Once you’ve revised your speech so that it’s as clear and concise as possible, the next step, of course, is to deliver it! You can give your speech to a live audience if you will actually see your classmates soon, in person. Or you can use audio recording software, such as Audacity, to record your speech and upload it for your teacher and classmates to hear.
When you give a speech, it's important to deliver the speech rather than read it aloud. You've probably heard speeches or presentations where the speaker was actually reading instead of speaking. These presentations usually aren't very interesting to listen to. It can be very tempting to read your speech, though, especially if you're a little nervous.
Use the tips below to prepare your written speech so that you aren't tempted to read the speech rather than speaking it--and to make your voice something that your audience wants to hear.
| Big and Bold | Your speech will be easier to reference if you use extra-large, double-spaced typing. Boldface key phrases and ideas so that you can see them at a glance. |
| Memorize | You’ll want to look up at your audience as often as possible, so try to memorize the most important points you want to make, and the language you want to use to make those points. |
| Note Cards | Some speakers prefer to use note cards instead of a typed sheet of paper. They write each main point on a different note card and place the note cards in the order they want to cover the points. |
| Be Expressive | If you vary your tone of voice and your volume, your speech will be clearer, and you won’t sound like a robot. Use your voice to emphasize important points, raise questions, or get your audience’s attention. |
| Speak Up | Be sure to speak loudly, clearly, and slowly so that you can be easily understood. |
Whatever method you use to deliver your speech, take some time to practice. Ask a parent or friend to listen to your speech and to give you feedback on its clarity and conciseness as well as the way you speak the words. Are you talking too quickly? Too quietly?
Unless your teacher tells you that you will deliver your speech in person, use Audacity or another audio recording program to create an audio file of your speech. Then submit that file to your teacher.
Your work on this assignment will be graded according to the following rubric.
| Criteria | |
| Expressiveness 2 points |
1 Point: You delivered your speech in a way that sounded natural and expressive rather than sounding as though you’re reading the speech aloud. |
| 1 Point: You varied your tone, your volume, and the pace of your delivery in a way that is likely to hold listeners’ interest. | |
| Clarity 2 points |
1 Point: You used your voice to emphasize key points or raise questions. |
| 1 Point: You spoke loudly, clearly, and slowly so that your words were easy to hear and understand. |
