The Formal SpeechGuidelines for Tauriko Teachers and Students

Tauriko School Speech Finals – Wednesday, 19th August (Week 5)

What is the purpose of a formal speech?

To entertain

To inform

To persuade

To interest or stimulate

or a combination of these.

Write a purpose sentence:

* I want to inform and entertain the audience about body language.

* The purpose of my speech is to persuade the audience that children should start school at six years of age.

Your speech must be 3-5 minutes long (Year 7/8), 2½ -4 minutes (Year 5/6).

How do I choose a topic?Think of a subject that:

you are interested in - Words

you/your family know quite a lot about – Autism, Growing Old

you feel strongly about – Do We Really Need a New Flag?

you have had experience with – Junior Search and Rescue

people can relate to – Life as a Leftie or

comes from a different angle than the usual one – Stop the Madness

Your speech should have a message. It might:

show how you feel about a situation

be aimed to provoke others’ thinking

add to the audience’s knowledge and appreciation of a topic

help people see the funny side of life or

present another point of view.

What are some suggested topics?To Entertain

Small is Okay

The Dentist

Monsters or Teenagers?

For Love of Reading

21st Century Parents

Becoming Popular

Always Hungry

Why I Don’t Want to be a Millionaire

What Can Animals Teach Us?

Body Language

Family

To InformWhat is Really In Your Food?

A Natural Disaster – do you have a particular involvement?

A sport you are involved in

Sleep

Proud To Be Maori/Island/Chinese ….

A famous person – someone you have a connection with/interest in?

The Power of Love

Family

Adoption

To Persuade

Schools Should Feed Children

Winning is Not What Matters

It is Tough to be a Child Today

Life is Better Than It Was Fifty Years Ago

Bad Roads or Bad Drivers

Does NZ Really Have Free Primary Education?

Bullies are Not Born That Way

Saving the Arctic

Children are Over-protected

We Learn By Example

How Do I Write My Speech?Brainstorm first then use the Hamburger model – your teachers will help you

The Introduction

It is said that an audience judges us in the first 30 seconds of our speech.

How will you ensure that you make a memorable first impression?

• A short anecdote that relates to your topic

• A link with the audience

• A question/s

• A list

• A profound thought or fact

Never start with, “I am going to talk to you about ….” or “My speech today is about …” but you must greet your audience:

Introduce your speech, pause, greet your audience (Good morning ……), pause again and then start.

You do not need to say your name – you have already been introduced.

The Body This is the main part of your speech. Go back to your brainstorm and organise your information into 3-5 main areas (paragraphs) which will follow a logical order.

Each paragraph will contain information (statements) which you should back up with your research: examples, evidence, quotations, anecdotes.

Try not to use too many long sentences or words that you will stumble on.

If it isn’t helping to get your message across, get rid of it.

Make sure your paragraphs flow into each other smoothly – try to use transitions that make it easy to follow your ideas.

As of this year, there are to be no visual aids or

props used in the Formal Speech.

The ConclusionHow will you sum up your speech, tie it all together, relate it back to your introduction? (Try to summarise your main points without making it sound like a list.)

How will you leave your audience with a lasting impression? What will be your ‘takeaway point’?

How will your audience know you have finished?

The last thing you say should be said with your head held high and in a manner that lets the audience know that it is time to applaud.

Never say “Thank you” at the end.

Stand still and enjoy the applause.

Come out swinging!• A short anecdote: My Mum and I were driving home from town the other day,

tucked in behind a line of traffic and enjoying the fading autumn sunshine. Imagine our shock when, out of nowhere, a vehicle screamed up beside us and the front-seat passenger proceeded to …

• Link with the audience: I wonder if any of you have a grandparent or great-grandparent in their eighties or even nineties. Perhaps your Mum and Dad may be involved in their daily lives.

• A question: What is it that babies and old people get lots of but not necessarily at the right time? What is this thing that we think we get plenty of but our parents feel it’s not enough? New mothers talk about this thing all the time – it rules their life!

• A list: Handwriting, knitting, shaking hands, can openers, scissors, hockey sticks, computer number pads, writing in spiral binders – these things all have something in common.

• A profound thought or fact: The fifty-star American flag that we know today was designed by an Ohio high school student for a class project in 1958. His teacher gave him a B- for his efforts!

Speech written, preparing for delivery

LEARN YOUR SPEECH OFF BY HEART and PRACTISE

Cue Cards: Because you know your speech off-by-heart, you will only need one cue card with some highlighted main sentence starters on it to help find your way should you forget. (If you write out your whole speech on cards, you will be tempted to read it!) You can write on both sides of the card.

Your cue card should fit inside your hand – you will be penalised for big cue cards and/or binding rings.

By having just one card with the main starting points, it frees up your hands for gestures. Try not to cling to your card. RELAX!

LEARN YOUR SPEECH OFF BY HEART and PRACTISE

Delivering your speech

• Stand tall with your chin level with the ground, legs slightly apart and hands at your side or clasped comfortably in front or behind.

Cue card - hidden in your left palm.

Dress neatly, wear shoes/sandals and keep hair off your face. Avoid clothing/accessories which will distract the audience.

When you stand to speak, wait 5 seconds before starting to speak.

You may move a little from your starting spot but it should be natural.

Scan your audience – make eye contact.

Use natural and appropriate facial expression and gestures to help emphasise a point.

Maintain a pleasant demeanour – the audience enjoys a friendly, inclusive face.

Speak with confidence, passion, assurance and enthusiasm. Show that you believe in your speech.

My Voic

e

Articulation – clear,

easily understood

speech

Pitch and Volume – vary these for effect

Projection – the

people at the back

should hear you

Pace and Pause – a steady pace

and frequent,

well-placed pauses

Some other bits and pieces:

The language used should not offend – no slang.

Try to avoid annoying mannerisms often brought on by nervousness – touching your hair or face, pulling at clothes, shuffling legs/feet, giggling or pulling faces.

Remember – no props or visual aids

- always greet the audience but don’t introduce yourself

- avoid saying, “I am going to talk about…” or “My speech is about…”

- slow down

- small cue card hidden in your palm

- keep to the time limits - 3-5 minutes (Y7/8), 2½-4 minutes (Y5/6).

- don’t thank your audience at the end or say, “That is the end

of my speech.”

- relax and enjoy yourself – if you prepare well, you will!