Check with the competition you’re entering since they may have a list of prompts you need to choose from. Look at the guidelines for the competition to figure out how long to make your speech. How much information you include depends on if you need to give a 5-minute or 10-minute speech.
For example, if you’re writing a speech about climate change, you may start with, “According to NASA, the last 136 years, 17 of the 18 warmest have occurred since 2001. ”[3] X Research source Keep your introduction to 4-5 sentences so you have time to expand on your points in the body of your speech.
For example, you may start with a personal story, talk about the issues of the point you’re discussing, and then offer recommendations or methods that could help. Breaking your speech into smaller parts helps your audience remember what you’re talking about. Make sure all the parts of your speech are related to the main topic. Otherwise, the judges and audience will get distracted by your tangents.
Ask a teacher at school to look over your speech or listen to you present so you can get academic feedback. It’s okay to reference notecards while you’re presenting, but don’t rely on other visuals, such as slideshows or graphs.
Avoid wearing clothes that are wrinkled or something that you would wear while you go out with your friends. Wear a red tie to show that you are business-oriented.
Smaller public speaking competitions may not have a microphone, so be sure to practice what volume you use while you’re speaking.
Use your hands while you speak so you avoid nervous fidgets, such as fiddling with your clothes or touching your hair. Move around while you’re presenting rather than staying in one place so you seem more engaging and confident.
Only smile if it’s appropriate for your speech topic. For example, if your topic is about climate change, you may keep a more serious tone, but you may smile while talking about ways to prevent it. Try using humor in your speech if it’s an appropriate topic.
Don’t focus on anyone for too long or they may start getting uncomfortable. Remember to make eye contact with the judges of the competition as well since they’ll be scoring your performance.
For example, after you give your closing line, you may say something as simple as, “Thank you all for listening. ”
Some competitions may let you split your time differently. For example, if you’re given 7 minutes, you may use 1 minute to prepare and 6 to speak, or you can prepare for 3 minutes and present for 4.
Use the PREP method to explain your Point, give a primary Reason for your point, share an Example, and reiterate your Point a final time. Talk about the pros and cons of the point you’re addressing before coming to your own conclusion about what would work best.
For example, if your prompt is why manners are important, you may start off with, “Using manners shows how much you respect another person and establishes what you expect in return. ” Since impromptu speeches tend to run for a shorter time than prepared speeches, keep your intro short and too the point.
For example, if you’re arguing why manners are important, you may make the argument that treating someone rudely will make others lose respect for you and that you don’t care about their time. Avoid rambling about your point since you’ll have a strict time limit.
Make sure to thank the audience when you’re finished.
