Thank you for your attention last week in Workshop 1! I hope that your speech projects are moving along and that you will go into the weekend with most of your research finished and your content prepared. Your “extemporaneous” speeches at the end of last week’s class suggest that you know how to engage an audience and that you have a lot of potential. By way of review, I just wanted to give a few reminders before you take the lectern Monday evening…

This week’s Top 10 Speaking Tips

I assume you’ve given your topic the “So what?” test. In other words, when you speak the title of your speech—make sure you have a title!—will your classmates say, “So what?” You need the title to pique their interest—it’s the “headline” of your “story.”

Likewise, as you rehearse each point of your speech, continue to ask the question “So what?” Make sure each point advances your “message” and will keep the audience’s interest. If any point fails the “So what?” test, delete immediately or re-conceive and re-write.

Time yourself three or four times to make sure you’re getting an accurate time. Since you’re just filling three to five minutes, this shouldn’t be too difficult.

Practice enunciation and pronunciation. If you mis-pronounce a word, listeners will assume you don’t know what the word means.

Are you Persuading, Informing, Entertaining or offering a mix? Make sure one of these areas is a dominant part of the mix and make sure each point of your speech supports that goal?

What “noise” might occur during your speech? A low-volume voice? Concepts that listeners aren’t familiar with until you explain them? Your habit of leaning on the lectern?

Depending on the purpose of your speech (P, I or E), make sure you use a pattern of reason (see pages 274 and 276).

Establish rapport with your audience through eye contact that’s directed back and forth throughout the room.

Do you have sufficient supporting material to persuade listeners to your point of view? At the very least, you need three or four strong points. More, if you can fit them in.


I will have a system whereby speakers will know if they are on minute 2, minute 3, minute 4, etc. You’ll know when you pass minute 5 because the floor will drop out from under you…

Two more reminders

In your team teaching assignments, cover as much material as possible and do it in a way that communicates creatively and memorably.

Don’t forget your nameplates, preferably produced in two highly contrasting colors for effective readability.