how to give a speech reading plus

Speech Reading (Lip Reading): What We Should All Know and How to Help Facilitate

by Gil Kaminski

Reviewed by Tova Most, Ph.D. , Michal Luntz, M.D. , and Kathryn D. Girardin, Au.D.

on June 19th, 2023

Three Lips In A Row by Marija Vukovic from NounProject.com

When it comes to understanding spoken language without relying solely on the sounds we hear, two terms often come into play: lip reading and speech reading . These two terms are often used interchangeably, with 'lip reading' being more commonly used in everyday language. However, the term 'lip reading' can be misleading as it suggests understanding speech by solely observing the movements of the speaker's mouth. However, there is much more to speech reading than merely watching one’s lips move. Exploring this in greater depth can lead to enhanced communication and more inclusive interactions.

Auditory cues are the sounds we hear that provide us with information about the spoken message. For example, when you're having a conversation with a friend, the words they say, the tone and volume of their voice, and the speed at which they're talking are all auditory cues. These cues help you understand what your friend is saying and how they're feeling.

When you have hearing loss, auditory cues become less clear. This can make it harder to understand what someone is saying or how they're feeling. For example, you might not be able to hear the words they're saying clearly, or you might miss out on changes in their tone of voice that could tell you about their emotions. That's why people with hearing loss often rely on visual strategies, such as speech reading (lip reading), to fill in the missing auditory information.

What is Speech Reading (Lip Reading)?

Speech reading, is a comprehensive term that involves understanding speech by observing the movements of the speaker's mouth and face, nonverbal cues such as facial expressions, and body language. Regardless of hearing levels, speech reading provides additional information for processing speech. As hearing levels decline this strategy becomes incredibly important.

Speech reading takes into account the overall behavior of the speaker. It allows the reader to pick up on emotions, intentions, and other subtle clues that can help them better understand speech and enhance communication. It serves as a building block for understanding speech in situations where auditory cues, are insufficient or unavailable.

How Can We All Contribute to Creating an Environment Accessible for Speech Reading?

A first step we can practice in our daily life to create an inclusive and accessible communication environment is to be thoughtful about making it easy for others to speech read us. Some of the first things we can do include ensuring the speaker's mouth is visible and well-lit, not covering our mouths as we speak, and articulating our words clearly but not in an exaggerated way. It's also beneficial to maintain eye contact and use expressive body language to provide additional context. For example, if you work at a storefront, make sure people who need your assistance can see your face. Something as simple as that can make a world of difference and ease communication for everyone, especially for people with hearing loss.

Photo credits

Three Lips In A Row by Marija Vukovic from NounProject.com

Communication
Speech Reading
Lip Reading

How to read a speech effectively

4 ways to improve how you read out loud.

By: Susan Dugdale | Last modified: 01-22-2022

Sometimes you just HAVE to read a speech.

I know there's a rule that says a speech should never, ever be read. I don’t know where it’s written. However I’ve heard it repeated frequently enough.

Certainly you’ll not see a person on a TED stage using a teleprompter to deliver their speech.

Chris Anderson, TED's leader and founder is quite clear.

”Don’t read it, and don’t use a teleprompter. It’s usually just too distancing—people will know you’re reading. And as soon as they sense it, the way they receive your talk will shift. Suddenly your intimate connection evaporates, and everything feels a lot more formal. We generally outlaw reading approaches of any kind at TED...” Harvard Business Review – How to give a killer presentation - Lessons from TED by Chris Anderson (2013)

And when I was a member of the international public speaking organization Toastmasters , I discovered they actively discouraged it too for similar reasons.

What's on this page:

- 4 occasions when it's ok to read your speech

- 4 ways to improve your reading aloud skills

how to practice reading aloud - 5 key aspects of good vocal delivery and the 'see-stop-say' technique
how to format and mark up your script
how to use a lectern
practicing with your script

- Sources of resources for reading aloud practice

- Examples of great public speakers who read their speeches

Image: Graphic of a woman reading her speech behind a lectern. Text: 4 good ways to improve how you read aloud.

Occasions when it's OK to read your speech

However sometimes you just have to read your speech.

Maybe it's because you simply didn't have enough time to practice it thoroughly. (For instance, a polished TED Talk can take 6 months from preparation of the basic outline to presentation .)
Perhaps it's because the subject matter is both vital and complicated. Lives depend on it. People are going to pore over every word. It must be right. You can't afford to slip up presenting it. Like outlining varying safety procedures.
Maybe it’s because the occasion is very emotional (eg. a wedding or a funeral) and you want the safety of a full speech script to ensure you stay on track.
Or perhaps that's what you've been instructed to do. It’s a prepared speech of some sort like a campaign speech or an official corporate statement, and must be read exactly as written.

In situations like these how can a speaker maintain energy and audience connection while reading?

Speeches read poorly are hard to listen to

What frequently happens when someone reads from a manuscript is not engaging. The speaker is head down looking at the words and the delivery is flat and stilted. Even if the content is really interesting it rapidly becomes a challenge to maintain focus and listen.

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4 ways to improve reading aloud skills

1. practice reading aloud.

Reading aloud well is a skill and like all skills you can acquire it with consistent practice.

I've highlighted two essential elements you'll want to focus on to become competent. These are 5 aspects of good vocal delivery , and the See-Stop-Say technique for ensuring you establish and maintain a connection with your audience while reading.

For both you’ll need a variety of texts, extracts from; non-fiction: newspaper articles, magazine reports, academic papers, famous speeches, and fiction: children's stories, a short story, a poem or an extract from a novel, to work with.

The pieces need to be long enough to practice shaping your delivery to fit the material, the audience and your purpose. * About two minutes worth is generally enough.

Recording yourself will help you identify what you've done well and where you need to focus extra effort.

* Different text types, different audiences and different purposes require you to read differently. Eg. As a professional you wouldn't read an extract from an academic paper to your colleagues at a conference as if it were a piece from a Dr Seuss children's story, even though it might be amusing!☺

5 key aspects of good vocal delivery

Here are five key aspects of good vocal delivery to listen out for when you play back your recording:

Are you stressing or emphasizing the key words?
Are you letting the text's punctuation dictate the phrasing or flow? For instance, a comma indicates a brief pause. A period or full stop, indicates a longer one. How you deal with pauses, where you put them, and how long you make them affects the phrasing or flow of your speech, which in turn affects how well your audience receives it. (For more on this please see how to use the power of silence in speech: tips for using pauses .)
Are you using appropriate tonal, pitch, volume and rate variations for the text, as well as the audience? (Too emotional or too bland? Too high or too low? Too loud or too soft? Too fast or too slow?)
Is your enunciation and pronunciation clear and accurate? (They are different. You can clearly enunciate a word while incorrectly pronouncing it. E.g., ‘expresso’ v ‘espresso’ or ‘upmost’ v ‘utmost’.) For practice try these tongue twisters .
Is it what you hear yourself doing congruent with the purpose of the piece? Does it sound right? (E.g. If it's supposed to persuade, does your reading do that?)

Practice the 'see-stop-say' technique

This is a three part method for reading aloud from a manuscript Ronald Reagan first learned as an actor, and then used for his campaign and presidential speeches.

See - memorize a complete phrase
Stop - make eye contact with the audience
Say - deliver the phrase

And now return to the beginning and repeat the sequence as many times as needed. Once you've mastered this technique the awkward head-down-reading, lack-of-eye-contact-with-your-audience problem will have vanished.

For more please see public speaking coach Maria Guida’s excellent article outlining how to learn it step by step: The Ronald Reagan Technique: How to Sound Natural While Reading Prepared Text

2. How to format and mark up your script

Use these tips to format the text on the page for printing to make it easy to read at a glance.

Use a plain font: Arial or Verdana
Increase the font size to one you can read without strain. For me that's 20. You need it to be big enough to be read at a glance because you do not want to have to stop to pick up the script to find out what you should be saying.
Use black ink. The contrast of black ink on white paper makes it easier to read.
Double space your lines. It will help you return to right place after you've taken a moment to talk directly to the audience.
Make the borders of the page larger than usual. This centralizes the text on the page. The lines are now shorter and your eyes do not have so far to sweep from one side of the page to the other.
Number all your pages in the top right corner.
Print it out single sided.

Marking up your script

Use these tips to mark up your script. The marks are reminders, a bit like the driving instruction signs we have on roads that tell us where to slow down, where to be extra vigilant, and so on.

As you practice you'll become aware of what specific reminders you need to ensure you read as well as you can, and where you need to mark them on your script.

Devise your own marks (short hand code) and use them consistently so that you'll recognize it and know immediately what they're reminding you to do.

For example, slow down could be a line under the words you want to say slowly like this: slow down.

Words you want to stress may have a streak of yellow highlight through them .

Words requiring careful precise pronunciation may be in italics.

A pause for dramatic effect or to allow the audience time to take something in could be shown as a slash highlighted with pink like this: /

A breath might be a symbol like this: ^ and a reminder to check in with the audience to see how they're receiving what you're giving them could be CHECK written in the margin.

3. Use a lectern for your script

Rather than trying to hold the manuscript while you read it, put it on a lectern.

This eliminates the temptation to mask your face with it and, to rattle its pages. It also leaves you free to gesture.

Make sure you have the lectern placed a little to one side to avoid creating a visual barrier between yourself and the audience.

Also check that it's the right height before you begin. You need to be able to comfortably read your script without bending too far down because it's too low for you.

Practice using it. Place your script slightly to the right of the middle. As you finish a page, turn it over face down, and put it on your left. That way you will always have the right page in front of you.

4. Practice with the script

If it’s at all possible, make time to run through the script aloud. If it contains surprises, you'll want to find them before you share them with your audience.

Practice will also give you a chance to gauge timing, sort out the pronunciation of any unfamiliar words, get a handle on the phrasing and vocal variety needs.

Even if you've written the speech yourself, please don't assume it will be fine out loud. It seldom works like that. How we write for the page is very different from writing oral language; words intended to be heard rather than read. *

Say the text over out loud as many times as you can. Reading silently to yourself is not enough.

A 'cold' reading, one without any practice, or without seeing the script before it is handed to you, is very hard to pull off, even for someone accustomed to reading aloud. It’s to be avoided, where ever possible.

Getting started with reading aloud well

Here's a source of Read-Alouds From The New York Times first published in 2010. It was so popular it's been updated since. You'll find all sorts of different types of fascinating material to practice with: the kind that should be marked with a cautionary warning: Time Sink Ahead! Be prepared to lose hours at a stretch.

Here on write-out-loud.com you'll find help with some of the specific skills you need to read well aloud: vocal variety , using pauses , and speech rate.

* For more about writing oral language. You'll find an infographic covering the characteristics of oral language here: how to write a speech .

Great public speakers who read their speeches

And if you do read your speech, and you do it well, know you’re in good company.

Many of the world’s greatest public speakers have read their speeches: Barack Obama, Ronald Reagan, Franklin Roosevelt, and Winston Churchill. For more: lessons from 15 great orators .

Lastly, do make time to watch at least the stunning reading of Sojourner Truth's 1851 speech 'Ain't I a woman?' by writer Alice Walker from this collection of: History’s Most Powerful Speeches Given By Women . It's a masterclass!

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10 Tips for Improving Your Public Speaking Skills

Few are immune to the fear of public speaking. Marjorie North offers 10 tips for speakers to calm the nerves and deliverable memorable orations.

Marjorie North

Snakes? Fine. Flying? No problem. Public speaking? Yikes! Just thinking about public speaking — routinely described as one of the greatest (and most common) fears — can make your palms sweat. But there are many ways to tackle this anxiety and learn to deliver a memorable speech.

In part one of this series, Mastering the Basics of Communication , I shared strategies to improve how you communicate. In part two, How to Communicate More Effectively in the Workplace , I examined how to apply these techniques as you interact with colleagues and supervisors in the workplace. For the third and final part of this series, I’m providing you with public speaking tips that will help reduce your anxiety, dispel myths, and improve your performance.

Here Are My 10 Tips for Public Speaking:

1. nervousness is normal. practice and prepare.

All people feel some physiological reactions like pounding hearts and trembling hands. Do not associate these feelings with the sense that you will perform poorly or make a fool of yourself. Some nerves are good. The adrenaline rush that makes you sweat also makes you more alert and ready to give your best performance.

The best way to overcome anxiety is to prepare, prepare, and prepare some more. Take the time to go over your notes several times. Once you have become comfortable with the material, practice — a lot. Videotape yourself, or get a friend to critique your performance.

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2. Know Your Audience. Your Speech Is About Them, Not You.

Before you begin to craft your message, consider who the message is intended for. Learn as much about your listeners as you can. This will help you determine your choice of words, level of information, organization pattern, and motivational statement.

3. Organize Your Material in the Most Effective Manner to Attain Your Purpose.

Create the framework for your speech. Write down the topic, general purpose, specific purpose, central idea, and main points. Make sure to grab the audience’s attention in the first 30 seconds.

4. Watch for Feedback and Adapt to It.

Keep the focus on the audience. Gauge their reactions, adjust your message, and stay flexible. Delivering a canned speech will guarantee that you lose the attention of or confuse even the most devoted listeners.

5. Let Your Personality Come Through.

Be yourself, don’t become a talking head — in any type of communication. You will establish better credibility if your personality shines through, and your audience will trust what you have to say if they can see you as a real person.

6. Use Humor, Tell Stories, and Use Effective Language.

Inject a funny anecdote in your presentation, and you will certainly grab your audience’s attention. Audiences generally like a personal touch in a speech. A story can provide that.

7. Don’t Read Unless You Have to. Work from an Outline.

Reading from a script or slide fractures the interpersonal connection. By maintaining eye contact with the audience, you keep the focus on yourself and your message. A brief outline can serve to jog your memory and keep you on task.

8. Use Your Voice and Hands Effectively. Omit Nervous Gestures.

Nonverbal communication carries most of the message. Good delivery does not call attention to itself, but instead conveys the speaker’s ideas clearly and without distraction.

9. Grab Attention at the Beginning, and Close with a Dynamic End.

Do you enjoy hearing a speech start with “Today I’m going to talk to you about X”? Most people don’t. Instead, use a startling statistic, an interesting anecdote, or concise quotation. Conclude your speech with a summary and a strong statement that your audience is sure to remember.

10. Use Audiovisual Aids Wisely.

Too many can break the direct connection to the audience, so use them sparingly. They should enhance or clarify your content, or capture and maintain your audience’s attention.

Practice Does Not Make Perfect

Good communication is never perfect, and nobody expects you to be perfect. However, putting in the requisite time to prepare will help you deliver a better speech. You may not be able to shake your nerves entirely, but you can learn to minimize them.

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About the Author

North is a consultant for political candidates, physicians, and lawyers, and runs a private practice specializing in public speaking, and executive communication skills. Previously, she was the clinical director in the department of speech and language pathology and audiology at Northeastern University.

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How to Give a Speech: 10 Tips for Powerful Public Speaking

When we start preparing to give a speech, it can be a nerve-wracking experience. It’s completely normal—most of us feel a combination of excitement and nerves when we’re about to take the stage.

However, with some strategic planning and practical advice, you can make sure your speech is powerful and effective. In this blog post, we’ll explore how to give a speech that will leave your audience engaged and inspired.

We’ll examine 10 tips to help you build a powerful speech, from outlining your points methodically to crafting captivating introductions . Whether you’re a beginner or experienced public speaker, these nuggets of wisdom will help you take your next speech to the next level. Let’s get started!

Quick Review of Key Points

Preparing ahead of time is the key to giving an effective speech. Make sure to structure your speaking points, rehearse your delivery, and be aware of the needs of your audience for maximum impact.

How to Prepare for a Speech

Preparing for a speech is an essential step to public speaking success. It can help to build your confidence, create content that reaches the audience, and reduce performance anxiety.

Although it can be time-consuming in the beginning, preparation will ensure less stress and more comfort during delivery. Here are some tips to consider when preparing for a speech:

Practice : Before delivering a speech, practice it out loud several times. This will allow you to gain experience in speaking without an audience and increase your confidence when you do have one.

Practicing also helps to identify awkward moments in the speech or any difficult phrases which then can be changed or removed altogether. Additionally, it helps you determine where to pause for effect. Research : Depending on the topic of the speech , research should be done beforehand to gather information that is relevant and interesting for the audience. It is important to get acquainted with the language typically used by audiences to ensure a clear understanding of what is being said.

Additionally, relevant statistics and stories concerning the topic are a great way to draw in listeners and make the presentation more engaging .

Know Your Audience : When preparing your speech, be sure to consider who will be listening. For instance, if giving a presentation at work, include industry jargon that members would understand and include relevant topics from publications that might be familiar to the employees.

On the other hand, if consulting business professionals in their field then technical language may be easier for them to comprehend than laypeople or students.

By gathering valuable information about the topic and getting comfortable with a speech’s content and delivery through practice, speakers will gain more assurance during their talk as well as respect from their audience.

Preparing beforehand not only gives insight into how to engage listeners but also encourages more meaningful conversations after the event. Now that we have discussed how to prepare for a speech let us move on to creating an outline which will provide structure during delivery.

Create an Outline

After determining the audience and purpose of your speech, the next step to effective public speaking is to create an outline .

An outline serves as a roadmap to ensure that your speech has a logical flow and contains all important points. It also can help keep you on track during the speech itself, allowing you to stay focused and organized.

When constructing an outline, consider drawing up both a main point and sub-points for each portion of the speech. Both should be relevant to the goal of the presentation and backed up by facts and research.

Brainstorming can help in this process; try grouping your ideas together in clusters to make sure you cover all possible angles.

Furthermore, writing out exact quotations or figures can prove beneficial in forming a cohesive argument. At this stage, it is also wise to decide where transitions, humor, stories, or other engaging techniques will be included.

While there are differing opinions as to whether outlines should be memorized or simply used as a reference while speaking, many agree that they should serve their purpose – not only articulate the main thoughts of the speech but also assist the speaker with maintaining focus and preventing distractions.

The debate between those who advocate for memorization versus casual consulting touches upon issues such as rehearsal time, risk of errors in delivery, ease of practice versus actual performance and more.

Each side has valid arguments that should be weighed prior to deciding what type of approach best suits your needs.

Having a firmly constructed outline acts as a valuable tool when it comes time to deliver a powerful public speech. By actively utilizing this tactic, speakers may not only enhance their clarity and coherence, but also add structure and vibrance to their presentations.

Now that we have explored what goes into crafting an effective outline, let’s dive deeper into how we can best collect resources and research our topics for maximum impact.

Collect Sources and Research

Collecting sources and research is a crucial step for any public speaking engagement. It ensures that you have the necessary information to make strong points and back up your statements.

Before writing your speech, take time to research your topic to gain familiarity with different perspectives, facts, and counterpoints. This will help you to craft an argument that can stand up to scrutiny while also adding a breadth of knowledge to your speech.

Interviews can be a powerful source of evidence and anecdotes, so try to include one or two relevant interviews in your research process. Relying solely on secondary sources such as books and articles can lead to a narrow scope of understanding.

Interviews provide an opportunity to hear directly from an expert and create an interesting dynamic in your speech by adding personal experiences as well as commentary from a professional.

In research it is important to stay objective. Gather a variety of perspectives and be open-minded about their merits. Don’t forget to consider both sides of the argument when researching for your speech.

Doing this allows you to understand the opposing perspective and enables you to anticipate potential counter arguments from your audience.

By acknowledging them beforehand, you may increase the persuasive power of your speech by showing confidence in the points you make.

Once you have collected all sources, review them carefully and separate the most pertinent information from the less useful material.

Synthesising this information into concise yet impactful points is a critical part in delivering powerful talks without overloading your audience with too much data or going off track during your speech delivery.

Organizing Your Speech

Before you start putting your words together, it’s important to consider how the different parts of a speech fit together. By taking the time to organize the ideas in your speech , you’ll be able to deliver a presentation that is well-constructed and easy to understand.

One way to help with organizing your speech is to write an outline . An outline is like a map or plan that will provide you with a framework for each section of your speech.

Start by writing out your main points and then include additional details underneath each one. This will help keep your speech focused and provide direction for where you are going next.

Another approach for organizing your speech is known as the “inverted pyramid” method. This structure starts with your conclusion at the beginning of the speech, and then works backward by providing more explanation and detail as it moves toward the introduction.

This method can be helpful when speaking about topics that are unfamiliar to the audience since it doesn’t require them to wait until near the end of the presentation to learn what you’ve been talking about.

No matter which organization approach you choose, make sure to practice it before giving your speech so that you are comfortable with its flow. Lastly, remember that it’s ok to adjust things while you speak if they don’t seem or feel quite right.

Now let’s take a look at how we can use these organizing techniques to actually put our speeches together – starting with structuring our speech.

Structure Your Speech

Creating a strong structure for your speech will ensure that the audience stays engaged and understands your main points. As you are developing an outline, map out how you want to begin and end your speech.

Break up the information into smaller sections with either verbal or visual cues so that your audience can clearly see how you are transitioning between topics . Consider adding humor judiciously throughout your presentation as this could help engage the audience and lighten any tension.

The length of your presentation is also important. You will want to make sure that you include all of the necessary information without going over time.

Oftentimes less is more; if you can say it in five minutes why use ten? Make sure that you practice timed rehearsals so that you can gauge how long you’re actually speaking.

In contrast, avoid trying to pack too much content into one presentation as this could overwhelm both you and the audience. If needed, offer supplemental reading materials for those who may be interested in delving further into the subject matter.

Paragraphs can also be helpful when organizing large amounts of content within the body of your presentation. Utilizing paragraph breaks gives your audience a break and helps to highlight key ideas or summaries before moving onto a new topic area.

Finally, it is crucial to remember what your desired outcome is from the presentation; plan accordingly by ensuring that the beginning, middle, and end serve their respective purposes and adhere to that goal.

With careful deliberations, structuring a successful presentation can be achieved with relative ease.

Having established a solid structure for your speech, it’s important to focus on another key element: rehearsal. The next section will discuss the benefits of practicing before delivering a powerful public speaking performance.

Rehearse Your Speech

Rehearsing is integral to giving a successful speech. When you rehearse your presentation, you give your mind an opportunity to become familiar with the notes and concepts that you are presenting. It also increases your confidence and reduces anxiety or self-doubt.

In fact, studies have found that those who rehearsed their presentation had higher scores in public speaking performance and language proficiency evaluations.

When it comes to how much rehearsal is enough, opinions are divided. Some people believe that over-rehearsing can lead to a more robotic speech with less natural emotion and connection with the audience .

On the other hand, others argue that no matter how well-versed someone is on the topic, additional rehearsal time improves both the delivery of the speech and memorization of key points and facts.

Ultimately, it’s important to practice until you personally find the most comfortable level for yourself, as this will ultimately result in a more engaging delivery.

Finally, if at all possible, try to practice in front of a friend or colleague for honest feedback on any elements that need improvement before the big day. Rehearsal dedication may be tedious, but it results in big rewards on stage–enabling you to deliver your content with clarity, confidence, and poise.

With thoughtful preparation complete, it’s now time to step into the spotlight and give your speech!

Giving Your Speech

The key to success when giving a speech is to be well prepared and confident. Every individual’s preparation process will vary, but the basics should stay the same.

Start by studying your content, understanding the material and being able to repeat it in your own words. Clarify any potentially difficult points. Create visual aids like PowerPoint slides or handouts that supplement the key ideas in your speech.

Practice your public speaking skills with informal conversations with friends and family or rehearse it alone in front of a mirror. Use visualization; imagine yourself confidently delivering your speech. Consider addressing a practice audience if possible to become more accustomed to a live size group.

On the day of the event, arrive early and plan for any potential obstacles: What if my computer doesn’t work? What if I forget something? Allow sufficient time for setup and check-in.

When you are ready to give your speech, take some deep breaths, focus on the positives, and distract yourself from any anxious thoughts with positive affirmations. Remember you have prepared diligently for this moment, you are well prepared and you will succeed!

Start strong by engaging the audience immediately with an attention grabbing opening statement. Speak clearly and make sure that everyone can hear and understand your message.

Slow down and emphasize points as needed throughout your presentation. Be aware of pace, volume, and tone of voice: too fast/monotone can confuse/bore listeners while pauses add a dramatic effect that keeps their interest piqued.

Ultimately, giving a successful speech will depend on knowing your material well enough to speak confidently in front of your audience without hesitation or missteps.

When you do make a mistake (and they happen!) don’t panic – know that mistakes are inevitable but don’t be discouraged; get back on track as soon as possible and continue at the same energy level you had before the mistake occurred.

Having successfully given your speech, take a moment to reflect on what went well and what could be improved upon for next time before transitioning into the next step: mastering delivery.

Master Your Delivery

Mastering your delivery is the key to an effective speech. Without purposeful body language and careful emphasis on certain words , your speech may lack wow-factor and prevent listeners from tuning in. Following these simple tips can help you get started with delivering an engaging and memorable speech:

The most important part of delivery is practice. Rehearse and perfect your speech ahead of time – this allows for more natural flow and confidence during your presentation. It also helps to create pauses between sentences for clarity, emphasize key points, and not be too casual or stiff.

Practicing inflections and varying tones adds interest to your speech by keeping listeners’ attention.

Additionally, it’s important to project your voic e so everyone in the room can hear you; make sure you’re speaking loud enough but don’t feel pressure to shout or yell at any point unless that’s part of the atmosphere of the event.

It’s also crucial to maintain good posture while speaking – stand tall with both feet on the ground, keep your back straight, hold yourself up without gesturing too much or leaning against a podium if applicable.

To further engage listeners, use purposeful hand gestures as they help emphasize certain points and add visual interest – however, avoid overusing them as it can hinders communication.

Make meaningful eye contact with audience members throughout the presentation – otherwise you might come across as unenthusiastic or bored with what you’re saying which deters attention away from the content itself.

By mastering your delivery, you can boost the impact of your presentation considerably – providing a memorable experience for your audience that stands out from others’. As such, it’s worth investing time into practicing ahead of time until delivery feels comfortable and second nature.

Having said this, making use of visual aids such as PowerPoint slides can greatly improve the impact of a speech once delivery has been mastered – let’s look into that next.

Use Visual Aids

Using visual aids can help presenters express concepts more clearly and engage the audience.

Visuals are particularly useful when conveying complex information, such as data, trends, or statistics — they impart meaning at a glance. But some public speakers may wonder if visual aids can be distracting or unnecessary.

Even though visuals can attract attention away from a presenter’s verbal delivery, carefully designed visuals can actually support the speech and help provide clarity. If done well, visuals are effective for capturing an audience’s interest and helping them to better understand the content being presented.

For example, a graph or chart should relate to the points made in the speech and should be discussed in more detail during its appearance onscreen. The presentation can also include larger images that effectively reinforce the ideas conveyed in the speech.

Videos and sound clips are other powerful forms of multimedia that could be employed to make the speech more meaningful.

To ensure that visuals enhance the message of the presentation, key factors to consider include relevancy to topic, good graphic design or aesthetics, accurate size to prevent distortion or blurriness, and seamless integration into the keynote slides or printed handouts .

In this way, visuals offer an opportunity for presenters to demonstrate their creativity and keep their audiences interested in what is being said. Thus, used wisely and aptly, visuals can add tremendous value to speeches by presenting arguments more efficiently and driving home important points. Now let’s explore effective techniques for speech giving that will allow you to craft and deliver your speeches with confidence.

Effective Techniques for Speech Giving

There are a number of effective techniques for giving a speech that will help you deliver it with confidence and poise.

First, practice your delivery in advance. You should practice both in front of a mirror or recording device to check for any distracting habits such as talking too quickly or mispronouncing words.

Second, use simple, clear language and short, concise sentences. Avoid overly technical terms and jargon that may leave your audience confused.

Third, work to establish a connection with your audience by using appropriate facial expressions and hand gestures while speaking.

Fourth, utilize effective persuasive techniques such as presenting evidence, strong arguments supported by facts, personal anecdotes and vivid metaphors.

Finally, articulate an organized structure for your speech. Your speech should have an introduction, body and conclusion to clearly communicate the main point and provide the audience with the necessary context to understand it better.

While these techniques may sound intimidating at first, they can be learned over time with practice and will make all the difference in how successful your speech delivery is received by your audience.

To build on these skills further , the next section will provide tips on how to build confidence when giving a speech.

Building Confidence

Building confidence is key when giving a powerful speech, as it will enable you to deliver the speech in a more poised and credible manner.

To create this confidence , start by understanding that any hesitation or butterflies prior to your speech are completely normal and should not be feared. Instead, view them as natural states of anticipation for something exciting, knowing that you are about to give an amazing speech.

Next, understanding who your audience is and tailoring your speech to meet their expectations will help build your confidence.

Familiarizing yourself with their interests and knowledge on the subject matter ahead of time can equip you with the understanding needed to respond appropriately if questions arise or objections surface during the speech.

Further, practice is key when building confidence for a public speaking engagement . Rehearsing with friends or colleagues before hand will give you an opportunity to learn where problem areas are within the content of your speech, as well as help solidify your delivery by becoming more comfortable with each step.

Checking sound levels in the room you’re presenting in coupled with learning where exits/emergency locations are located within that space can also help alleviate stress levels and boost self-assurance while delivering the speech.

Finally, wearing comfortable clothing and dressing professionally adds an extra layer of confidence when speaking in public.

If possible, bring an additional outfit on hand during the presentation in case of spills or accidents that would require a quick change between sections of the talk. Having this back-up plan in place can aid in keeping peace of mind at ease throughout the speech.

In conclusion, building confidence prior to a public speaking event can mean the difference between a good and great delivery of your message.

By taking into account each of these tips you can ensure that this part of your preparation runs smoothly and sets you up for success when delivering powerful speeches.

With a well-crafted note card of talking points and strong sense of self-assurance, it’s time to start speaking with passion!

Speaking with Passion

As a public speaker, your audience expects you to engage not only with your words but also with your emotions. To share the most impactful message, it is important to speak passionately about your subject.

Doing so will make your speech more memorable and thereby more effective in convincing your audience of its legitimacy.

The power of speaking authentically with emotion lies in its relatability and connection. Showing feelings allows people to connect with you as a person rather than just a speaker. It opens the door to understanding through empathy and active listening .

Examples might include adding personal stories , telling jokes, or displaying your feelings openly during the delivery of your message.

However, not all topics lend themselves easily to expressing emotion. If the subject matter is overly complex or technical there may be less opportunity for emotional expression—but this doesn’t mean those conversations can’t incorporate emotion.

Even if faced with a difficult situation such as death or financial turmoil, emotions can still be conveyed in a respectful way that keeps audiences engaged.

Remember that how much emotion you show depends on the type of audience you’re sharing it with—using sensitivity when delivering passionate speeches helps avoid awkwardness or embarrassment for any attendees who may find opinionated language uncomfortable for whatever reason.

Striking the right balance between being straightforward and showing compassion takes practice, so take the time to develop a style that works best for you and improves upon each performance.

Finally, incorporating passion into a speech gives it life and makes it relatable and engaging—which are essential elements to speaking effectively.

Having passion means giving ourselves permission to take ownership over our stories, making them deeply personal in order to reach our goals and touch people’s hearts in meaningful ways. With that said, let’s move on to discussing how we should tackle dealing with challenges while giving a speech.

Dealing with Challenges

The process of delivering a speech can be challenging, but it is also rewarding. Difficulties can arise during the process that may threaten to derail your success. To ensure you are adequately prepared for these possible pitfalls it is important to consider strategies for proactively mitigating the risk of encountering these challenges. 1. Public Speaking Anxiety: Many people experience some form of anxiety when asked to speak in public. There are a number of techniques available to combat this fear and increase confidence, such as deep breathing exercises, mental rehearsal, positive self-talk and visualization of success.

Learning about the audience, creating an engaging presentation and using props or visual aids can also help reduce anxiety levels and create a better overall experience for both the speaker and the audience. 2. Unfamiliar Topics or Audiences: When presenting on unfamiliar topics or to an unknown audience it can be difficult to prepare effectively.

In this situation it is important to conduct research on the topic and familiarize yourself with the needs of your audience so that the content is tailored accordingly. It is also helpful to use humor or stories related to the topic in order to engage your audience and make them more receptive to your message. 3. Lack of Support: If you lack support from family, friends, colleagues or mentors, it can be difficult to push through difficult conversations or speeches without any additional motivation.

To overcome this challenge, seek out peer mentorship opportunities or find compatible online communities where people discuss similar topics or objectives. Here you can share ideas, provide feedback and learn from others who have experienced similar issues. 4. Time Constraints: One of the biggest challenges when giving a speech is managing your time effectively in order to deliver an effective message without going over allotted timeslots and boring your audience .

To successfully address this challenge try setting manageable goals for each section of your speech and practice regularly. Replicating real-time conditions as closely as possible will help you stay within time constraints when delivering your speech on the day itself. In conclusion, there are many potential challenges you may face when giving a speech or taking part in a public speaking event – but with proper preparation and practice they are easily managed if approached correctly.

With knowledge of techniques for dealing with such scenarios comes increased confidence when stepping up to the podium – further improving your chances of delivering an effective speech that resonates with your audience members.

Responses to Frequently Asked Questions

How should i end my speech to leave a lasting impression.

The best way to end your speech is by reinforcing your main point and summarizing the key takeaways. You should also encourage the audience to take action, whether it be to sign up for a newsletter, make a donation, or visit your website for more information. This final call to action will not only leave a lasting impression on the audience but will also help you achieve any goals you might have had when making your speech in the first place.

What techniques can I use to keep my audience engaged during my speech?

One of the best techniques for keeping an audience engaged during a speech is to keep it interactive . Ask questions throughout the presentation, as well as allowing for audience input and discussion. This can help to keep people’s attention and create a more engaging experience.

Another great tip is to use humor. Even if you don’t consider yourself a natural comedian, sprinkling in a few jokes here and there can break up the monotony of long speeches and keep people interested. Humor can also help to make points stick in people’s minds, making them easier to remember.

Finally, try to be enthusiastic about the content of your speech. If you show too much indifference or lethargic behavior, it will discourage your audience from paying attention and taking your message seriously.

Instead, be passionate about what you are saying so that the energy of your words carries into the room and engages your audience with excitement.

How can I use storytelling to make my speech more interesting?

Storytelling is a powerful tool that can be used to make any speech more interesting. Telling stories in your speech will help engage the audience and make your message stick. Here are some tips for using storytelling in your speech:

1. Choose stories that are relevant to your message and audience. Think about stories that will best illustrate the point you are trying to convey, or evoke emotions in your listeners. 2. Use vivid descriptions and visuals when telling your story. Be sure to include details such as setting, character descriptions, dialogue and plot points. This will help to bring the story to life for your audience. 3. Make sure the story you are telling has a strong conclusion or moral at the end. This will help add emphasis to your message and make it memorable. 4. Practice telling stories out loud before delivering a speech with them. Rehearsing will help you deliver your story more effectively and with more confidence in front of an audience. By using these tips, storytelling can be an effective tool to make any speech more interesting, engaging, and persuasive!

How can I prepare for my speech effectively?

Preparing for a speech effectively is essential to delivering an impactful and memorable presentation. Here are some tips: 1. Have a clear goal in mind. Before starting to prepare, ask yourself what the purpose of giving the speech is: what message do you want to convey? Defining this will help to structure your content and focus your research. 2. Research thoroughly. Make sure you understand the subject matter well, so that your delivery sounds confident and inspiring. Using facts and data will strengthen your arguments and make your talk more convincing. 3. Outline your speech. Make a rough outline of how you want it to go – from beginning to end – well in advance of the actual presentation. This will give you a strong foundation upon which you can craft an engaging talk with an effective narrative arc that keeps audiences interested and engaged. 4. Practice regularly. Rehearsing your speech out loud several times is key to ensuring that you know it well enough to feel comfortable when delivering it live in front of an audience.

5. Time yourself. Record how long it takes for you to go through your entire speech, so that you can adjust the length as needed before delivering it live – remember that most speeches should last no more than 10-15 minutes. 6. Identify potential questions from the audience and prepare answers before hand. Knowing ahead of time what kind of questions people may ask can help reduce the anxiety of not knowing what comes next, enabling you to stay confident when speaking in public. 7. Work on building up confidence levels before delivering a speech. Visualize yourself succeeding in delivering a great presentation; practice relaxation techniques such as deep breathing or positive self-talk; or use props during practice sessions such as water bottles or stress balls if needed to remain calm during the real thing!

What strategies can I use to reduce my anxiety when giving a speech?

1. Plan Ahead: Create an outline of your speech beforehand and practice it multiple times to become familiar with the content. Doing a trial run with the audience can also help you get used to speaking in front of people.

2. Visualize Success: Positive visualization is a great way to reduce anxiety before giving a speech. Imagine yourself confidently delivering the speech while feeling relaxed and composed.

3. Get Organized: Make sure you have all the materials necessary for your presentation, including notes, slides, etc., to reduce any additional stress that may come from not having what you need when you speak.

4. Take Deep Breaths: Before and during the speech, take a few deep breaths as this will help calm nerves and make sure your breathing is regulated throughout the duration of your presentation.

5. Speak Slowly: It is common to feel anxious while giving a speech and try to rush through it too quickly. Speaking slowly helps maintain composure while delivering your message effectively and clearly.

6. Pay Attention to Your Body: Your posture, stance, movements , facial expressions can all influence how confident you appear to your audience and how nervous you may be feeling inside. Check in with yourself frequently throughout the presentation and correct any tense body language or physical actions if needed.

7. Focus on the Audience: If you notice that your anxiety levels are growing as you present, shift your focus onto the audience instead of yourself as this will help refocus your attention away from negative thoughts that may arise from fear or insecurity.

8. Make Eye Contact: Establishing eye contact with your audience is a key confidence-builder for public speakers—it shows that you’re strong, engaged with them, and receptive to feedback or questions they might have regarding your speech topic .

9. Practice Positive Affirmations: Positive thoughts will boost your self-confidence as well as your mood which can help increase performance quality significantly during speeches or presentations in general—so don’t forget to tell yourself “you can do it!” several times throughout the day leading up to the event!

10. Seek Support of Friends & Family: Many experienced public speakers suggest seeking support of close friends & family members prior and during their speeches—not only does it allow helpful critique regarding content but it also creates a more comfortable atmosphere while speaking which can reduce pre-speech jitters drastically.

Public Speaking Tip 51: If You’re Reading from Notes When You Deliver a Speech, Read with Pride; Don’t Hide!

by Jezra on April 29, 2014

But there are many good reasons to consider reading. Here are a few:

1. You want to maintain close control over the tone or the timing of your speech (or both) .

2. You want to give a smooth, suave impression , which comes from moving “seamlessly” from one point to the next.

3. You want to convey effortless ease , but don’t have time to memorize your remarks.

In each of these cases (and others), the best way to achieve your goal is to write down what you’re going to say, practice it, and then stay pretty close to your script when you deliver it.

How do you stay close to your script?

By reading it.

Convinced? Here Are 8 Ways to Make Your Script Easy to Read

Back in the day, everyone read their speeches.

When Abraham Lincoln was on the train to Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, to give the speech that would turn out to be the most important of his Presidency (maybe, of American history), he didn’t decide to wing it. Instead, he got out paper and pen and wrote down what he wanted to say.

I don’t know whether Lincoln read from those notes when he delivered what we now call The Gettysburg Address — but if he did, I’m willing to bet that he wasn’t embarrassed to be reading.

Lincoln knew that this speech — intended to reunite the U.S. after four years of horrific civil war — needed to make a powerful impact, and he wasn’t about to leave that to chance.

What’s that he’s holding in his left hand?

8 Ways to Make Your Script Easy to Read

If you don’t want to read your speech, blame ted.

If carrying paper onstage was good enough for Winston Churchill, you may wonder why so many of today’s speakers balk at doing it.

The answer, I believe, is TED.

This series of public speaking conferences, along with its local TEDx spin-offs, has had a profound influence on all public speaking over the last 20 years.

One TED performance practice that has caught on widely is not using notes when you deliver a speech.

The purpose of this practice is to make TED speeches appearance spontaneous — and originally TED speakers actually did speak off the cuff.

But that hasn’t been the case for many years now.

Instead, the TED talks that receive national attention today are:

Carefully crafted to give a spontaneous impression , then
Choreographed and finessed by coaches who are supplied by the TED organization, then
Memorized, then
Practiced ad nauseum , then
Delivered to a live audience, while being
Captured by a professional four-camera video team, then
Professionally edited, and finally
Put on the TED web site, which is where those of us who can’t pay $6000 for the live conference experience them.

And it’s not just that TED pours thousands of dollars into making each speaker look good. T he speakers themselves put as much of their lives as possible on hold while they go through this training regimen.

Your Audience Doesn’t Care if You Read Your Speech from Notes

Unless you’re planning to undergo the same exhaustive and months-long process that TED speakers go through, please don’t kid yourself that not using notes will, in and of itself, make you look more like a world-class speaker.

Giving a good speech is what will make you look like a world-class speaker!

And if using notes (or cue cards, or any technology that’s available to you) helps you to prepare, practice and deliver a better speech in the time that you have available, why would you not use them?

As long as your fact isn’t buried in a script, your audience doesn’t care that you’re reading.

They just want to connect with you and get value from the ideas that you’re presenting to them.

If I’ve persuaded you that it’s OK to read a speech (and I hope I have!)…

Here are some tips to making your reading more exciting.

You May Also Want to Read...

The Public Speaking Team of 3: Prepare, Practice, and Present
10 Simple Ways to Make Your Speech Easy to Read (for Presenting AND Practicing!)!
Giving a TED-Style Talk? Here's How They're Different from Business Presentations

14 Tips On How To Improve Speaking Skills (Speak Like A Pro!)

If you feel nervous or flustered when it’s your time to talk, use these actionable practices to be more articulate and well-spoken in the workplace and beyond.

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Whether you’re chatting with coworkers at lunch, having an important conversation with your boss, or giving a big presentation, speaking with confidence and charisma can transform your daily life.

Research shows that communication skills are strong predictors of your success in the workplace and relationships . Yet, so many people still struggle with verbally expressing themselves. Excellent speakers benefit from:

Improved communication
Getting their ideas heard
Earning more respect
Being interrupted less
Having more loyal and deep connections
Not being underestimated or overlooked

If you are hesitating or flustered when it’s your turn to talk, here are 14 actionable tips for improving your speaking skills.

Watch our video below to learn powerful presentation skills in person, on video, and in meetings:

How to Improve Speaking Skills at Work and Beyond: 14 Action-Packed Tips

Most kids learn to talk around 1 to 2 years old, but learning to express yourself verbally is a lifelong learning experience. You can excel in your career and get what you want by mastering the art of talking.

Many tools are available to improve your speech, whether you’re a native speaker or an English learner. Here are the top 14 science-backed ways to speak better:

#1 Stay in your zone of genius (only talk about what you know)

You may notice that the most professional-sounding people tend to stay in their zone of genius when speaking publicly. You won’t hear Oprah pretending she’s an expert in electric cars. Nor will you hear Elon Musk advising about spirituality and personal development.

They both stay in their realms of expertise, which naturally makes them sound confident when they speak. They’re not faking it— they know what they’re talking about!

If you struggle to speak with conviction, you may inadvertently talk about topics you don’t know much about. Instead, focus on your zone of genius.

Your zone of genius is the mental space where your skills and interests converge .

It includes the subjects, facts, and stories you know the most about. These things are easy for you to talk about with others because you’re knowledgeable and passionate about them.

Avoid talking off the cuff about topics you’re not familiar with. Not only does this make you sound uninformed or untrustworthy, but it can send off the message that you are a “know-it-all.”

Masterful conversationalists are usually not afraid to say, “I don’t know.” Similarly, a public speaker won’t add random facts or opinions that they can’t back up with authentic knowledge on the topic.

Pro tip: Not a master in your subject? No worries! Most people have limited knowledge in a particular field. Try learning from the Three Book Rule, which states that if you read 3 books on a specific topic (for example, tennis), you’ll be more knowledgeable than 99% of the population.

#2 Read books or articles out loud

Reading is one of the most underrated tools for becoming a great speaker. It can make you sound more articulate and smooth in your speech. Plus, you learn new vocabulary and better comprehend the book in the process.

Unlike conversations or spoken speeches, written text tends to have a better structure for learning, as authors and editors have worked together to keep the text free of grammatical errors or awkward sentences. Reading books aloud helps you learn to speak more smoothly in day-to-day conversations.

Repeat this exercise at least once per week (or every night before bed if you’re determined):

Find a quiet place where you won’t be interrupted.
Choose a book you enjoy, flip to a random page, or continue reading where you left off.
Read the page out loud from start to end.
Take note of words you had trouble pronouncing or sentences that sounded awkward out loud. Notice how fast or slow you read and the tone of your voice. Depending on the character’s speaking, you can also practice changing your voice if you’re reading fiction. This can help you practice vocal variety.
Look up the pronunciation of specific words if needed.
Now read the page or passage out loud again. Change your performance based on what you noticed in the first round. Emphasize important points with a shift in volume or inflection (highness or lowness of your voice)
Optionally, use voice memos on your phone to record yourself reading.
Listen back to your recordings and find places where your inflection, cadence (the rhythm of speech), and volume change. Do these align with the overall message of the piece?

If you feel unsure about reading aloud, try listening to audiobook samples to hear how different speakers recite written words. You can also use a free resource like Librivox to listen to free audiobooks.

#3 Use tongue twisters to practice enunciation

Mumbling speech can make it challenging to understand what you’re saying. When people mumble, it sends the message that they don’t want to be heard or feel embarrassed by their speech. On the other hand, people who enunciate their words are seen as more intelligent.

Eloquent speaking is undoubtedly an art, but it starts with the simple act of training your mouth to move in a certain way. Those silly tongue twisters from your childhood can be surprisingly useful. Repeating related sounds can improve your English speaking skills and articulation of specific words.

Repeat these 10 times each or until you can say them over and over without fumbling:

Red leather, yellow leather, red leather, yellow leather.
Sally sells shells by the seashore.
Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers. A peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked. If Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers, where’s the peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked?
How much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?
You know New York, you need New York, you know you need unique New York.
I saw a kitten eating chicken in the kitchen.

Use tongue twisters regularly and as a vocal warm-up before you do a lot of talking.

Bonus Tip: Learn the Art of Stage Presence

Did you know that public speaking is actually a skill? Many people struggle with stage anxiety because they feel they ‘missed the memo’ on public speaking or they are lacking because they do not have a natural stage presence. Not true!

Stage presence and public speaking are skills you need to be taught—very few people have them naturally.

Watch our video below to learn the 7 steps to overcome stage fright and beat performance anxiety:

Here are all the aspects of public speaking you can master.

How to make a first impression with an audience
How to have stage presence
Powerful body language
How to speak with a commanding voice
What to do with your hands while speaking

For every speaking skill you add to your toolbox, the less speaking anxiety you will feel.

If you want help really diving into your presentation skills, be sure to sign-up for our course…

Master Your People Skills

Create a Memorable Presence
Communicate with Confidence
Achieve Your Goals

Have a question about the presentation or People School? Email Science of People support .

#4 Talk to yourself

One of the easiest ways to step into your power as a speaker is to start talking to yourself. People often dismiss those who talk to themselves as crazy when, in reality, talking to yourself is entirely normal.

Scientists have found that talking to yourself is beneficial for enhancing your performance in sports, finding things you lost, and solving problems. A practice called mirror meditation combines neuroscience and self-reflection to overcome insecurities like physical appearance and public speaking.

You can use self-talk with or without a mirror to achieve two primary goals:

Build your confidence : Psychologists say that talking to yourself in a mirror can help externalize your inner dialogue and sort through your thoughts. Speaking positive things to your reflection is a form of positive affirmation. For example, you can calm your nerves before talking to someone important by telling your reflection, “You’ve got this! You are well-spoken, eloquent, and powerful with your words. You’re going to rock this conversation. I love you.” You don’t necessarily have to say these things out loud, but you want to signal to your mind that you are your number one fan (and you should be!).
Rehearse before big moments (and sort through your thoughts) : For example, you can rehearse what you’ll say to your boss while you’re driving in the car on your way to work. Don’t worry about acting looking weird—nobody will be able to hear you. Use verbal recitation to gather your thoughts, so you can repeat the key points you want to discuss in the meeting. Similarly, before a big speech, you may want to walk around your room and go over a speech script in your head or out loud.

Both methods can work synergistically to improve your speaking skills drastically. But the most important thing to remember about self-talk is: Avoid talking to yourself negatively whenever possible , especially before a critical communication event like a meeting, presentation, or important lunch.

Listen to your internal voice and avoid internal statements like:

“You sound stupid.”
“I am horrible at public speaking.”
“Your voice sounds embarrassing.”
“You idiot, get it out already.”

Replacing negative self-talk takes practice. Replace critical self-talk with positive affirmations ( here are 120 great ones ) and learn more about silencing your inner critic so you can feel more confident in your speech.

#5 Learn from the best (& mimic them)

Humans are psychologically programmed to mimic each other. Mirror neurons are primal “monkey see, monkey do” parts of our brain that imitate the actions we see in other people. They explain why babies naturally smile when you smile or why you can learn to swim by watching others move in the water.

Recent research has also revealed how these neurons are critical for learning language and communicating with others. You can even “hack” your mirror neurons to help you become a better speaker. Think about the best speakers you know and try a few of these simple practices to pick up on their best qualities:

Watch a video of your favorite speaker three times in a row. Notice their tone of voice, stature, and vocal quirks. Learn a few sentences from the speech and try to re-enact them in a mirror. For example, if you want to mimic the conversational yet profound tone of Denzel Washington, watch this video of his speech at a graduation:

Pretend you’re an actor and recite lines from a movie character you like. You can find specific scenes from movies on YouTube. Analyze how the script structure impacts your feelings about that character’s confidence and self-expression.
Listen to a podcast of someone you admire and repeat things they say out loud. Podcasters are great speakers because they only have their voice to capture your attention. For example, Rob Dial of The Mindset Mentor is authentic, empowering, and energizing podcaster who speaks directly to the audience’s needs.

Pro Tip : Speech mimicry helps you learn to speak more confidently in public or on stage, but remember to stay true to your unique qualities. You don’t want to copy other people’s words, or you will be inauthentic. Instead, take note of the specific qualities you want to adopt—such as a deeper voice, a slower pace of speaking, or a particular type of vocabulary—and integrate these into your existing communication style.

#6 Always remember your MVP

An MVP isn’t just the star of a sports team. It’s the Most Valuable Point you need to make in any communication setting. If everything else you say was forgotten, what is one sentence that gets your point across?

Before you go into a meeting with your team, give a speech, or check in with your boss, think about your MVP. For example,

I’m going into this check-in with my boss to ask for a raise of X dollars.
I want to sit down with my significant other tonight and resolve our miscommunication about X.
My main goal for today’s work lunch is to get to know 3 new things about each of my colleagues.
The key purpose of this article is to help people improve their speaking skills in various settings.

Regardless of the communication setting, an MVP gives purpose to your words.

Bonus: If you want to sound really convincing, practice turning your MVP into a specific sentence or two. Something like:

“My performance in the past 6 months has doubled the company’s revenue, and, as a result, I believe I deserve a higher raise.”
“There was a miscommunication earlier, but after some deep thinking, I realize it was my fault, and I am truly sorry.”

Having a concrete sentence or two memorized can help deliver your speech powerfully and convincingly.

#7 Sound more confident by speaking louder and lower

Speaking isn’t only about what you say but how you say it. A 2017 Yale study found that the sound of your voice is what makes people:

Believe what you’re saying
Feel certain emotions

Think about it: How do you feel when you hear someone using filler words like “um” or “like” in every sentence? What about someone who talks softly? Or someone who raises their voice at the end of a statement to make it sound like a question?

You probably won’t perceive them as confident in what they’re saying. You may even be less likely to do business with them, believe their story, or give them what they’re asking for.

There are three keys to sounding more confident when you talk:

Speak louder (but don’t yell) : When you feel nervous, you may naturally talk more softly. But this can create a negative feedback loop that makes you sound (and feel) less confident. Instead, make your voice sound stronger by speaking at a moderate volume that you adjust based on the room and audience size.
Speak lower : Research shows that people who speak louder and lower are perceived as more dominant and authoritative. This is particularly important for women who talk in soft, high tones. You don’t need to change your natural voice completely; instead, practice speaking in the lower end of your range.
Talk at a moderately fast pace : If you speak too slowly, you could sound boring. People who drone on in a monotone don’t tend to keep our attention for long. On the other hand, if you speak too fast, you could sound annoying or difficult to understand. Studies have found that people who talk at a moderately fast pace (about 195 words per minute) seem more intelligent, persuasive, and attractive. Measure your voice with a Metronome app for Android or iOS and try to land in the 110-160 word per minute range.

Remember that your optimal vocal volume and pitch may change depending on your audience. Learn more tips about How to Speak with Confidence and Sound Better .

Watch our video below to learn how to sound confident on the phone with 5 simple steps:

#8 Prepare your voice

Have you noticed your voice sounds groggy in the morning or strained after singing too loud on the drive to work? It’s not the best vocal state for negotiating a business deal or asking for a raise.

Vocal care isn’t just for singers or public speakers. Proper preparation ensures your voice doesn’t crack when it comes time to speak up in a meeting. To sound better when talking, remember to:

Use deep breathing : Shallow chest breathing can make you sound more jittery or nervous when talking. Deep belly breathing exercises can help improve your oxygen levels while simultaneously calming your body.
Exhale first : When it comes time to speak, most people breathe and start their sentences with an inhale. Instead, remember to exhale first. Blow out a strong breath just before you start talking.
Stay hydrated : Your voice is directly affected by your level of hydration. Research even finds that hydrated voices sound better . If you are about to speak for an extended period in a speech or meeting, drink plenty of water in the hours leading up to the event.
Use our 5 vocal warm-ups in our article and video below:

5 Vocal Warm-Ups Before Meetings, Speeches and Presentations

#9 Start and end with the best points

The serial-position effect explains why people remember the first and last things you say the most clearly. Whether talking to your coworkers about a project or giving a big pitch to a client, you should emphasize the best points at the beginning and the end.

This is particularly important for presentations, but you can apply it to daily conversations. When preparing to speak, the first thing to do is brainstorm all your key points and ideas. It helps to jot them down on flashcards or digital slides. Arrange them so that the juiciest or most essential points come first. Then, reiterate them at the end as well.

For example, if you’re selling your marketing services to a client, the very first lines of the presentation may emphasize why your agency’s package is the best one available. This is sort of like a thesis. You might start with: “Top Level Agency is a one-stop shop for your marketing needs because we do all web design and digital production in-house (no freelancers or contractors!), offer 24-hour emergency technical support, and monthly payment plans.”

Then, you can introduce yourself, explain the package offerings, and dig into more details. At the end of the presentation, repeat the key benefits they’ll get from working with your company.

People remember the beginning and the end ! Avoiding burying your important points in the middle! Many people tell stories chronologically and accidentally bore their audience with background stories and foundational info that leaves a bad first impression.

Pro Tip: Practice your opening and closing line the most. If you have these, you know you will start and end on a high.

#10 Master the art of presentations with 4 quick tips

From job interviews to congratulatory speeches to workplace meeting presentations, speaking in front of a group of people is a life skill that we all must practice at some point. It’s how you sell yourself, your ideas, or your products and services. Yet over 30% of Americans list public speaking (glossophobia) as one of their biggest fears. Fortunately, overcoming glossophobia can be as simple as preparation and practice.

Here are four quick tips to transform your presentation skills:

Start with a hook : First impressions are everything! A sparkling one-liner, a fascinating story, or an intriguing question are the easiest ways to capture your audience’s attention before you dig into the details. Notice how Vanessa Van Edwards’ Tedx Talk starts with a funny phrase about her awkwardness:

Cut out excess info : A short presentation packed with information is far better than a long, boring drone full of fluff. Cut down your speech to the basics so that everything supports your main point. Avoid irrelevant facts or boring anecdotes.
Don’t just talk : The most captivating presentations use multiple modalities. Instead of just standing and talking, an engaging presenter will layer on the graphics, charts, videos, and visual demonstrations.
Pretend you’re a performer : In his book, Steal the Show , actor, and coach Michael Port says the quickest way to boost your confidence is to simply act like you’re giving a performance and you don’t have any stage fright. Transform your negative inner talk to something positive by tricking your mind into thinking you’re capable and confident in your speaking skills.

Pro Tip : If you are planning for a big presentation and fear losing the audience’s attention, consider making your presentation more interactive by inviting the audience to participate. You can use non-awkward icebreakers , “raise your hand” questions or a social media poll on a related topic.

Some presenters even invite an audience member to the stage for role-playing or a mini-case study. For example, in a meeting presentation about how you plan to improve upselling techniques in your stores, you may invite a coworker to act out a customer-salesperson scenario.

Want more tips? Take your presentations to the next level with these 10 Presentation Ideas That Will Radically Improve Your Presentation Skills .

#11 Use meaningful hand gestures

People who “talk with their hands” are naturally more magnetic. Studies show that gestures increase the value of spoken words by up to 60%! But you don’t just want to flail your hands around without purpose. Our analysis of the top TED Talks of all time found that there are specific movements that portray confidence.

These 7 powerful hand gestures include:

Show the number : Any time you mention a number, use your fingers to add a visual element of that amount.
Increase or decrease : Spread your hands closer or farther away to demonstrate the intensity of a conversation point. For example, if you say, “this is a small problem,” you may close your hands together to show a small space.
Feel it in the heart : When discussing something emotional, gesture toward your heart or chest region. You may naturally put your hand over your heart when you say, “this means so much to me.”
Guide your explanations : Use your hands to give a visual guide to a complex explanation. For example, suppose you’re discussing two opposing viewpoints. In that case, you might gesture to the right for Point 1 and to the left for Point 2.
Bring things together : When you discuss the convergence of points or groups, bring your palms together in the center to demonstrate these two things merging.
Emblems : Cultural hand motions like thumbs up, A-OK, or pointing with an open hand can be used to highlight specific talking points.
You-me-we : Bring people into what you’re saying by gesturing towards them, yourself, and then between you.

Watch this video with Vanessa Van Edwards to see how each gesture works:

Here are another 60 Hand Gestures You Should Be Using and Their Meaning .

#12 Learn to decode body language (and use it to your advantage)

Have you ever wished you could tell what people are thinking? Decoding body language is an underrated social superpower. If you understand how to tell if your boss is being confrontational or your colleague is withholding information from you, you can have a major communication advantage.

You’ve probably heard the statistic that 65 to 90% of communication is nonverbal. Unspoken cues often give us more insights into people than what they say out loud. Some of the most notable body language cues to look for include:

Lip pursing : People may be subconsciously holding something back. If you accidentally purse your lips during a speech, it may make you seem to withhold something from the audience.
Raised eyebrows: When someone is guilty, they might subtly raise their eyebrows to show fear. On the other hand, eyebrow raises can also indicate amusement or surprise. Take notice of your eyebrows while talking in the mirror and use them to emphasize your points.
Touch : A light touch on the arm can be a thoughtful way to get someone’s attention or help. Combined with speaking in a soft or friendly tone, this can help you appear more kind and more compassionate.
Firm handshake : A nice firm handshake can portray you as confident but not domineering. Deliver your handshakes with a well-rehearsed introduction like “I’m Joe. It is a pleasure to meet you.”
Laughing : In awkward situations, subordinates might laugh to appease the person in power, while superiors may refrain from laughing to uphold their status. As you speak, notice when you awkwardly laugh out of nervousness versus when you laugh because something is actually funny.
Sitting versus standing : A sitting person is physically lower than a standing person, making them potentially seem inferior or easier to reprimand. You almost always want to be standing when you are giving a speech or a presentation. On the other hand, sitting while having a tough conversation with your significant other can help create a level playing field for open-hearted discussion.

Note how you use body language as you talk to others daily. There are so many ways you can combine speaking skills with a specific position or nonverbal cue to portray more confidence, kindness, or influence. Learn more about understanding Body Language In the Workplace: 15 Cues You Must Know .

#13 Work on pronunciation with this app

Whether you are a native English speaker or learning the English language, countless words in the dictionary aren’t pronounced the way they are spelled. But proper pronunciation can make you sound more knowledgeable and well-spoken.

The most commonly mispronounced words include:

Desert vs. Dessert
Comfortable

Do you think you’re guilty of mispronunciations? Use the free app, Say It ( Android ) ( iOS ) to check your speech. Oxford University Press developed it to help practice sounds, words, and sentence pronunciation.

Pro Tip : If you accidentally mispronounce a word in conversation or a presentation, don’t be afraid to correct yourself. It happens to everybody, and there is no shame in saying “excuse me” and repeating it. If you have an accent, embrace it! As long as people understand your words, pronunciation shouldn’t be an argument of tomAYto versus tomAHto.

#14 Improve your listening skills

Paradoxically, the best speakers tend to be the best listeners. After all, communication is a two-way street. Listening is one of the most valuable social skills because it helps you:

Understand other people
Make deeper connections
Demonstrate that you’re interested in what others have to say
Avoid dominating a conversation
Learn how to speak better

Listening is particularly important if you feel shy or socially awkward . Next time you’re having a conversation, practice active listening with:

Loud listening : When someone else is speaking, strategically use sounds like “oh,” “ah,” or “wow” to show you are engaged.
Eye contact : Avoid using your phone or diverting eye contact when someone is talking. Instead, casually hold their gaze for 3-5 seconds to show that you care. But don’t be overbearing with eye contact , or you might appear weird.
Asking questions : Show that you were paying attention to another person’s story or presentation by asking questions about what was said. Just be sure you don’t interrupt them or cut anyone off while inquiring.
Wait for your turn to talk : A great conversationalist’s most obvious skill is knowing when to talk. Your decision to speak while someone else is still talking could send the message that you think your opinion is more important than theirs. Politely wait your turn and even leave a few seconds of pause after someone else finishes their thoughts.

Stuttering and Language Processing Resources:

Do you struggle with stuttering or other language processing issues? You definitely can get help! Here are some great resources to check out:

The Stuttering Foundation
Find a Speech Therapist

Key Takeaways: Speak Better with Planning and Practicing

Nobody is born a masterful speaker, but the most charismatic people have cracked some communication code. Fortunately, the secrets to their verbal success are accessible to everyone. Start speaking better with these simple practices:

Talk louder, lower, and at a moderate pace : If you find yourself speaking soft and slow, it can help to increase the volume, lower the tone, and speed up the rate of your words. This will help you sound and feel more confident while talking.
Mimic speakers you admire : Find people you want to sound like and listen to them regularly. Identify the characteristics you want to mimic, like their cheeriness, articulation, or authority. Learn lines from their videos and recite them as you watch.
Read out loud : Written words tend to be more edited than spoken ones. Practice reading your favorite books out loud so you can
Master pronunciation and enunciation : Avoid mispronunciations and mumbling. Instead, use the internet to learn how to pronounce words you’re unsure about and train your mouth to enunciate specific words with tongue twister exercises.
Use hand gestures: Your hands are among the most underrated tools for speaking. Use them to your advantage by emphasizing essential points.

Whether you’re talking to an audience of 2 or 2,000, public speaking can catapult you to higher levels of self-development and professional success. To take your speaking skills to the next level, learn these 15 Science-Based Public Speaking Tips to Be a Master Speaker .

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9 Tips For Making A Speech Easier To Read

Hrideep barot.

Public Speaking

In the public speaking world, there exists a great prejudice against reading out a speech in public rather than delivering it straight from memory. And yet, many people prefer reading a speech to memorizing one. A frequently asked question is: how to make a speech easier to read?

If done correctly, reading out a speech–be it from a paper or your phone or even a teleprompter–doesn’t necessarily have to be a minus point to the overall quality of your speech.

For many of us that struggle with memorizing words, reading out a speech can actually make our speech better . By using simple tricks like using big fonts, highlighting important points, writing annotations and not using fancy fonts, you can make a speech easier to read.

Things brings me to the following question:

Is It Okay To Read Out A Speech Instead Of Memorizing It?

The answer: Yes, it is.

In fact, you’ll be happy to know that you’re not the only public speaker in the world who prefers having a sheet of paper with scrawled words in your hands while you’re delivering your speech.

Many famous speakers also prefer having their points in hand rather than spending hours attempting to memorize what they’re going to say in front of a crowd. These include Ellen DeGeneres, Winston Churchill, Queen Elizabeth II, and even Abraham Lincoln!

That’s right! Even world-class speakers such as the ones mentioned above sometimes use pre-written pointers–or, in today’s time, a teleprompter–to deliver a seamless speech.

Also, as I mentioned above, not everyone has a photogenic memory. For many people, jotting down important points before delivering a speech might improve the overall quality of it. This can be due to a variety of reasons.

For one, having your points in hand might work to ease your anxiety. You will no longer be worried about forgetting what you’re going to say next in the middle of a sentence. If you find yourself stumbling, all you’ll have to do is glance down at your pre-written points, and boom! Memory refreshed.

This reduced anxiety will make it easier for you to focus on other equally important aspects of your speech, like body language, facial expressions, delivery etc.

Not having to memorize a speech also helps save time, which can be crucial especially in a public speaking setting.

Also, having your points in hand will make for a more smoother speech, and provide the audience with a more seamless experience.

So, as long as you don’t have your nose buried in your cue cards or podium for the entire speech and you make sure to make eye contact with and acknowledge your audience from time to time, don’t be afraid of reading out your speech!

How To Make A Speech Easy To Read

Now that you’re in on the secret that reading out a speech isn’t a federal crime in the public speaking world, let’s move onto the next step: How To Make A Speech Easy To Read. After all, reading a speech shouldn’t be a struggle.

You shouldn’t have to squint continuously to make out the words on the paper in front of you or struggle to figure out the meaning of an abbreviation when you’re supposed to be launching into the next headline of the speech.

The entire point of writing a speech is to make your life easier, not to complicate it.

So, if you wish to fully reap the benefits of having a written speech in your hand, keep in mind the following tips…

1. Use A Big Font

If you wish to deliver a memorable and engaging speech, you need to interact with your audience. You need to make eye contact with them, smile if possible. And how are you going to do that if instead of looking at them, you’re squinting down at the screen or paper in your hand until you give yourself a headache? So, make sure to use a properly sized font, something over 12 pts.

2. Highlight Important Points

Another thing to keep in mind to make a speech easier to read is highlighting the points you think are the most important. Highlighting keywords makes it easier for you to simply glance at your cue cards or material and then quickly re-focus your attention back to the audience, instead of having your head bent over the podium the entire time.

While using a highlighter, make sure to pick a color that doesn’t muddle the pen or font color. Which brings me to the next point…

3. Don’t Use Fancy Fonts Or Colors

Creativity is an essential component of a successful and memorable speech. The last thing you want is to deliver a monotonous speech that’s going to put your audience straight to sleep. But one place where you don’t want to showcase your inner creativity is the format of your written speech. Pick a simple font like Times New Roman or Ariel. Skip the purple and red and pink font colors and stick to basic black.

Remember: you want to make your speech easier to read, not impossible.

4. Space It Out

Don’t cramp all your information into a single page. Space it out. If you attempt to squeeze in your information into as few pages as possible, chances are you’re going to end up confusing yourself while you’re delivering the speech.

Keep ample space not just between paragraphs, but also between words. This will make it easier for you to locate and skim through the content, and you will be able to quickly relocate your points if you find yourself lost.

5. Keep Your Sentences Short

Another thing to keep in mind if you wish to make your speech easier to read is keeping your sentences short. Try not to use more than two sentences for a paragraph. Most teleprompters only display a single line at a time on their screen. Using shorter paragraphs and sentences will keep you from rushing through your information, and allow for natural pauses in your presentation.

Adding pauses to your speech can help increase the impact of your words, and also give both; yourself and the audience a breather. You won’t have to stop in the middle of a sentence to catch your breath: the natural course of your speech will do it for you.

6. Write It As You Naturally Speak

Each person has a unique way of speaking. Often, people attempt to change their way of speaking by modeling it after someone they feel speaks well. They try to write their speech as someone else would, and in the process end up losing their own uniqueness as a speaker.

While taking inspiration from other speakers isn’t necessarily bad–in fact, it might actually end up helping you become a speaker–you don’t want to copy other speaker’s styles.

Write the speech as you normally speak. Not only will this add to your authenticity as a speaker, but it will also make your speech flow more naturally, and you won’t have to glance down at your material as often.

7. Write Down Annotations For Yourself In The Margin

Not everything that you have on the paper in your hand should necessarily be ready out to the audience. You can add pointers here and there for yourself, too. For example, if you’re someone that tends to speak without taking a pause, you can mark down points in your speech where you can take a short break and just breathe.

If you’d like to emphasize a particular point, you can underline it and write a note beside it reminding yourself to look your audience in the eye as you say it.

8. Number The Pages

Make sure to number your pages or cue cards beforehand. It might seem redundant, but trust me, it’s not. Numbering your pages is important to avoid any potential confusion while you’re on stage. Not just this, but page numbers make navigation easier.

Being able to smoothly navigate through your information is important, especially if someone asks you a question or if you simply want to go back to point and expand it better or relate it to something you’ve said. Being able to smoothly navigate between your pages makes also makes it easier to realize if you’ve missed a page or other important piece of information.

After all, the last thing you want is to step in front the podium, only to realize that you’re missing the first page of your speech.

9. Don’t Forget To Practice

The above-mentioned pointers to make it easier for you to read a speech don’t mean that you can simply ignore practicing your speech. Practice is an essential element for delivering a successful speech. It’s only when you practice that you’ll be able to figure out if you’ve ticked off important determinants of a good speech like its duration, your facial expressions, the gestures you’re going to use, the breaks in your speech, etc. Etc.

If you don’t practice your speech beforehand, odds are in the favor of you setting yourself up for a blunder, even if you have the entire thing printed out in front of you.

So, don’t use your cue-cards as an excuse to not practice. Instead, use them to improve the quality of your speech practice and the speech itself.

Q. How Do I Read A Speech During An Online Presentation?

Online presentations often have lesser personal cues that are provided by a face-to-face speech. So, if you’re giving a presentation on Zoom, Skype, Google Meet etc., it becomes even more important to make sure to keep your audience engaged through the means available to you. One of the most important ways of doing this in online presentations is by keeping your eyes on the screen i.e your audience and using hand gestures.

It’s difficult to do these things if you have paper in hand. A better way of reading your speech during an online event would be to have notes open on the screen alongside your meeting so that you can do both; keep an eye on your audience as well as read out your speech.

The format you follow for your notes can be the same as what you would’ve otherwise done in an offline presentation.

Another way for making your speech easy to read would be by using online tools like an on-screen teleprompter.

For using an online teleprompter, all you need to do is upload your script into the teleprompter. It will then project your script through a browser window over your ZOOM–or any other app that you’re using to deliver your speech–presentation.

However, while making use of a tool like this, it’s important to position your teleprompter screen appropriately, so that your visible eye movement is minimized and your speech looks more natural. To do this, try keeping the screen as close to your webcam as possible. One app to do this is: BigStage Online .

Q. How To Sound Natural & Conversational While Reading A Speech?

While you might want to use a teleprompter during your speech, you certainly don’t want to sound like one while delivering it.

So, how do you make your speech sound natural?

Make Frequent Eye Contact

One important way of doing so is by looking up from your reading material to make eye contact with the audience. Eye contact is an internal part of a normal speech, but if you’re reading from a script, it becomes even more important to regularly look at the audience.

Incorporate Pauses

Another thing to keep in mind is to incorporate frequent pauses in your speech. Take a break, pause for a second, and then continue. Don’t read an entire paragraph in one breath.

Use Emotions

It’s also important to incorporate emotions in your speech. You don’t want to sound like a robot. Instead, when you’re saying something that, say, makes you angry or passionate, you should sound like you’re angry or passionate about a particular topic.

Don’t Be Too Formal

You don’t want your speech to sound like it’s something you’ve plucked right off of Grammarly. Rather, while writing your speech, try writing it in a way that you, and other people, naturally speak. Using big words is tempting, yes. But a commonplace word that resonates with most people in the speech will have a wider impact than some fancy word that nobody understands. So, keep it natural.

Speak With Your Entire Body

Body language is an integral part of any presentation. To make your speech a wholesome and interactive experience for the audience, you need to not just speak with your mouth, but your entire body. You need to use your facial expressions, hand gestures, body language, etc.

To maximize impact, make sure to practice them beforehand. For more information on how to deliver a presentation, you can find out the article on Body Language And Its Contribution To The Process Of Communication.

Q. How To Read A Speech On Camera?

Many speakers sound incredibly awkward while delivering a speech on camera, especially if it’s pre-scripted or has been written down before. However, reading a speech on camera doesn’t necessarily have to be a bad thing if you keep in mind a few things.

If you’re delivering a speech on camera and haven’t really got prior experience with doing so, then first and foremost, make sure to practice beforehand. Even if you have spoken on camera before, practicing is necessary to make sure that your speech flows seamlessly. If you have a teleprompter going or have your notes on the screen in front of you, it’s important to not keep staring at them the entire time.

Instead, you can make yourself look more natural by regularly glancing at the camera. This will ensure that you give the impression of maintaining regular eye contact with the audience. Use your body language appropriately. If you’re referring to the object, gesture to it with your hands. Look away from the camera for a moment to shift your, and your audience’s, attention to the object at hand. Also, keep the language of your speech more natural.

A rolling camera already gives the impression of a script rolling. You don’t want to sound like it, too. Make sure to check your mic and audio equipment in advance. You don’t want to get through your entire speech, only to realize no one could actually hear it. If you’re recording a speech video at home, one thing to keep in mind is your background.

Don’t pick a cluttered or inappropriate background, as you don’t want your listeners to get distracted. You want their focus to be on what you’re saying and not what’s behind you. Also, remember that it’s okay to record videos in small parts or chunks instead of all at once. If you want to take a break from staring into a screen, take it. You can always edit later.

Conclusion

To sum up, it’s perfectly alright to read your speech instead of memorizing it: reading a speech doesn’t necessarily make it a bad one. You can make a speech easy to read by keeping in mind a few factors like using appropriate font size, making annotations, writing the speech as you naturally speak etc. While delivering an online speech, you can make use of a virtual teleprompter for a more seamless experience.

Also, by incorporating a few strategies like making frequent eye contact with the audience, using emotions, and delivering the speech with your entire body, a read-out speech can be just as natural and engaging as a memorized one.

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36 Speaking from a Manuscript: How to Read Without Looking Like You Are Reading

Picture of Winston Churchill's manuscript

How to Write and Use Manuscripts

There will be times when reading from a manuscript is helpful. When giving a eulogy and you are likely to experience strong emotions, having your words written out and in front of you will be very helpful. Politicians often speak from manuscripts because there will be people weighing the meaning of each word. They often have speech writers who take their ideas and make them sound professional, and they likely have several people look it over for any offensive words or questionable phrases.

The advantage to speaking with a manuscript is you have your speech in front of you. This gives you an opportunity to plan interesting wordplays and to use advanced language techniques. By managing the exact wording, you can better control the emotional tone. Another advantage to using a manuscript is you can share your speech with others both for proofing and for reference. For example, many people like to have written copies of the toast given to them at a special occasion or a copy of the eulogy to the loved one. Politically speaking, a manuscript can be helpful to help keep you on track and to help you say only the things that you mean to say.

The disadvantage to a manuscript is if not done properly, your speech may feel like an “essay with legs.” Speaking from a manuscript is a skill; I would argue that it is one of the most difficult of all types because your goal is to read without appearing to read. It can be so tempting to lock eyes on the page where it is safe and then never look up at the audience. Finally, it is very difficult for most people to gesture when reading a manuscript. Many people run their hands down the page to keep their place while others clutch the podium and never let go. These disadvantages can be overcome with practice. You can be dynamic and engaging while using a manuscript, but it does take work.

Keys to Using a Manuscript

Always write a manuscript in manuscript format and never in essay format. (It should look like poetry).
Practice your speech at a podium so you can figure out how to change pages smoothly.
Learn the art of eye fixations.
Practice with a friend so you can master eye contact.
If you struggle with gestures, make a note on your manuscript to remind you to gesture.
Practice, practice, practice–you should actually practice more than in a typical speech since it is a harder delivery method.

Formatting a Manuscript

Do not start a sentence on one page and then finish it on another.
Do not fold the manuscript–it won’t lay flat on the podium.
Do not print on both sides of the page.
Do not staple the manuscript
Number your pages.
Use a large font and then make it one size larger than you think you need.
It should look like poetry.
Have extra spaces between every main idea.
Bold the first word of every main section.
Use /// or …. to indicate pauses in your speech.
Emphasize a word with a larger font or by making it bold.
If you have a parallel construction where you repeat the same word, bold or underline the repeated word.
Use an easy-to-read font.
Make a note (SLIDE) when you need to change your slide.
It is OK to omit punctuation.
Do whatever formatting works best for you.

Sample manuscripts

Notice how this student formats her manuscript by making it spread out and easy to read:

Today // it is an honor for me to stand here before you at the Freedom Banquet and pay tribute to a man

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, that in his lifetime …………………………………. has touched ………………….. and changed …………………………… uncountable lives across the globe

Today /// we are here to honor ……………. a president, ……………………….. a father, ……………………………… a husband ……………………………………. and a true savior in Mr. Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela

Tribute speech by Tanica van As delivered at the University of Arkansas

Manuscript From History

Picture of a manuscript from Winston Churchill

Winston Churchill’s Speech in Response to German’s Invasion of Britain and Finest Hour Speech

Sometimes referred to as the Psalms format or free verse format, the speech is written like it will be spoken.

How to Present with a Manuscript

To best read a manuscript, we need to borrow some items from speed reading. When you were first learning to read, you learned to read each letter–D–O–G. You would look at the letter “D,” then your eyes would look at the letter “O, ” and finally, your eyes would move over to look at the letter “G.” You would fixate (or rest) your eyes on three different places. Eventually, you got better at reading and better at seeing, so you would now look at “dog” in one eye fixation and your brain was able to take in the information–dog. Now, you no longer read one letter at a time, that would be way too slow. Now you look at all three letters and see it as a word.

Over time, you learned to see bigger words–like “communication” (13 letters). Now, consider this… the phase “The dog ran fast” contains 13 letters. Since you can see the word “communication” as one eye fixation and understand it as one thing, in theory, your eyes should be able to see “the dog ran fast” as one eye fixation and understand it too. We have been trained to look at each word individually with separate eye fixations. For example, …the … dog… ran… fast… is four different eye fixations. With a little practice, you can train your eyes to see the whole phrase with one look. Here are some sentences, practice looking at each of the sentences with one eye fixation.

I ate the red apple

My car is green

My cat is moody

You tried it didn’t you? You can only learn if you try them out. If you didn’t try it, go back and look at those sentences again and try to see the whole sentence with one look. With practice, you can look at an entire sentence as one thing (eye fixation). Your brain can understand all those words as one thought. Now, try this. Wherever you are right now, look up at the wall nearest you and then look back down. Write down all the things you can recall about what you saw–I saw a yellow wall with brown trim, two bookcases, a clock, a printer, a bird statue. Your brain is amazing; it can look up to a wall and in one eye fixation, it can take in all that it sees.

You can take in many sentences as well. You can actually see two sentences in one look. Try to look down at these next two sentences in one eye fixation. Test yourself by looking down and then looking up and saying what you remember out loud.

The boy sang a song

The girl danced along

With a little practice, most people can see chunks of five words across and three lines down. Give it a try. Once again, try to look at the three sentences as one and then look up and say them.

The happy frog leaped

off the lily pad

and into the cool water

It takes practice, but you can do it. The bonus feature of doing the practice and learning this skill is you will learn to read faster. Since a lot of college work and professional preparation relies on reading the information, it would benefit you for the rest of your life to learn this valuable skill. While researching, I came across this excellent slide presentation by Sanda Jameson on Reading for College that goes into more depth about the process. I highly recommend you review it to help you with your manuscript reading and to help you become a better reader in your college classes.

https://www.nwmissouri.edu/trio/pdf/sss/study/Reading-for-college.pdf

By now, you have figured out that using chunking and working on eye fixations is going to help you read your manuscript easier. Arranging your manuscript where you have only five to seven words on a line will make it easier to see as one fixation. Organizing your manuscript where you can see several lines of text at once, can help you put a lot of information in one eye fixation.

Now, let’s look at a eulogy written by one of my students, Sydney Stout. She wrote this eulogy to her grandpa who loved dancing and encouraged her to do the same. First, notice the manuscript format where it is written like it will be spoken. It is chunked into lines that are usually 5-7 words long. The list of names is written like a stair step showing the stair step in the voice when the names are spoken. Try reading this except out loud focusing on eye fixations. Try to see one whole line at a time and then read it again trying to see two lines at a time.

Dancing is a delicate art

An activity many people love and enjoy

but someone that loves dancing

more than anyone I know

is my grandfather.

You all know my grandfather

Maybe you know him as James

….. Jack

……… Dad

…………. Papa Jack

………………… or in my case………………. . just Papa.

Papa // you have led me through life

like any great dance partner should

And I’ve memorized the steps you’ve taught me

………………………………………. …. And they have allowed me to dance

……………………………………………………………… gracefully

………………………………………………………….. through my own life

Tribute speech by Sydney Stout delivered at the University of Arkansas

Watch this eulogy speech to Rosa Parks by Oprah Winfrey. Notice how each word is carefully chosen and how if you notice closely, you can tell that she is using a manuscript. Notice how seamlessly she turns the pages and notice how she spends most of her time looking up at the audience. Masterfully, she uses gestures to enhance the rhythmic flow o the speech and to draw the audience’s attention.

Timing Your Manuscript

Practice your manuscript at least 5 to 7 times. Trust me when I say, It is harder to speak with a manuscript than it is to give a speech with brief notes and it requires considerable more practice to get it right.

Use this chart as a general reference for the timing of your speech to the length of your manuscript.

390 words in a 3- minute speech

650 words in a 5- minute speech

1300 words in a 10- minute speech

For More

A Speech Saved the President’s Life

Teddy Roosevelts Speech with Bullet Holes in it

Teddy Roosevelt’s life was saved when an assassin’s bullet was slowed down by his 50 paged speech manuscript. The doctor on sight determined that although the bullet didn’t puncture his lungs, he should still go to the hospital immediately. A determined Roosevelt balked and said, “You get me to that speech.” He delivered a 50-minute speech before going to the hospital. Doctors decided it was safer to leave the bullet in his chest and declared that his speech had indeed saved his life.

More on this story from the history channel: https://www.history.com/news/shot-in-the-chest-100-years-ago-teddy-roosevelt-kept-on-talking

Please share your feedback, suggestions, corrections, and ideas.

I want to hear from you.

Do you have an activity to include? Did you notice a typo that I should correct? Are you planning to use this as a resource and do you want me to know about it? Do you want to tell me something that really helped you?

Click here to share your feedback.

Klein, C. (2019). When Teddy Roosevelt was shot in 1912, a speech may have saved his life. https://www.history.com/news/shot-in-the-chest-100-years-ago-teddy-roosevelt-kept-on-talking

Speech in minutes. (n.d.). http://www.speechinminutes.com/

Stout, S. (n.d.). Eulogy to Papa with the theme of dancing. Delivered in Lynn Meade’s Advanced Public Speaking Class at the University of Arkansas. Used with permission.

Van As, T. (n.d.) Tribute to Nelson Mandela. Delivered in Lynn Meade’s Advanced Public Speaking Class at the University of Arkansas. Used with permission.

Winfrey, O. (2010). Eulogy to Rosa Parks. [Video] YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5cfhtfNfIPE Standard YouTube License.

Media Attributions

Winston Churchill’s Manuscript is licensed under a CC BY-NC-ND (Attribution NonCommercial NoDerivatives) license
Winston Churchill’s Speech in Response to German’s Invasion of Britain
Winston Churchill Finest Hour Speech
Teddy’s speech © Janine Eden, Eden Pictures is licensed under a CC BY (Attribution) license

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Education and Communications
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Public Speaking
Speechwriting

How to Prepare and Give a Speech

Last Updated: June 24, 2024 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Deb DiSandro . Deb DiSandro is the Owner of Speak Up On Purpose, an organization dedicated to improving and teaching public speaking. Deb has over 30 years of experience as a national speaker and has presented at the Erma Bombeck Writer’s Conference and the National Society of Newspaper Columnists. She was awarded the National Speakers Association Member of the Year 2007 and has been published in Writer's Digest, Daily Herald, Women's Day, and Better Homes & Gardens. There are 17 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 1,154,665 times.

Being asked to prepare and give a speech can seem really intimidating when you've never done it before. Don't worry! You'll be a public speaking pro in no time if you follow these simple tips.

Planning Your Speech

Step 1 Identify the topic of your speech.

You may even be able to redirect or add points to your speech with a smaller audience if you notice a number of them are interested in a particular subject or niche.

Writing the Speech

Step 1 Write a succinct, single-sentence statement about your subject.

Try starting the speech writing process by free-writing. Write as much as you can about your subject as fast as you can. Don't worry about judgment or crafting perfect sentences. Once you have your points on paper, you can start refining them and putting them in order.
Use an anecdote or a quote. Sometimes, someone else has already said it better than you ever will. A quote, provided it hasn't been overused, can help you get things started. Just be sure to look for a quote that is surprising or unique, and always credit your source. [5] X Research source
Be cautious about opening with a joke unless you know your audience well. You may think that a joke is funny, but your audience may find it humorless or even offensive.

Step 2 Choose 3 to 5 supporting points for your topic.

You can start by looking at generic sources like an encyclopedia or Wikipedia, but you need to fact check your ideas with more authoritative sources after you generally understand your subject.
Draw on your own experience. If you have a long history with your topic, your experiences and personal stories can be great resources. Just keep these stories succinct so that you don't ramble and lose the audience's attention.

Step 3 Choose how to keep your speech on point.

Use 1 card for the introduction. This card should include your opening statement.
Use 1 or 2 cards for each supporting point. Then, create 1 card for the conclusion which ties back to the main idea of your speech.
Write brief sentence fragments or even single words on your cards. These words or fragments should contain key phrases that remind you of what you want to say.
If you feel insecure or don't know the subject well, write out the words of your speech exactly as you want to say them.

Step 4 Decide whether you want to use visual aids.

Keep the visuals to a minimum. You want them to aid your speech, not to overshadow it. Always make sure your speech can stand on its own should technical problems occur.
Make sure that the audience can read the content of your visuals. Too big is better than not big enough.
Check the facilities of the room in which you will be speaking. If you need Internet or you need a projection screen, be sure that the facility has the equipment. Arrive to the room early to make sure everything is functional for your speech.

Step 5 Prepare handouts, if your subject is detailed and technical.

Practicing Your Speech

If you drive a regular commute, you can also practice a memorized speech while driving. Don't look off of notecards while on the road, though.

Step 3 Speak slowly and enunciate clearly.

Make sure that your gestures are natural and not too frenetic. Alternatively, don't fix your arms at your sides or keep your hands latched to the podium.
If you make the speech to a friend or colleague and they offer constructive criticism, try to be open to what they have to say. Make sure they are familiar with your topic or industry, though, or their criticism may do more harm than good.

Getting Ready the Day of Your Speech

Try to arrive at your presentation well before your audience. Take the time to make sure the sound is good and run through your visual aids. If you're at a conference, you may have 15-20 minutes to prep. If you're the sole speaker, you could get there an hour in advance.

Step 4 Set up your equipment and supplementary materials.

During Your Speech

Make eye contact with members of your audience. If eye contact is too intense for you, look just above their heads at a point such as a clock or a painting. Remember to look to both sides of the room. Don't favor just the right or left.
Move your eyes around your audience so that everyone feels included in the presentation.

Step 2 Speak slowly and try to breathe normally.

Never leave the stage if something goes wrong, even if you feel embarrassed. Make a joke if you can, shake it off, and move forward.

Step 4 Give your audience a chance to interact with you.

Be sure to build time for any Q and A into your allotted presentation time. That way, you can control the flow of the Q and A. Then, after the last question, let your audience know, "I'd like to share one final thought with you," and deliver a powerful closer.

How Do You Practice a Speech Effectively?

Samples of Persuasive Speeches

Samples of Informational Speeches

Community Q&A

Reader Videos

Right before you start speaking, squeeze your butt cheeks together. [15] X Research source Public speaking author Robin Kermode suggests that this can help reduce anxiety. Thanks Helpful 1 Not Helpful 0
It is better to select a topic you are comfortable with. By doing so, you will be less anxious and stressed. Thanks Helpful 1 Not Helpful 0
Be loud and clear. Avoid the feeling of inferiority. This will boost up your confidence. Thanks Helpful 1 Not Helpful 0

Things You'll Need

Written speech or index cards
Friend, teacher or family member for practicing
Video recording device
Computer or tablet for presentations
Charts and easel for presentations
Microphone for a large room
Glass of water
Appropriate outfit

↑ https://saylordotorg.github.io/text_business-communication-for-success/s14-02-choosing-a-topic.html
↑ https://www.apa.org/monitor/2017/02/tips-speaking
↑ https://www.comm.pitt.edu/oral-comm-lab/audience-analysis
↑ https://www.americanbar.org/groups/litigation/committees/trial-practice/practice/2015/5-tips-for-engaging-opening-statements/
↑ https://open.lib.umn.edu/publicspeaking/chapter/9-2-the-attention-getter-the-first-step-of-an-introduction/
↑ https://www.comm.pitt.edu/structuring-speech
↑ https://www.comm.pitt.edu/visual-aids
↑ https://wmich.edu/career/personalcommercial
↑ https://www.toastmasters.org/resources/public-speaking-tips/preparing-a-speech
↑ https://www.edutopia.org/discussion/record-yourself-improve-your-practice
↑ https://www.purdueglobal.edu/blog/student-life/10-public-speaking-tips/
↑ https://courses.lumenlearning.com/suny-ccc-spch-1080-1/chapter/chapter-12-nonverbal-aspects-of-delivery/
↑ https://www.hamilton.edu/academics/centers/oralcommunication/guides/tips-for-effective-delivery
↑ https://www.forbes.com/sites/work-in-progress/2014/01/28/five-easy-tricks-to-make-your-presentation-interactive/#3b01c83d2586
↑ https://www.theguardian.com/careers/careers-blog/10-quirky-tips-beating-interview-nerves-job
How to Write a Great Speech: 5 Secrets for Success
How to Give a Great Speech

About This Article

To prepare and give a speech, start by thinking about the topic, audience, and location of the speech. Write a detailed outline that includes your main topics, supporting points, and facts. Then, transfer the speech to note cards or handouts if necessary. Remember to practice your speech a few times in front of a mirror or a friend, and set a timer to ensure that you aren’t taking too long. On the day of the speech, review your note cards and make sure your presentation, handouts, or other supplementary information is in order. For tips on keeping calm during the speech and examples of different speeches, read on! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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What is Speechreading?

Speechreading is a type of aural rehabilitation which with training can be enhanced and tuned as a means of understanding someone better, but speechreading starts to first develop in everyone around four to eight months after birth. If a child is typically developing, at around 12 months of age, the infant will alternate between looking at the speaker’s eyes, lips and mouth, and then back to the speaker’s eyes. This gaze shift is the first audiovisual connection and leads to the development of speechreading when in situations that are less than ideal for receiving an auditory signal. (Seal, 2013) Speech reading has been compared to how we read the same text in different fonts or different styles of handwriting (Seal, 2013). We can recognize the sentence and make sense of it even though it is presented in a different way. The same is for reading lips. Lip reading is used to fill in the gaps of what one is missing through auditory perception.

There are two types of speechreading techniques to teach speechreading. The Analytic approach is more concerned with the smaller parts of speechreading such as learning how to identify how certain sounds look when they are formed on the lips. This approach helps somewhat, but when used alone it does not make a practical compensatory technique as it is difficult to identify every movement of the speaker’s lips while speaking in conversation. The approach usually results in lower success rates in everyday situations. The second approach is the Synthetic approach. This approach takes into consideration the meaning of the message as a whole rather than its individual parts. To practice this approach the patient will be given clues about the conversation such as key words or a topic and having the patient respond to what he/she heard. The basis of this practice is to use educated guessing based on context clues to fill in the gaps of what the speech reader did not hear. When using this technique, the patient can be limited to when the topic of the conversation is unknown and as a result misunderstands what is being said. These approaches may show some benefits in situations that are familiar and with known topics and vocabulary, but there is not much supporting evidence that either can improve the natural ways of speechreading, especially in unfamiliar situations where the topic of conversation is unknown or the vocabulary used is unfamiliar. (Anderson, 2016).

Speechreading can greatly help those who are deaf, hard of hearing, or even those with normal hearing levels to understand what is being said in conversation as well as enabling those to take part in conversations. The ultimate goal of auditory rehabilitation is to help integrate the patient into society and allow them to take part in communication situations throughout their everyday life.

https://successforkidswithhearingloss.com/for-professionals/speechreading/

– Marykate K.

How to write a speech that your audience remembers

Confident-woman-giving-a-conference-with-a-digital-presentation-how-to-give-a-speech

Whether in a work meeting or at an investor panel, you might give a speech at some point. And no matter how excited you are about the opportunity, the experience can be nerve-wracking .

But feeling butterflies doesn’t mean you can’t give a great speech. With the proper preparation and a clear outline, apprehensive public speakers and natural wordsmiths alike can write and present a compelling message. Here’s how to write a good speech you’ll be proud to deliver.

What is good speech writing?

Good speech writing is the art of crafting words and ideas into a compelling, coherent, and memorable message that resonates with the audience. Here are some key elements of great speech writing:

It begins with clearly understanding the speech's purpose and the audience it seeks to engage.
A well-written speech clearly conveys its central message, ensuring that the audience understands and retains the key points.
It is structured thoughtfully, with a captivating opening, a well-organized body, and a conclusion that reinforces the main message.
Good speech writing embraces the power of engaging content, weaving in stories, examples, and relatable anecdotes to connect with the audience on both intellectual and emotional levels.

Ultimately, it is the combination of these elements, along with the authenticity and delivery of the speaker , that transforms words on a page into a powerful and impactful spoken narrative.

What makes a good speech?

A great speech includes several key qualities, but three fundamental elements make a speech truly effective:

Clarity and purpose

Remembering the audience, cohesive structure.

While other important factors make a speech a home run, these three elements are essential for writing an effective speech.

The main elements of a good speech

The main elements of a speech typically include:

Introduction: The introduction sets the stage for your speech and grabs the audience's attention. It should include a hook or attention-grabbing opening, introduce the topic, and provide an overview of what will be covered.
Opening/captivating statement: This is a strong statement that immediately engages the audience and creates curiosity about the speech topics.
Thesis statement/central idea: The thesis statement or central idea is a concise statement that summarizes the main point or argument of your speech. It serves as a roadmap for the audience to understand what your speech is about.
Body: The body of the speech is where you elaborate on your main points or arguments. Each point is typically supported by evidence, examples, statistics, or anecdotes. The body should be organized logically and coherently, with smooth transitions between the main points.
Supporting evidence: This includes facts, data, research findings, expert opinions, or personal stories that support and strengthen your main points. Well-chosen and credible evidence enhances the persuasive power of your speech.
Transitions: Transitions are phrases or statements that connect different parts of your speech, guiding the audience from one idea to the next. Effective transitions signal the shifts in topics or ideas and help maintain a smooth flow throughout the speech.
Counterarguments and rebuttals (if applicable): If your speech involves addressing opposing viewpoints or counterarguments, you should acknowledge and address them. Presenting counterarguments makes your speech more persuasive and demonstrates critical thinking.
Conclusion: The conclusion is the final part of your speech and should bring your message to a satisfying close. Summarize your main points, restate your thesis statement, and leave the audience with a memorable closing thought or call to action.
Closing statement: This is the final statement that leaves a lasting impression and reinforces the main message of your speech. It can be a call to action, a thought-provoking question, a powerful quote, or a memorable anecdote.
Delivery and presentation: How you deliver your speech is also an essential element to consider. Pay attention to your tone, body language, eye contact , voice modulation, and timing. Practice and rehearse your speech, and try using the 7-38-55 rule to ensure confident and effective delivery.

While the order and emphasis of these elements may vary depending on the type of speech and audience, these elements provide a framework for organizing and delivering a successful speech.

Man-holding-microphone-at-panel-while-talking--how-to-give-a-speech

How to structure a good speech

You know what message you want to transmit, who you’re delivering it to, and even how you want to say it. But you need to know how to start, develop, and close a speech before writing it.

Think of a speech like an essay. It should have an introduction, conclusion, and body sections in between. This places ideas in a logical order that the audience can better understand and follow them. Learning how to make a speech with an outline gives your storytelling the scaffolding it needs to get its point across.

Here’s a general speech structure to guide your writing process:

Explanation 1
Explanation 2
Explanation 3

How to write a compelling speech opener

Some research shows that engaged audiences pay attention for only 15 to 20 minutes at a time. Other estimates are even lower, citing that people stop listening intently in fewer than 10 minutes . If you make a good first impression at the beginning of your speech, you have a better chance of interesting your audience through the middle when attention spans fade.

Implementing the INTRO model can help grab and keep your audience’s attention as soon as you start speaking. This acronym stands for interest, need, timing, roadmap, and objectives, and it represents the key points you should hit in an opening.

Here’s what to include for each of these points:

Interest : Introduce yourself or your topic concisely and speak with confidence . Write a compelling opening statement using relevant data or an anecdote that the audience can relate to.
Needs : The audience is listening to you because they have something to learn. If you’re pitching a new app idea to a panel of investors, those potential partners want to discover more about your product and what they can earn from it. Read the room and gently remind them of the purpose of your speech.
Timing : When appropriate, let your audience know how long you’ll speak. This lets listeners set expectations and keep tabs on their own attention span. If a weary audience member knows you’ll talk for 40 minutes, they can better manage their energy as that time goes on.
Routemap : Give a brief overview of the three main points you’ll cover in your speech. If an audience member’s attention starts to drop off and they miss a few sentences, they can more easily get their bearings if they know the general outline of the presentation.
Objectives : Tell the audience what you hope to achieve, encouraging them to listen to the end for the payout.

Writing the middle of a speech

The body of your speech is the most information-dense section. Facts, visual aids, PowerPoints — all this information meets an audience with a waning attention span. Sticking to the speech structure gives your message focus and keeps you from going off track, making everything you say as useful as possible.

Limit the middle of your speech to three points, and support them with no more than three explanations. Following this model organizes your thoughts and prevents you from offering more information than the audience can retain.

Using this section of the speech to make your presentation interactive can add interest and engage your audience. Try including a video or demonstration to break the monotony. A quick poll or survey also keeps the audience on their toes.

Wrapping the speech up

To you, restating your points at the end can feel repetitive and dull. You’ve practiced countless times and heard it all before. But repetition aids memory and learning , helping your audience retain what you’ve told them. Use your speech’s conclusion to summarize the main points with a few short sentences.

Try to end on a memorable note, like posing a motivational quote or a thoughtful question the audience can contemplate once they leave. In proposal or pitch-style speeches, consider landing on a call to action (CTA) that invites your audience to take the next step.

People-clapping-after-coworker-gave-a-speech-how-to-give-a-speech

How to write a good speech

If public speaking gives you the jitters, you’re not alone. Roughly 80% of the population feels nervous before giving a speech, and another 10% percent experiences intense anxiety and sometimes even panic.

The fear of failure can cause procrastination and can cause you to put off your speechwriting process until the last minute. Finding the right words takes time and preparation, and if you’re already feeling nervous, starting from a blank page might seem even harder.

But putting in the effort despite your stress is worth it. Presenting a speech you worked hard on fosters authenticity and connects you to the subject matter, which can help your audience understand your points better. Human connection is all about honesty and vulnerability, and if you want to connect to the people you’re speaking to, they should see that in you.

1. Identify your objectives and target audience

Before diving into the writing process, find healthy coping strategies to help you stop worrying . Then you can define your speech’s purpose, think about your target audience, and start identifying your objectives. Here are some questions to ask yourself and ground your thinking :

What purpose do I want my speech to achieve?
What would it mean to me if I achieved the speech’s purpose?
What audience am I writing for?
What do I know about my audience?
What values do I want to transmit?
If the audience remembers one take-home message, what should it be?
What do I want my audience to feel, think, or do after I finish speaking?
What parts of my message could be confusing and require further explanation?

2. Know your audience

Understanding your audience is crucial for tailoring your speech effectively. Consider the demographics of your audience, their interests, and their expectations. For instance, if you're addressing a group of healthcare professionals, you'll want to use medical terminology and data that resonate with them. Conversely, if your audience is a group of young students, you'd adjust your content to be more relatable to their experiences and interests.

3. Choose a clear message

Your message should be the central idea that you want your audience to take away from your speech. Let's say you're giving a speech on climate change. Your clear message might be something like, "Individual actions can make a significant impact on mitigating climate change." Throughout your speech, all your points and examples should support this central message, reinforcing it for your audience.

4. Structure your speech

Organizing your speech properly keeps your audience engaged and helps them follow your ideas. The introduction should grab your audience's attention and introduce the topic. For example, if you're discussing space exploration, you could start with a fascinating fact about a recent space mission. In the body, you'd present your main points logically, such as the history of space exploration, its scientific significance, and future prospects. Finally, in the conclusion, you'd summarize your key points and reiterate the importance of space exploration in advancing human knowledge.

5. Use engaging content for clarity

Engaging content includes stories, anecdotes, statistics, and examples that illustrate your main points. For instance, if you're giving a speech about the importance of reading, you might share a personal story about how a particular book changed your perspective. You could also include statistics on the benefits of reading, such as improved cognitive abilities and empathy.

6. Maintain clarity and simplicity

It's essential to communicate your ideas clearly. Avoid using overly technical jargon or complex language that might confuse your audience. For example, if you're discussing a medical breakthrough with a non-medical audience, explain complex terms in simple, understandable language.

7. Practice and rehearse

Practice is key to delivering a great speech. Rehearse multiple times to refine your delivery, timing, and tone. Consider using a mirror or recording yourself to observe your body language and gestures. For instance, if you're giving a motivational speech, practice your gestures and expressions to convey enthusiasm and confidence.

8. Consider nonverbal communication

Your body language, tone of voice, and gestures should align with your message . If you're delivering a speech on leadership, maintain strong eye contact to convey authority and connection with your audience. A steady pace and varied tone can also enhance your speech's impact.

9. Engage your audience

Engaging your audience keeps them interested and attentive. Encourage interaction by asking thought-provoking questions or sharing relatable anecdotes. If you're giving a speech on teamwork, ask the audience to recall a time when teamwork led to a successful outcome, fostering engagement and connection.

10. Prepare for Q&A

Anticipate potential questions or objections your audience might have and prepare concise, well-informed responses. If you're delivering a speech on a controversial topic, such as healthcare reform, be ready to address common concerns, like the impact on healthcare costs or access to services, during the Q&A session.

By following these steps and incorporating examples that align with your specific speech topic and purpose, you can craft and deliver a compelling and impactful speech that resonates with your audience.

Woman-at-home-doing-research-in-her-laptop-how-to-give-a-speech

Tools for writing a great speech

There are several helpful tools available for speechwriting, both technological and communication-related. Here are a few examples:

Word processing software: Tools like Microsoft Word, Google Docs, or other word processors provide a user-friendly environment for writing and editing speeches. They offer features like spell-checking, grammar correction, formatting options, and easy revision tracking.
Presentation software: Software such as Microsoft PowerPoint or Google Slides is useful when creating visual aids to accompany your speech. These tools allow you to create engaging slideshows with text, images, charts, and videos to enhance your presentation.
Speechwriting Templates: Online platforms or software offer pre-designed templates specifically for speechwriting. These templates provide guidance on structuring your speech and may include prompts for different sections like introductions, main points, and conclusions.
Rhetorical devices and figures of speech: Rhetorical tools such as metaphors, similes, alliteration, and parallelism can add impact and persuasion to your speech. Resources like books, websites, or academic papers detailing various rhetorical devices can help you incorporate them effectively.
Speechwriting apps: Mobile apps designed specifically for speechwriting can be helpful in organizing your thoughts, creating outlines, and composing a speech. These apps often provide features like voice recording, note-taking, and virtual prompts to keep you on track.
Grammar and style checkers: Online tools or plugins like Grammarly or Hemingway Editor help improve the clarity and readability of your speech by checking for grammar, spelling, and style errors. They provide suggestions for sentence structure, word choice, and overall tone.
Thesaurus and dictionary: Online or offline resources such as thesauruses and dictionaries help expand your vocabulary and find alternative words or phrases to express your ideas more effectively. They can also clarify meanings or provide context for unfamiliar terms.
Online speechwriting communities: Joining online forums or communities focused on speechwriting can be beneficial for getting feedback, sharing ideas, and learning from experienced speechwriters. It's an opportunity to connect with like-minded individuals and improve your public speaking skills through collaboration.

Remember, while these tools can assist in the speechwriting process, it's essential to use them thoughtfully and adapt them to your specific needs and style. The most important aspect of speechwriting remains the creativity, authenticity, and connection with your audience that you bring to your speech.

Man-holding-microphone-while-speaking-in-public-how-to-give-a-speech

5 tips for writing a speech

Behind every great speech is an excellent idea and a speaker who refined it. But a successful speech is about more than the initial words on the page, and there are a few more things you can do to help it land.

Here are five more tips for writing and practicing your speech:

1. Structure first, write second

If you start the writing process before organizing your thoughts, you may have to re-order, cut, and scrap the sentences you worked hard on. Save yourself some time by using a speech structure, like the one above, to order your talking points first. This can also help you identify unclear points or moments that disrupt your flow.

2. Do your homework

Data strengthens your argument with a scientific edge. Research your topic with an eye for attention-grabbing statistics, or look for findings you can use to support each point. If you’re pitching a product or service, pull information from company metrics that demonstrate past or potential successes.

Audience members will likely have questions, so learn all talking points inside and out. If you tell investors that your product will provide 12% returns, for example, come prepared with projections that support that statement.

3. Sound like yourself

Memorable speakers have distinct voices. Think of Martin Luther King Jr’s urgent, inspiring timbre or Oprah’s empathetic, personal tone . Establish your voice — one that aligns with your personality and values — and stick with it. If you’re a motivational speaker, keep your tone upbeat to inspire your audience . If you’re the CEO of a startup, try sounding assured but approachable.

4. Practice

As you practice a speech, you become more confident , gain a better handle on the material, and learn the outline so well that unexpected questions are less likely to trip you up. Practice in front of a colleague or friend for honest feedback about what you could change, and speak in front of the mirror to tweak your nonverbal communication and body language .

5. Remember to breathe

When you’re stressed, you breathe more rapidly . It can be challenging to talk normally when you can’t regulate your breath. Before your presentation, try some mindful breathing exercises so that when the day comes, you already have strategies that will calm you down and remain present . This can also help you control your voice and avoid speaking too quickly.

How to ghostwrite a great speech for someone else

Ghostwriting a speech requires a unique set of skills, as you're essentially writing a piece that will be delivered by someone else. Here are some tips on how to effectively ghostwrite a speech:

Understand the speaker's voice and style : Begin by thoroughly understanding the speaker's personality, speaking style, and preferences. This includes their tone, humor, and any personal anecdotes they may want to include.
Interview the speaker : Have a detailed conversation with the speaker to gather information about their speech's purpose, target audience, key messages, and any specific points they want to emphasize. Ask for personal stories or examples they may want to include.
Research thoroughly : Research the topic to ensure you have a strong foundation of knowledge. This helps you craft a well-informed and credible speech.
Create an outline : Develop a clear outline that includes the introduction, main points, supporting evidence, and a conclusion. Share this outline with the speaker for their input and approval.
Write in the speaker's voice : While crafting the speech, maintain the speaker's voice and style. Use language and phrasing that feel natural to them. If they have a particular way of expressing ideas, incorporate that into the speech.
Craft a captivating opening : Begin the speech with a compelling opening that grabs the audience's attention. This could be a relevant quote, an interesting fact, a personal anecdote, or a thought-provoking question.
Organize content logically : Ensure the speech flows logically, with each point building on the previous one. Use transitions to guide the audience from one idea to the next smoothly.
Incorporate engaging stories and examples : Include anecdotes, stories, and real-life examples that illustrate key points and make the speech relatable and memorable.
Edit and revise : Edit the speech carefully for clarity, grammar, and coherence. Ensure the speech is the right length and aligns with the speaker's time constraints.
Seek feedback : Share drafts of the speech with the speaker for their feedback and revisions. They may have specific changes or additions they'd like to make.
Practice delivery : If possible, work with the speaker on their delivery. Practice the speech together, allowing the speaker to become familiar with the content and your writing style.
Maintain confidentiality : As a ghostwriter, it's essential to respect the confidentiality and anonymity of the work. Do not disclose that you wrote the speech unless you have the speaker's permission to do so.
Be flexible : Be open to making changes and revisions as per the speaker's preferences. Your goal is to make them look good and effectively convey their message.
Meet deadlines : Stick to agreed-upon deadlines for drafts and revisions. Punctuality and reliability are essential in ghostwriting.
Provide support : Support the speaker during their preparation and rehearsal process. This can include helping with cue cards, speech notes, or any other materials they need.

Remember that successful ghostwriting is about capturing the essence of the speaker while delivering a well-structured and engaging speech. Collaboration, communication, and adaptability are key to achieving this.

Give your best speech yet

Learn how to make a speech that’ll hold an audience’s attention by structuring your thoughts and practicing frequently. Put the effort into writing and preparing your content, and aim to improve your breathing, eye contact , and body language as you practice. The more you work on your speech, the more confident you’ll become.

The energy you invest in writing an effective speech will help your audience remember and connect to every concept. Remember: some life-changing philosophies have come from good speeches, so give your words a chance to resonate with others. You might even change their thinking.

Boost your speech skills

Enhance your public speaking with personalized coaching tailored to your needs

Elizabeth Perry, ACC

Elizabeth Perry is a Coach Community Manager at BetterUp. She uses strategic engagement strategies to cultivate a learning community across a global network of Coaches through in-person and virtual experiences, technology-enabled platforms, and strategic coaching industry partnerships. With over 3 years of coaching experience and a certification in transformative leadership and life coaching from Sofia University, Elizabeth leverages transpersonal psychology expertise to help coaches and clients gain awareness of their behavioral and thought patterns, discover their purpose and passions, and elevate their potential. She is a lifelong student of psychology, personal growth, and human potential as well as an ICF-certified ACC transpersonal life and leadership Coach.

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How to Give a Speech Without Crying? 10 great tips

Filed under: Presentation anxiety , Public speaking articles , Speech delivery , Speech preparation , Stage fear

I am often asked for tips on how to give a speech without crying. At first, I assumed these people were just nervous or perhaps suffering from stage fright. However, I soon learned that it’s sometimes simply an overwhelming emotional experience to give a speech. This may be at a wedding, a funeral, or during a graduation party for example. No matter the reason—professional or personal—I have many tips for teary-eyed speech givers.

So, how to give a speech without crying? Take deep, calming breaths. Add some humor, if appropriate. Take a moment to acknowledge the emotions involved. Don’t forget to pause for reflection and composure. Focus on the mundane.

I’ll get into the details a little bit later, but these were some quick tips for you to use. All of that is helpful advice, but if you know anything about me at all you know I’m thorough. Of course, I have so much more to tell you. Keep reading to find my best-detailed tips on how to give a speech without crying.

Also, I think you should check out these books about public speaking, which will give you even more information and prepare you for the speech even more.

Table of Contents

How to Give a Speech Without Crying

Giving a speech isn’t always about sharing new ideas, selling your products and services, or getting ahead in business. Sometimes, we are called on to give speeches of an emotional nature. Even the toughest of us have suddenly been gripped by the lump in the throat and that urge to burst into tears.

And that’s totally okay. Sometimes, being overrun with emotions can work in your favor. Depending on the situation, you may be able to use the tears to your advantage. Other times, it’s best to keep your cheeks dry.

In either case, there are many things you can do to get through your speech without crying.

#1 Breathe Deep

When we are overcome with emotion or fear, your body will register stress. One of the first ways it does this is by restricting breathing and tightening your throat. You may even completely hold your breath.

Since you need oxygen in order to give your speech, any kind of restriction in breathing will really mess you up. That’s not even talking about the increased stress you’ll feel when you realize you’re about to pass out from lack of oxygen!

The easiest remedy for this problem is to simply take a long, slow, deep breath. It sounds so simple, doesn’t it? Unfortunately, taking slow and steady breaths when your emotions are taking over can seem like an impossible task.

This is where a little preparation can come in handy. If you know that you’ll be giving a potentially emotional speech, or that a speech you must give in a business setting may cause you to cry, it’s worth the effort to learn some simple breathing techniques beforehand.

Did you know that taking even one deep, calming breath may be enough to counteract your adrenaline and your emotions? If you don’t have time for a full set of breathing exercises while your audience stares at you, just take one breath. It may be all you need.

#2 How to Give a Speech Without Crying Using Humor

“Funny people aren’t funny because funny things happen to us. We’re funny because we take the tragedy that happens to us, and turn it into comedy.” – Judy Carter

Unless your speech is happening at a solemn event, you may try adding a little humor to ease your nerves and calm your emotions. You might be surprised to learn that some somber events, such as funerals, are actually appropriate for gentle humor, too.

The key to making humor work to calm you during your speech is understanding your audience . If these are friends and family and other loved ones, humor is almost always acceptable. In fact, your audience may welcome the release that laughter brings.

#3 Acknowledge Your Emotions

It may seem counterproductive, but acknowledging your emotions may prevent you from crying during your speech . The more you fight strong emotions, the harder it is to ignore them. So stop ignoring them.

Recommended books

How to Deliver a TED Talk: Secrets of the World's Most Inspiring Presentations

Jeremy Donovan

Resonate: Present Visual Stories that Transform Audiences

Nancy Duarte

Confessions of a Public Speaker

Scott Berkun

Talk Like TED: The 9 Public-Speaking Secrets of the World's Top Minds

Carmine Gallo

The Checklist Manifesto: How to Get Things Right

Atul Gawande

The First 20 Hours: How to Learn Anything... Fast!

Josh Kaufman

But how do you acknowledge your emotions during a speech without breaking down into rivers of tears?

Encouraging self-talk is the best way to accomplish this. Mentally acknowledge that you are emotional. Tell yourself that it’s okay to feel whatever it is that you’re feeling. It might be fear, it might be sadness, it might be absolute excitement that is manifesting as tears. Whatever the feeling, tell yourself it’s okay to feel that.

After you’ve acknowledged your feelings, take that deep breath we mentioned in the first tip. It’s incredibly cathartic to mentally acknowledge emotional energy, then release it physically through a deep, controlled breath.

Definitely, check this guide here on how to overcome stage fright.

#4 Pause for Reflection and Composure

Some of the best speakers use natural pauses in their speeches to emphasize parts of what they’re saying . But they may also be using those pauses to compose themselves. This is especially common during emotional speeches such as during a wedding or while accepting an award.

You can find good places to pause your speech ahead of time . For example, while you’re writing your speech, you’ll probably feel some of those emotions creeping in. They’re giving you a preview of what your actual speech may be like.

Don’t force those feelings away. Use them to identify places where you should create a natural pause in your speech . Those pauses are where you should take your deep breath and acknowledge how you’re feeling.

#5 Focus on Your Notes

One of the best ways to avoid crying during your speech is to focus on your notes. A well-written speech with useful notes gives you a low-key item to concentrate on. When your emotions start to overwhelm you, simply glance down at your notes and pretend to read them for a second or two.

It may not be the most graceful method to calm your emotions, and it certainly isn’t surreptitious, but it’s also not unusual to have a speaker look at their notes. As long as you don’t stare at your notes the entire time, it’ll look perfectly natural to glance down and regain your composure once or twice.

As a side note, I wrote an article about how to use notes in your speech which you can find here.

#6 Focus on the Mundane

Maybe you don’t have notes, or maybe you’ve already looked at your notes too many times and your audience is getting suspicious. Whatever your reasons, you may need another option to stop your tears during your speech.

So, how to give a speech without crying if you can’t look at your notes? Change your focus.

Look out across the audience, avoiding any eye contact for now. Too much eye contact when your emotions are flaring may cause the dam to break and get the tears flowing. Instead, look out past the people. Find something in the back of the room that has no meaning to you.

Maybe it’s a poster on the wall or a stack of chairs. Maybe it’s the door out or a window overlooking the parking lot. Find anything in the back of the room that can help distract you from the overwhelming emotions tugging at your tear ducts.

#7 Take a Drink of Water

Have you ever seen those pitchers of water sitting next to a speech-giver? They’re not there for decoration. Professional speakers aren’t just really thirsty people either.

Water is usually provided for speakers for two reasons. The first is that speakers’ mouths often get dry. It’s simple biology.

The second is that taking a sip of water is a well-known way to relax your throat , give you a moment to compose yourself, and helps you focus on something other than your speech for a moment.

If you notice, taking a drink gives you the opportunity to use several of the tips already listed here. It’s an unobtrusive way to get through a speech without crying.

#8 Practice, Practice, Practice!

If you’re really panicking about becoming emotional and bursting into tears during your speech, plan ahead. Be prepared! You can breathe all you want, drink gallons of water, and stare at the windows, but if you don’t practice your speech ahead of time, you’re doing yourself a major disservice.

Practicing starts when you first put pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard). As mentioned earlier, writing your speech will be the first chance you get to see where your emotional triggers may happen. Pay attention to those.

As you write your speech, stop and practice it out loud. If you choke up in the same places each time, mark those spots and move on.

Once you finish your speech, practice in front of a mirror or better yet – in front of the camera. Practice looking up at yourself (or at the camera) as you recite the speech. Glance at your notes often, paying attention to where you marked the emotional parts.

Take note of how you’re feeling as those places come up. If you feel the lump forming in your throat, try adding a pause before or just after that point. Practice taking a sip of water.

The more you practice and make it through your speech, the easier it will become . If you can condition yourself to avoid or work past those emotional spots alone, you have a better chance of making it through on the big day.

But there’s a lot more to it so I wrote a complete guide (10 effective tips) on how to practice a speech you.

#9 Choose a Handheld Distraction

Another good trick to avoid crying during a speech is to bring a distraction with you. Something small that you can hold in your palm, keep on the lectern, or hide in your pocket can help you stay calm and collected.

When you feel the emotions begin to rise, simply palm your distraction item and give it a good squeeze. If you practice with this item while practicing your speech, you may be able to train your brain to recognize it as the “calm” object.

It’s a bit like Pavlov’s dog. If you can train your brain to associate the distraction item with calm or intense focus, you can derail your emotions before they ruin your speech.

If you don’t have a pocket to hold an item or you aren’t able to bring something small up with you, you can always use your own hands. Practice ahead of time doing a casual hand fold on the lectern. While your fingers are laced together, you can give them a gentle squeeze to help center yourself.

If there is no lectern, fold your hands in front of you.

#10 Rewording Your Speech

If you still find it difficult to get through the speech without crying, even after all of this advice, there’s still more you can do.

Try rewording the most intense parts of your speech. Subtlety has its place in speeches, just as clear and concise word choice does. It’s okay to allude to something emotional without coming right out and saying it.

Chances are good that your audience is also feeling emotional, and rewording more intense parts might be a kindness to them as well.

Bonus tip: Use Emotions to Empower Yourself

You came here wondering how to give a speech without crying, but you may be looking at this the wrong way. Let me explain.

In some situations, crying and other shows of emotion can actually work in your favor. Look at the emotional speeches you’ve seen in the past as examples.

When an actor cries at the podium after receiving an award, your first thought isn’t that this person is a weakling. More likely you understand that the tears show the world how grateful they are to be acknowledged.

What about graduation celebrations? Those are notoriously emotional. Look at the tears that stream down cheeks during graduation speeches. Clearly, the people speaking have poured heart and soul into these words. Does it dampen the mood or take away from the speech because they’re crying? No way!

If anything, tears during a speech show your audience that you are invested in this topic. You care. You connect with whatever it is that you’re talking about.

Tears don’t always show weakness. In some situations, they show in an obvious, nonverbal way that you care deeply enough to be moved to tears.

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Tags: Art of public speaking , Making a speech , Pauses in speech , Performance anxiety symptoms , Prepare a speech , Presentation skills tips , Presentation techniques , Public presentation , Speaking anxiety , Speech anxiety , Speech skills , Speech tips , Speech writing tips , Stage phobia

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Who is janek tuttar.

My name is Janek Tuttar , and I am the founder and author of Speak and Conquer website.

I have been teaching public speaking at Estonian Entrepreneurship University of Applied Sciences

Here, I am sharing the wisdom of how to cope in different public speaking situations.

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I have been teaching and blogging about public speaking since spring 2007. Here, I am sharing the wisdom of how to cope in different public speaking situations.

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Delivery , Seth Godin

Reading a Speech

Mannerofspeaking.

February 13, 2012

Seth Godin is the author of several books about “marketing, the spread of ideas and managing both customers and employees with respect”. They are bestsellers. His blog is one of my favourites and I highly recommend it. In the blog post below from 13 January 2012, Seth discusses why, in his opinion, reading a speech is not a good idea. In short, he believes that reading out loud is different from speaking without notes. We are more natural and show more of our humanity if we speak to the audience and not read to them.

I agree. If you can learn your material well enough to be able to speak without notes, it is the best scenario for several reasons:

You will not be stuck behind a lectern. You will be able to move about freely and engage the audience more.

Yes, reading a speech can be effective, but it is not easy. Winston Churchill, Ronald Reagan and Barack Obama come to mind in this respect. Obama is particularly good in this respect, although he usually has a teleprompter to each side to give him the appearance (especially on TV) of speaking without notes. Chances are you will not be using a teleprompter.

If you must read your speech word for word, there are a few things that you can do to make it a successful.

Write the speech in a way that is natural for your style of speaking.
Keep the sentences relatively short so that you don’t have to pause for a breath in the middle.
Don’t write the speech out in paragraph form (as in the photo). It is too easy to lose your spot. Rather, write the speech like a poem .

Notwithstanding the advice above, a much better middle ground, in my view, is to have notes that set out your key points and ideas, but not the entire speech. That way you have a guide to help ensure you don’t get lost, but at the same time you are not chained to the text. You can quickly glance at the next point to be covered and then look up and talk about it. If you do use notes in this way, here are some tips .

When it comes to giving a speech, speaking without notes is best and speaking with succinct, focused notes is next best. Reading a speech is the least preferable option. But don’t worry if you absolutely have to read your speech. Use it as a starting point and work on reducing your notes at a pace that is comfortable for you.

Photo courtesy of deVos / Flickr

Your voice will give you away.

by Seth Godin

It’s extremely difficult to read a speech and sound as if you mean it.

For most of us, when reading, posture changes, the throat tightens and people can tell. Reading is different from speaking, and a different sort of attention is paid.

Before you give a speech, then, you must do one of two things if your goal is to persuade:

Learn to read the same way you speak (unlikely) …

… or, learn to speak without reading. Learn your message well enough that you can communicate it without reading it. We want your humanity.

If you can’t do that, don’t bother giving a speech. Just send everyone a memo and save time and stress for all concerned.

Like this article?

Use images in a Mind Map rather than text. You know the story. The image will trigger your memory and you’ll talk to the audience rather that read to them. Use Mind Maps to Develop, Practice, and Deliver your Presentations and they will be – NO SWEAT! Thanks for the Post, John!

Thanks, Fred. I agree with you – a mind map is a powerful tool and much better than the full text. I do know people who say that they don’t like mind maps and find it difficult to work with them. For them, clear and succinct notes are a good alternative. John

You’re right John. According to the MBTI stats, about half the population will find things like MindMaps less helpful than proponents say they will. BTW – I love the idea of writing like a poem – very handy! A lot of my clients find that keywords in Presenter View is the way to go – simple reminders on the screen in front of them (that the audience can’t see). I wonder, sometimes, if the process of creating the keywords fixes things in people’s heads enough to mean the keywords work (if you see what I mean) … in other words, it’s not what system you use that matter, it’s that you go through the process of CREATING the system …? Simon

Thanks for the comment, Simon, and the information about the MBTI statistics. Personally, I don’t use mind maps, but if that works for people, I say go for it. The Presenter View approach is another option, although I find it to be a lot of information for me. When I do a slide presentation, the slides are usually sufficient for me to keep track of my thoughts. Of course, we should not be cramming our slides full of text, but images and key words are more than sufficient to trigger a thought. I think that you are spot on about the effort that one puts into “creating the system” as you put it. The more effort that goes into the process, the greater the odds that the messages will stick in your mind (and resonate with the audience too). Cheers! John

John, I believe that reading a speech word for word from a piece of paper is one of the worst things a public speaker can do. It’s a terrible, sleep-inducing experience for the audience. So, in that respect, I agree with Seth Godin. However, I don’t believe that attempting a speech or presentation notes-free is such a great idea either. It’s too easy to forget material or lose your place. Of course, some people seem to excel at notes-free public speaking. And there are certain types of speeches that this style is more suited to. Motivational talks and speeches with a lot of personal stories come to mind. But the majority of us, especially new speakers, should prepare good, concise outlines for our talks. I think that’s the best, safest option available.

Fair comments all around, Dave. I agree that most people cannot read a speech nearly as well as, say, Ronald Reagan. So having key notes to which one can quickly refer is a good idea for many people who have to give a speech. Presentations, in my view, are a slightly different animal, especially if you are using slides. In such cases, the slides themselves can serve as the prompts. They need not (and should not) be full of text; an image or key word could suffice. And, putting thought into your slides will not only yield a set of subtle speaking prompts, it will also contribute to an effective presentation. Thanks for contributing to the discussion. John

Hi John. Like Simon, I love the idea of writing in poem form. It’s such a simple idea, I feel like kicking myself for not thinking of it. Another tip for writing out a speech, if you MUST read it, is to write in a bigger font so you can place the sheets on a lectern and step back from it. I’m going to have to check out that mind map thing, too.

Thanks, Mike. As is so often the case with good ideas, it seems so simple and obvious after the fact. Don’t worry, I’ve kicked myself plenty over the years over a variety of matters, public speaking and otherwise! You’re definitely right about writing the speech (or notes) in bigger font. One should not have to bend over or pick up the notes to be able to read them clearly. Another idea is to have the note written on double-sided paper and placed in a binder that can open and stay flat. The notes are guaranteed to stay in order and you only have to turn the pages half as often as, after the first page, there will always be two pages facing you. Cheers! John

Wow this is interesting – there is a saying that goes among young academics taking part in conferences, that each time a person reads his or her talk, a panda bear out there dies – this is how they hate it and personally I facing a situation where it would probably be a better pick to read it as I was really nervous. Now only rarely, at where I work, take part in conferences – ironically I’m involved in lectern-making. Life’s strange. Too bad rhetoric isn’t taught in my country more pervasively at college – along with logic and debate participation.

Thanks for the comment. I love the “panda dying” reference. In my experience, most people know their material better than they think they do. Often I will work with someone who is just reading off the slides. I will walk up, make the screen go black and tell them, “OK, imagine that your computer has just died. Give us that slide without the slide.” Every time they can do it and every time they do it much better than when they were reading it.

If you absolutely need notes, just write down a few key points (in large font) that remind you of the topics and then talk about those topic. The result will be much better. Good luck!

Not sure about this mate. All Royal Families all over the world always read their speeches. Barack Obama, arguably the most eloquent statesman, also reads his speeches; and whenever he doesn’t, he stutters a lot. Steve Jobs reads on a teleprompter.

Thanks for the comment, Eihad. While it is certainly possible to read a speech well – the commencement speeches of Steve Jobs and Neil Gaiman come to mind – in my experience, most people end up staring at the paper and reading in a monotone voice the whole time. I agree with you about Obama and have frequently said that without a teleprompter, he stutters a lot. This does not negate the fact that he is an eloquent speaker. In fact, speaking well with a teleprompter is its own special skill, and one that Obama mastered. My point in this post is that when people prepare enough so that they know the points they want to make and the order in which they want to make them, they will almost always have a better connection with the audience if they talk to them instead of read to them. If they need a few notes to remind themselves of the points, that is fine.

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Director of the Jura Region, BKW Energie AG

Be BOLD. Those two words got stuck in my head and in the heads of all those ADP leaders and associates that had the privilege to see John on stage. He was our keynote speaker at our annual convention in Barcelona, and his message still remains! John puts his heart in every word. Few speakers are so credible, humble and yet super strong with large audiences!

Guadalupe Garcia

Senior Director and Talent Partner, ADP International

Speech Reading To Help the Hearing Impaired

When you can't hear what those around you are saying, you miss out not only on vital information but also on a whole world of social interactions. Those who don't suffer from hearing loss simply don’t understand everything you miss out on when you're hearing impaired. In fact, your friends and family members might not truly understand the frustration and emotional struggles that can accompany hearing loss.

Thankfully, being hard of hearing doesn't mean that you have to miss out on many of life's best moments. While a 100-percent effective cure for hearing loss still isn't available, many hearing-impaired individuals benefit from combating hearing loss by learning speech reading. Also known as lip reading, speech reading is a method you can learn to cope with auditory problems while remaining actively involved with their communities, families and friends.

Speech reading goes far beyond simply knowing what message someone is mouthing across a room. When mastered, speech reading is known as a third ear because it allows individuals to clearly understand what others are saying. If you have difficult hearing in rooms with background noise or often misunderstand what others are saying to you, studying reading lips can be a great way to take charge of your hearing impairment and regain the joy of communicating with others.

No matter how long you've dealt with hearing impairment, you've probably tried to rely on your third ear to decipher what those around you are saying. Unfortunately, lip reading isn't always as easy as it seems. That's why lip-reading training makes sense for many individuals who suffer from hearing impairment. In our training program, you'll learn how to:

Interpret speech patterns in isolation, and in context
Apply common sense to figure out the missed words
Put them together into a full sentence, and reply

By combining these skills, you'll have greater success at interpreting what others are saying in a wide variety of social settings.

If you're interested in learning more about speech reading, take some time to review our Beginner's Guide to Lip Reading .

Learning how to lip read isn't difficult. Our training courses are focused on breaking down the skills you need and teaching them to you in a practical, eyes-on fashion so that you can apply them to your life right away. If you're frustrated by missing out on conversations with those you care about, take the first steps in your speech reading journey with us today.

Log in to your Lipreading training now:

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Living With Hearing Loss

A Hearing Loss Blog – Shari Eberts

How To Improve Your Lipreading Skills Online

Living with hearing loss, I have always wanted to take a lipreading course, but was never able to find one in New York City that worked with my schedule. So when I learned about a new online tutorial created by the Canadian Hard of Hearing Association – Newfoundland and Labrador (CHHA-NL), I was excited to give it a go. Read My Lips is a self-paced online course that uses videos, exercises, and quizzes to demonstrate and teach basic lipreading skills.

I consider myself a good lipreader , but most of my knowledge has come intuitively, driven by necessity. Taking the Read My Lips classes helped me gain a firmer understanding of the basic lip, tongue and jaw movements involved in many letter sounds. Knowing the mechanics of how the sounds are made can only improve my skills. I am glad I took the course.

What is Lipreading?

According to Wikipedia, “Lipreading or speechreading is a technique of understanding speech by visually interpreting the movement of the lips, face and tongue.” Most people with hearing loss use lipreading to aid with communication, even if they are not aware they are doing so. The ability to lipread comes naturally to some people, while others struggle with it. Training and practice can improve lipreading skills over time.

Some people are easier to lipread than others which makes it difficult to rely on lipreading alone for communication, although, some of my hearing loss friends are quite skilled at it. I am in awe of their powers of observation and concentration. For me, if I know the context and a space is well-lit, a combination of my aided residual hearing and lipreading can get me a large portion of the way towards understanding. It does require a lot of concentration and mental energy to do it well.

Helpful Online Lipreading Course

The Read My Lips on-line course is divided into eight lessons, each focused on a set of letters that appear similarly on the lips and face. They include: (1) F, V, Ph; (2) P, B, M; (3) Th; (4) W, Wh; (5) Sh, Ch; (6) L; (7) T, D, N; and (8) J (Soft G).

For each letter group, a captioned video demonstrates and explains how the sound is made. For example, “For the “J (Soft G)” lip movement your teeth are just about touching, but the lips are forward in a rounded-square shape to show your teeth.”

Students then practice the skill using a series of additional videos with different people mouthing relevant words or phrases. After watching each video, you choose which of the written answers below matches what is being said. You can watch the videos (taken from two different angles) as many times as needed before making your selection. The videos have no audible dialogue, but having the written words/phrases below is a big help.

Several “speakers” — two men and two women — are used for the videos to add variety and a does of reality. Each person had different sized lips and their own unique way of speaking. Some were easier for me to lipread than others, as might be expected.

Some of the lipreading exercises provided a topic area for context while others did not, once again demonstrating how much easier it is to communicate when context is provided up front.

At the end of each lesson, there is a quiz to make sure you can properly identify the lip movements associated with each sound pattern. An 80% score is required on each quiz to successfully complete the course.

Read My Lips costs C$49 for 6-months of access to the course. After I successfully finished the eight lessons, including passing each of the quizzes, I received a certificate of completion . I look forward to putting my enhanced lipreading skills to the test in real life.

Readers, would you take an online speechreading class?

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Takeaways from J.D. Vance’s first date with America

Domenico Montanaro

J.D. Vance, Donald Trump's vice presidential running mate, stands at a podium during a walkthrough for the 2024 Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum in Milkwaukee, WI.

J.D. Vance, former President Donald Trump's vice presidential running mate, stands at a podium during a walkthrough for the 2024 Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum in Milkwaukee this week. Nickolai Hammar/NPR hide caption

For more updates from the 2024 Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, head to the NPR Network's live updates page .

MILWAUKEE — Sen. J.D. Vance of Ohio, Donald Trump’s vice-presidential pick, has gained a reputation in Washington as one of Trump’s staunchest and hardest-charging defenders.

Look no further than in the immediate aftermath of the assassination attempt on Trump’s life Saturday. Vance quickly took to social media to lay the blame squarely on President Biden and called a top Democrat on Capitol Hill a “scumbag” for having introduced legislation some months ago to remove Secret Service protection from convicted felons.

J.D. Vance addresses the RNC, and America, with a focus on Rustbelt roots

The MAGA warrior, though, is not who America met Wednesday night when he took to the stage at the Republican National Convention for his keynote speech as Trump’s running mate. The Marine veteran, instead, showed a decidedly softer side.

Here are four takeaways from Vance’s speech and the rest of Night 3 in Milwaukee:

1. This was Vance’s first date with America.

When you first meet someone — go on a date, interview for a job — you’re trying to put the best, friendliest, most amenable version of you forward. No one wants to see flashes of anger, name-calling and the like.

That’s especially true when you’re running for vice president, and nearly half the country doesn’t have an opinion about you yet. An Economist/YouGov poll out this week found 48% haven’t formed an opinion on Vance — just 22% have a positive one, while 31% view him unfavorably.

Signs read "Make America Strong Again!" on the third night of the Republican National Convention. Grace Widyatmadja/NPR hide caption

So in this speech, Vance stressed his more personal side — telling his kids to go to sleep, talking about his love for his mom and grandma. There were only a couple moments early on in his speech when he hinted at his outrage toward the left, saying that Trump had endured “abuse, slander and persecution,” that “lies” have been told about him and “then think of him with that fist raised,” and how the left has called him a “tyrant, who must be stopped at all costs” and yet, he “called for calm” and “national unity.”

In that speech, Vance didn’t make the hard pivot to blaming Democrats and the president. That side of Vance will surface again in this campaign, but it didn’t during his introduction to America. Instead, what the country saw was a smiling, relatively young man of 39 with a wife who loves him in awe of the moment — and clearly subordinate to the man at the top of the ticket.

2. This is still all about Donald Trump.

It was true coming into this convention and whoever the pick would be, but it’s perhaps even truer after this speech — perhaps at no time in history has a vice-presidential pick mattered less.

Sure, Trump being 78 could, in theory, raise the stakes for this kind of pick, and Trump selected someone literally half his age for the ticket. But this convention has been less the Republican National Convention than the Trump National Convention, and the attendees are here for one man and one man alone.

Vance made clear he has no intention of outshining Trump, the way Sarah Palin upstaged the late Sen. John McCain at the 2008 convention, for example. Her barnburner of a speech had people ripping the “McCain” off the McCain-Palin bumper stickers.

That’s not happening this time around — and that’s exactly how Trump wants it.

Former President and 2024 Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump attends the third day of the 2024 Republican National Convention. Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

3. Vance’s speech was targeted at a general-election audience.

The strong subtext of this week’s Republican convention has been a blue-collar appeal – more in tone than in policy, however.

Vance leaned hard into that and his biography and his family roots in Appalachia. Before becoming a U.S. senator, he wrote a New York Times -best selling memoir, Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis . Vance even referred to himself on the stage Wednesday night as a “Hillbilly.”

Co-chair of the Republican National Committee Lara Trump blows kisses to her father-in-law, former President Donald Trump, after speaking during the second day of the 2024 Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee on Tuesday.

Women headline a night at the RNC that framed Trump as compassionate, not combative

Wisconsin, the site of the RNC this year, is a swing state with a strong, blue-collar voter base. Vance is from a Midwestern state with a similar profile. Even though his home state of Ohio is not a swing state anymore, with its lurch toward the GOP, Trump is hoping Vance can appeal to voters in the so-called Blue Wall states, including Michigan and Pennsylvania, which also have large white, working-class populations.

Vance hinted toward how important those states are early on in his speech when the Ohio delegation began cheering loudly for their state.

He cut them off and said, “We’ve got to chill with the Ohio love, we’ve got to win Michigan, too.”

4. Tone is one thing, but policy is another.

Vance said that the country needs a “leader who fights for the workers in this country,” that it needs someone to “fight for working men, union and non-union alike.” He added that under a Trump-Vance administration, they would no longer fight for Wall Street, but for the working man — even as Trump told Bloomberg News he would consider JP Morgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon his Treasury secretary.

Over the course of his presidency, Trump gained a reputation as having very anti-union policies . Vance, for his part, with his blue-collar roots, earned a 0% rating from the AFL-CIO in 2023.

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump and vice presidential candidate J.D. Vance at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee on Tuesday.

With his choice of Vance as VP, Trump doubles down on his version of isolationism

And yet, the president of the Teamsters spoke at the RNC Tuesday night. He didn’t endorse, but his presence spoke volumes. It was a clear indication of the pressure he feels from some within his union. That has far more to do with culture than it does pro-union policies.

“To court workers is very different than being pro-labor,” Harley Shaiken, a labor professor at the University of California, Berkeley, told NPR’s Don Gonyea . “The rhetoric comes easy, and the rhetoric can sometimes be appealing. But when there's no follow-through, it's very damaging.”

At the heart of that cultural appeal is one policy area Republicans talked quite a bit about Wednesday: immigration and the fear of job losses because of it.

The hard line the party has on that issue is like the glue to its working-class appeal. That’s a similar story with right-wing populism across the globe.

Of course, the man who sets the tone — and policies — in this party is Trump, and everyone will finally hear from him Thursday night, his first major address since the shooting Saturday.

Our Mission

Supporting Struggling Readers in Navigating Grade-Level Texts

A reading interventionist shares strategies to help students in grades 3 to 8 access grade-level material.

Elementary student reading a book in class

As a reading interventionist, I’ve found that intermediate students who present as struggling readers come to school with a variety of gaps in their existing knowledge of literacy. It may seem supportive to provide these students with less challenging material, but doing so is counterproductive—they need to learn how to navigate and comprehend the grade-level texts they’ll encounter throughout their school day.

Here are some ways I support students to access grade-level text.

Supporting Vocabulary

Select multisyllabic words that also present new meanings to your struggling readers. Selecting vocabulary and using instructional methods to introduce its meaning is not a new strategy, but demonstrating for students how to approach reading multisyllabic words might be.

One framework for teaching reading, Evidence-Based Literacy Instruction , involves using a speech-to-print approach, separating a multisyllabic word into syllables. Students read the sounds in each syllable and blend those sounds together to read a complete word, then reread the word as it would appear in the text.

This method allows students to encounter five to 10 unfamiliar words, read them quickly prior to seeing them in a text, and discuss the word’s meaning within a few minutes of instructional time. For a temporary scaffold, you can highlight the word(s) in the text as well, bringing students’ attention to them as they read.

providing practice

All students have the capability to read grade-level texts if they have access to various layers of support . Here are some ways to help struggling readers practice, moving from most to least supportive.

1. Model fluent reading: When you demonstrate your own reading out loud, you allow all students to hear the text read with accuracy and prosody.

2. Echo reading : In this strategy, all students participate by repeating a line or paragraph after you, the teacher, read it out loud.

3. Choral reading : In choral reading, all students read in unison as you guide them, thereby creating a safe environment to practice working through a more complex text.

4. Partner reading : Place students in ranked order from highest to lowest reading ability (keep this info in a private document); split that list in half, and pair a higher-ability student with a partner who reads at a slightly lower ability level. Be sure that partners aren’t aware of who’s been designated stronger or weaker, but instead have assigned labels like “Partner 1” and “Partner 2.” Teach partners that Partner 1 should read first, and Partner 2 will follow. Invite students to work with their partner to alternate their reading of paragraphs or pages of a text.

In this model, students also serve as coaches, giving corrections and support to their peers if needed. Make sure you establish classroom expectations for partner work and provide examples of how to correct a partner constructively. At times, you may need to position certain partnerships near you or another teacher, put students into a triad, or temporarily match them with another pairing for additional support.

5. PALS structure : Peer-Assisted Learning Strategies provide another way for students to read a text together. In this model, you pair students by ability, as above, and each partner gives feedback to the other as they take turns reading for five minutes. The stronger reader starts, and then the second reader rereads that same portion of the text to practice their accuracy and fluency. Then, the stronger reader provides feedback, if needed, and moves on to the next section.

Students should not be identified as the stronger or weaker reader, but instead given a role, as in the example above. You can use fun names for the partners like “chips and salsa,” depending on the age of your students. Once you’ve created pairs and given labels, it’s easy to assign one partner to read first and the other to read second.

Planning for Barriers

Students must hold the meaning of each line of text as it’s connected to the following sentences. To do this complex work, they must recognize how sentences are constructed. Model extracting a sentence from the text and identifying any cohesive ties that exist. For example, if a sentence uses a name and then follows that name with a pronoun, students can draw an arrow or underline each word to show the relationship between them.

There’s key language that allows the reader to understand what may come next. You can teach words like conjunctions ( and , because , but , so ) and linking words or phrases ( however , although , apart from , in particular ) found in clauses. Mark these for students so they can begin to recognize if a text is comparing, contrasting, adding ideas, and so on.

Identifying these words or phrases, and teaching students how to recognize them and their meanings in text, sets students up to better understand the author’s intended meaning. It takes little instructional time to model a sentence or two, so this is an easy way to support growing readers. You can implement the temporary scaffold of marking those types of sentences in the text to draw students’ attention to them as they read.

Extracting Meaning

Paragraph shrinking involves identifying the gist of a sentence or paragraph. Students should develop a habit of stopping after each sentence or paragraph to pick out the most important “who” (subject) or “what” (topic), then explain the most important thing that happened to the who or what—ideally in 10 words or less (though up to 15 is usually acceptable).

If students can identify these pieces in each section of text, they’re able to put those ideas together to explain what they read.

helping struggling readers Tackle Grade-Level Text

The above methods offer a starting place for supporting even our most struggling readers. Teaching students strategies they can eventually use independently, when navigating grade-level text, is essential for their growth and success.

When students can confidently recognize parts of a text and appreciate that they can break down, dissect, and understand these potential barriers, they’re better able to become proficient readers.

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Guest Essay

‘One of the Truly Awful and Self-Indulgent Performances of Our Time’: The Best and Worst Moments From Night 4 of the Convention

A photo illustration of Donald Trump in black and white, with colored circles around him.

By New York Times Opinion

Did the night help Trump?

Welcome to Opinion’s commentary for Night 4 of the Republican National Convention. In this special feature, Times Opinion writers rate the evening on a scale of 0 to 10: 0 means the night was a disaster for Donald Trump; 10 means it could lead to a big polling bump. Here’s what our columnists and contributors thought of the event, which culminated in Trump’s acceptance speech.

Best Moment

Kristen Soltis Anderson, contributing Opinion writer Donald Trump gave a compelling and moving description of what it was like to be under fire and pledged to represent all of America, not just half of America. That may be easier said than done.

David Brooks, Times columnist The first 20 minutes of the Trump speech. If he’d done the story about the assassination attempt and then added 15 minutes of policy, he would be cruising toward victory. He could have plausibly argued that he is a changed man.

Jane Coaston, contributing Opinion writer Hulk Hogan’s speech was his best performance since he beat Macho Man Randy Savage at WrestleMania V.

Matthew Continetti, fellow at the American Enterprise Institute Trump’s account of the attempt on his life was gripping. He displayed a vulnerability and humility that most people had never seen before. And when he kissed the fireman’s helmet of Corey Comperatore, the husband and father who was killed during last weekend’s shooting, Trump created yet another indelible image. It won’t be soon forgotten.

David French, Times columnist Trump’s tribute to Comperatore was touching and appropriate. Placing his uniform on the stage was a powerful visual reminder of the loss.

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COMMENTS

10 Simple Ways to Make Your Speech Easy to Read (for Presenting AND
Putting each new thought on its own line encourages you to slow down and think about one idea at a time, rather than speeding up to get through a paragraph of text. 4. Leave a blank line between statements (again, so that you can easily see where you are in the script). 5. Make each PAGE short.
Speech Reading (Lip Reading): What We Should All Know and How to Help
Speech reading takes into account the overall behavior of the speaker. It allows the reader to pick up on emotions, intentions, and other subtle clues that can help them better understand speech and enhance communication. It serves as a building block for understanding speech in situations where auditory cues, are insufficient or unavailable.
How to read a speech effectively
The contrast of black ink on white paper makes it easier to read. Double space your lines. It will help you return to right place after you've taken a moment to talk directly to the audience. Make the borders of the page larger than usual. This centralizes the text on the page.
10 Tips for Improving Your Public Speaking Skills
Inject a funny anecdote in your presentation, and you will certainly grab your audience's attention. Audiences generally like a personal touch in a speech. A story can provide that. 7. Don't Read Unless You Have to. Work from an Outline. Reading from a script or slide fractures the interpersonal connection.
How to Give a Speech: 10 Tips for Powerful Public Speaking
4. Take Deep Breaths: Before and during the speech, take a few deep breaths as this will help calm nerves and make sure your breathing is regulated throughout the duration of your presentation. 5. Speak Slowly: It is common to feel anxious while giving a speech and try to rush through it too quickly.
Public Speaking Tip 51: If You're Reading from ...
Lately, there seems to be a real prejudice in the public speaking world against reading a speech (as opposed to delivering it from memory). But there are many good reasons to consider reading. Here are a few: 1. You want to maintain close control over the tone or the timing of your speech (or both). 2.
14 Tips On How To Improve Speaking Skills (Speak Like A Pro!)
Reading is one of the most underrated tools for becoming a great speaker. It can make you sound more articulate and smooth in your speech. Plus, you learn new vocabulary and better comprehend the book in the process. ... Before you go into a meeting with your team, give a speech, or check in with your boss, think about your MVP. For example,
9 Tips For Making A Speech Easier To Read
This will make it easier for you to locate and skim through the content, and you will be able to quickly relocate your points if you find yourself lost. 5. Keep Your Sentences Short. Another thing to keep in mind if you wish to make your speech easier to read is keeping your sentences short.
7 Ways to Prepare a Speech
1. Give yourself plenty of time. The more time you have to practice your speech, the more prepared you'll feel, and as a result, the less nervous you'll feel. One guideline for the amount of time to spend on preparing a speech is one to two hours for every minute you'll be speaking.
How To Memorize a Speech Quickly in 5 Steps (Plus Tips)
If you're preparing to deliver a speech, here are some steps to foster effective memorization: 1. Write an outline and a script. Before writing a speech, create an outline of the key information you want your audience to understand. This can help you identify the speech's primary goal and determine its optimal structure.
Speaking from a Manuscript: How to Read Without Looking Like You Are
Practice your manuscript at least 5 to 7 times. Trust me when I say, It is harder to speak with a manuscript than it is to give a speech with brief notes and it requires considerable more practice to get it right. Use this chart as a general reference for the timing of your speech to the length of your manuscript.
How to Prepare and Give a Speech (with Pictures)
Ask for a glass of water. If your speech is lengthy, then you will need some water to moisten your throat. 7. Look in a mirror before you go onstage. Check both the front and the back of your outfit and make sure that your hair is neat and that your makeup, if you're wearing any, is not smudged. Part 5.
What is Speechreading?
(Seal, 2013) Speech reading has been compared to how we read the same text in different fonts or different styles of handwriting (Seal, 2013). We can recognize the sentence and make sense of it even though it is presented in a different way. The same is for reading lips. Lip reading is used to fill in the gaps of what one is missing through ...
How to Write a Good Speech: 10 Steps and Tips
Create an outline: Develop a clear outline that includes the introduction, main points, supporting evidence, and a conclusion. Share this outline with the speaker for their input and approval. Write in the speaker's voice: While crafting the speech, maintain the speaker's voice and style.
How to Give a Speech Without Crying? 10 great tips
Table of Contents. How to Give a Speech Without Crying. #1 Breathe Deep. #2 How to Give a Speech Without Crying Using Humor. #3 Acknowledge Your Emotions. #4 Pause for Reflection and Composure. #5 Focus on Your Notes. #6 Focus on the Mundane. #7 Take a Drink of Water.
Reading a speech
Write the speech in a way that is natural for your style of speaking. Keep the sentences relatively short so that you don't have to pause for a breath in the middle. Don't write the speech out in paragraph form (as in the photo). It is too easy to lose your spot. Rather, write the speech like a poem.
Speech Reading To Help the Hearing Impaired
That's why lip-reading training makes sense for many individuals who suffer from hearing impairment. In our training program, you'll learn how to: Interpret speech patterns in isolation, and in context. Apply common sense to figure out the missed words. Put them together into a full sentence, and reply.
How To Improve Your Lipreading Skills Online
Lip reading is more correctly called "speech reading". It is very difficult to learn this skill, especially if you are late-deafened. I'm a speech pathologist, who has taught speech reading. I cannot do it! Many speech sounds are produced in back of mouth (such as…k,g, ts), which makes it very difficult to read! I would not pay $49 now.
Reading Assessment
InSight is a valid and reliable assessment that was created under the direction and guidance of leading reading and assessment researchers. InSight is strongly correlated to multiple state assessments as well as other commonly used assessments. These findings indicate that Reading Plus can serve as a key component in a school's literacy ...
[34 Stories] Level G: Reading Plus Test Answers
Answer 2: The milk and butter were ruined when the cows ate the rotten onions. Answer 3: The oxen spilled the wagon load after getting upset by a dead animal. Answer 4: The molasses barrels leaked half of their contents into the wagon. Question 3: Based on this excerpt, another word for "prosperity" is Answer: Success.
PDF Reading Assistant Plus: Technology for Guided Oral Reading
Reading Assistant Plus provides speech recognition and related functionality through web-based technologies, eliminating the need for any client-installed software. Reading Assistant Plus is supported on browsers that provide the needed technology features such as microphone access. Reading Assistant Plus uses speech recognition and speech ...
How to give a speech
How to Give a Speech (Answers). #1 How to overcome a problem that affects most people. #2 Presence of an audience & Self consciousness. #3 Work smoothly without focusing on specific steps. #4 They lowered their performance. #5 To conclude the previous paragraph & To summarize the previous paragraph
"In the Key of Blessing"
"In the Key of Blessing" | Modern Worship | July 21, 2024 Welcome to Worship! Series: "Songs in the Key of Life" Title: "In the Key of Blessing"...
RNC analysis: J.D. Vance's speech was his first date with America
So in this speech, Vance stressed his more personal side — telling his kids to go to sleep, talking about his love for his mom and grandma. There were only a couple moments early on in his ...
J.D. Vance, in R.N.C. Speech, Plants His Roots in the 2024 Race
Senator J.D. Vance of Ohio delivered a speech at the Republican National Convention that served as both an introduction to party delegates and a blueprint for his campaign with Donald J. Trump ...
Read the Transcript of Donald J. Trump's Convention Speech
Thank you very much. Thank you very, very much. And thank you, Dana. Thank you, Kid Rock, sometimes referred to as "Bob." And thank you, Lee, right from the beginning, thank you very much.
Supporting Struggling Readers in Navigating Grade-Level Texts
One framework for teaching reading, Evidence-Based Literacy Instruction, involves using a speech-to-print approach, separating a multisyllabic word into syllables. Students read the sounds in each syllable and blend those sounds together to read a complete word, then reread the word as it would appear in the text.
Biden Grows Resentful Toward Democratic Leaders Amid Calls to Drop Out
Sick with Covid and abandoned by allies, President Biden has been fuming at his Delaware beach house, increasingly resentful about what he sees as an orchestrated campaign to drive him out of the ...
Joe Biden drops out of the presidential race in stunning announcement
Harris, 59, is the first woman, Black person and Asian American to serve as vice president, and now she has the opportunity to become the country's first female president.
Opinion
Anderson Not long into Trump's speech, the momentum slowed, and he started playing the hits, only it was the acoustic version. His whole performance felt unusually low energy and unfocused.