Power Language: Public Speaking

Activity 7: Great Beginnings

Set the Stage

Every day people compete for your attention—parents, teachers, friends, even TV advertisers. Not everything can be exciting, but it helps when you at least know why a message is relevant to you. Connecting with the audience makes you a better speaker.

Speak Out

Brainstorm a list of topics that you might give a speech about. Decide three different ways you might begin a talk on each of the topics. For example, you might use a statistic that is startling. You might even use a photograph. Be as creative as possible.

Find a practice audience and try introducing one of your sample topics. Do the introduction several different ways, and ask for feedback.

Stretch the Message

Some speeches are so good they are remembered for many years. Find and study several famous speeches. What made them so popular? Try to put yourself in the position of the author. Why do you think he or she decided to begin one way instead of another? Are there other approaches that would also work? Think of the differences between the audiences many years ago and today. Can you update a speech and make it more modern?

Open Mike

Share

• Which introductions worked best? Which ones bombed?
• What types of messages generate the most excitement?
• How did you use your voice and hands in your introduction?

Process

• How would you stimulate interest in a topic that seems boring?
• How can research make your speech better?
• How might exaggeration be a good technique for engaging an audience? How might it be a bad technique?

Generalize

• How can your choice of words and gestures make you a better communicator?

Apply

• Can you think of a speech or a part in a movie that you memorized or remember well?