
http://vvl.lib.msu.edu/
Maggie Bell, ESL Teacher
1926804784@qq.com
http://www.linkedin.com/in/maggiesue