Speech Arts Festival
On Wednesday, June 18
th
, we will be inviting your parents/caregivers to a Speech Arts
Festival in our class. Everyone will be presenting a speech about a topic of his/her choice.
We will be working on your speeches during language over the net few weeks in order
to prepare. !o help keep everyone organi"ed with ti#e, here are the due dates for each
stage of the speech preparation.
Due Date
Topic Choice !hursday, $ay %%nd
Rough Draft of Speech !uesday, &une 'rd
Cue Cards $onday, &une ()th
Dress Rehearsal of Speeches Wednesday, &une ((
th
and !hursday,
&une (%
th
Characteristics of a speech
*%*+ #inutes in length
*written out on cue cards
*practiced so often by reading that it is al#ost or fully #e#ori"ed
*props/costu#es are not allowed
*no ecessive #ove#ents
*facial epressions and gestures ok
*use voice dra#atically through pacing, pauses, pitch, and tone
choosing a topic
,our topic can be researched or be about so#ething you know well. !hink about what
you love doing. -o you have a hobby or an interest that you love to talk about.
Once you have chosen your topic, #ake sure it is not too large or not too s#all. /heck
with #e first.
Steps for writing your speech
(. Once you have your topic chosen, plan out your three sub*topics.
%. /reate your opening state#ent (your hook! Ea#ples0
*use a 1uotation fro# so#eone fa#ous
*state a fact
*ask a 1uestion
*pro#ise so#ething
*arouse suspense
*cite a poe# or song or 2oke
'. Start writing out the details about each of your sub*topics. Write in full sentences.
-on3t worry about spelling. -on3t write your introduction or conclusion until the end.
+. 4ead what you have written and ti#e yourself. !his will give you an idea of how #uch
#ore you need to write to get within the ti#e li#it.
5. 4ead what you have written out loud to so#eone. Ask for feedback and then #ake it
#ore interesting.
6. Write your 7ntroduction and /onclusion
SOME POINTS TO HELP YOU DELIE! " #!E"T SPEECH
Voice
Speak up8 4e#e#ber the people at the back of the roo#. 9ary your pitch, tone, and
speed.
Gestures
:estures are i#portant* use your face, your eyebrows, your shoulders, your hands.
;ractice your gestures every ti#e you practice your speech so that they beco#e natural to
you. -on3t overdo the gestures so that they beco#e ridiculous. ,ou #ay not walk about*
stay in one spot. ;rops are not allowed.
Eye contact
<ook at the audience = not the floor or the ceiling. -on3t look at your friends if they
distract you. ,ou can look at your cue cards if you have not fully #e#ori"ed the speech*
but look up in between. -on3t 2ust look at one person in the audience.
Pause effectively
;ractice your pauses. <eave a #o#ent if you epect the audience to laugh. Speak #ore
slowly than you feel like. >eing nervous #akes you speak 1uickly and shortens the
speech.
Relax stand comfortably
>e aware of nervous #anneris#s and eli#inate the#.
<et your face reflect your e#otions.
?appy !alks = look happy. Serious talks*look serious.
Cue cards
Write your speech out in full sentences on cue cards.
-on3t have half a sentence on ( card and half on another. Start a new cue card if a
sentence doesn3t fit. Write on only one side of the cards. @u#ber your cards.
;ractice with cue cards.
Closin
-on3t finish your speech with Athe endB
A clear short strong positive ending is best
P$anning Te%p$ate
Opening State%ent
Intro&uction
Su'topic (
Su'topic )
Su'topic *
Conc$usion
