How to give a persuasive speech

1. How to give a persuasive speech Oral Presentations in VCE English

2. Why give a Speech? • What is the purpose of your speech? • What are you trying to achieve? • Engage • Convince • Impact

3. How do you prepare an effective speech? • Understand the task – what do you need to do? • Present a point of view on a current issue • Have a clear contention with supporting arguments • Use a variety of evidence and persuasive techniques • Consider (and rebut) opposing views

4. How do you prepare an effective speech? • Brainstorm your ideas for the topic • What is the issue? • What is your initial opinion? • What other points of view could you take? • Research your ideas for the topic • How has the issue been reported in the media? • What are the arguments for and against? • What research evidence, expert opinions and anecdotal evidence can you find to support your view?

5. How do you prepare an effective speech? • Form a Contention • Clearly state your point of view • Decide your main reasons • What are your main points and what order will you present them in? • Should the strongest argument be first or last? • Is the progression of ideas logical? • Do you have a rebuttal in your final point?

6. How do you prepare an effective speech? • Flesh out • Develop supporting explanations for each point • Give different types of evidence: statistical/research, experts, eyewitness, anecdotal • Persuasive techniques • Which techniques will you employ to persuade your audience? • What tone will you speak in? • Consider the context – are you adopting a persona or addressing a particular audience?

7. Structuring your Speech: Introduction • Introduction: • Greet your audience and introduce yourself • HOOK - Grab attention – unusual fact, emotive anecdote, statistic, quote, question, shock tactic. • State your contention clearly • Refer to main points you will expand on, in the order you will make the points.

8. Structuring your Speech: Body • Body: Give the reasons that support your contention in a clear, logical order (like paragraphs) • Paragraph 1, 2, 3,4: • State argument (TOPIC SENTENCE) • Give evidence: statistics, research, expert, personal anecdote, quote etc. • Elaborate and persuade: repetition, hypothetical, personalisation, comparisons, emotional appeals, emotive language etc. • Last Body Paragraph: Rebuttal of Opposing views • Acknowledge opposing arguments • Give your disagreement/rebuttal/counterargument • Give evidence • Elaborate and persuade.

9. Structuring your Speech: Conclusion • Conclusion: Restate and Challenge • Restate your contention • Refer to main arguments (briefly) • Offer recommendations/solutions/suggestions • Challenge the reader/listener to act. • Finish with punch: question, quote, prediction

10. How to deliver your speech • The 3 Ps: • Pause: use gaps in your speech to add meaning and emphasis. Wait before and after important points to ensure your message is being heard. • Pace: watch the speech of your deliver – if it is too fast, your audience won’t follow and your words will have less impact. Vary the pace to be interesting. • Pitch: Vary your volume, register, and intonation to maintain interest and emphasise different points. Don’t be monotone and DON’T READ! • Know your speech and avoid ums and aahs • Don’t giggle, laugh or apologise

11. How to deliver your speech • The Audience • The focus of your speech should be the audience. Don’t ignore them. • Make meaningful eye contact – Four Corners rule (ensure you direct your attention to all parts of the room, not just at the teacher) • Speak to them, don’t read to them

12. How to deliver your speech • Resources • Use resources to support your speech • They shouldn’t detract from what you are saying • Visual texts should support the point you are making • Slideshows should have minimal words (10 per slide). • Words on the slide must be consistent with what you are saying! • Videos should be short (30 seconds) and relevant • Practice using your technology to ensure it runs smoothly. • No excuses for technology failure

13. How to deliver your speech • Non-verbal communication: • Posture: stand straight and strong, don’t slouch, sit, lean. Square your shoulders. • Body Language: Don’t slouch; keep your head up; open body (don’t cross arms or turn away). • Movement: Move purposefully across a room, if you wish to use the space, otherwise keep still, don’t shift your weight from leg to leg. • Gestures: can be powerful and meaningful, but must be intentional. Avoid hand movements that are distracting: tapping, playing with your hair, general waving, shrugging etc. • Eye Contact: make regular contact with individuals in all areas of the room.

14. How to deliver your speech • Cue Cards • Have notes as prompts for your speech, dot points and key facts. • Small enough to hold in one hand. • Don’t have an A4 page or strips of an A4 page cut up! • Key words will help you speak your ideas rather than read them • Do not write too much on one card, or write it too small – use as many cards as you need. These can help you from losing your piece.

15. How to deliver your speech • Rehearsal • ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL!! • You need to completely know your speech and what you want to say. • Reading your speech will not allow you to pass the outcome • Use all your resources when practising (cue cards, powerpoint) • Practise in front of a mirror, friends, family. • Take critical feedback and improve.

16. How to deliver your speech • Believe what you’re saying: • Your audience won’t be convinced if you’re not. • Ensure you know your issue and are speaking from the heart (or appear to be!). This will engage the audience.

17. What prevents people from making an effective speech? • Fear, nerves, • Lack of Knowledge and rehearsal; underprepared • Reading • Speed of speech (usually too fast) • Not interested in the topic • Thinking you must be perfect • Think that the audience will be critical • Speaking to the teacher! • Trying to give too much information without leaving the audience time to process and think.

18. How to overcome these things • Practise, Practise, Practise