BellaOnline Forums Education Teaching LDS Writing Speeches

I've started a series of articles on writing speeches/talks. Do you have a set procedure you use to build a speech? Do you enjoy speaking?

Actually I find that I forget everything when I give a talk. It doesn't matter how prepared I am I awlays look extremely unprepared. I can't even remember anything of the topic! Even the simplest question evade me.

I always write my talk out word for word, but I also make an outline. When speaking at church, I have a podium, so I carry everything in a folder. I put the outline in front of me, and the word for word beside it. If I totally blank, I can go to the word for word for a moment. I have it color coded so I can find what I need.

If I'm speaking for my book, I usually don't have a podium (and at mother's group meetings, I'm often on the floor.) Then I just have the outline.

Like you, I write a word-for-word version, then an outline. In addition to including SHORT passages of scripture and quotes, I make sure to always include at least one true experience which illustrates the talk (everyone likes stories). To finish, I tie the end of my talk into the beginning...

After it's written I move on to the next most important part: PRACTICE. I practice it out loud, in front of a mirror if I feel really nervous. Like I tell my children--never read your talk, practice it enough that if you lose your papers you can still give it.

Wow, hi Terrie! It has been a long time! Lisa got me back here by mass e-mailing all old forum members about the forum updates. =) FYI Terrie, the link in your post just takes me to Bella's main page. I would love to look over your site and read your articles, but it is difficult to navigate to get there. I have added this thread to my Watched Topics, and I hope to be back soon! *hugs*

I am teaching high school English once again!

During the course of every day, I have to give many mini speeches. I find the easiest and best way to keep myself and the students aware of what still needs to be said, is to post an outline. This can be written on a poster or on the board, or printed and handed out if no computer projector is available, but it is much more fun if it can be projected onto a screen or a wall directly from a laptop computer. This way, I can project pictures, graphics, short videos -- anything. Most audiences nowadays are accustomed to multi-media and will grow restless during a long speech that does not include these elements. Even churches use multimedia these days.

I map out the whole semester of lessons - speeches, really - in advance. When preparing for each day, I look at my master plan to see what needs to be said and where we need to be by the next day. Then, I zoom in on what I will present that next day...

I suppose most of the forum readers aren't teachers and won't find this relevant, so I will generalize. Even in the type of speech that is actually a lecture, it helps to engage the audience. Audiences go to sleep if they aren't engaged. Here are some engagement methods that I find work really well:

Polls - "How many of you agree that..., raise your hands."
Repeating - "That is important! Everyone say it together..."
Telling - "That's right! Everyone tell the person next to you..."