Proper Delivery In Public Speaking

The most vital element in public speaking is delivery. Without a strong and effective delivery even the most powerful of words will be ignored and forgotten before the speaker has left the stage. All too often students in public speaking place far too much emphasis on preparing their material and far too little on taking that material from their mind to the listener’s ear.

Opening and Closing

The first thing a speaker must know when stepping out into the arena of public speaking is when to begin speaking. A good speaker should never begin their speech the second they step up to the podium (or stage, or wherever they happen to be). Rather, they should pause for a moment to ensure that they have the complete attention of their audience. Following their salutation, which should be brief, pleasant and to the point, the speaker should allow for another brief (a few moments at most), anticipatory pause before launching into the meat of their speech.

After they have made their closing remarks they should pause for a moment, allowing the impact of their final words to sink in before slipping back into their seat. Many times a novice to the arena of public speaking will rush away from the stage the moment they finish speaking, causing the audience to lose a great deal of the “punch” their words were intended to carry.

Methods of Delivery

There are five ways that a speech can be delivered, and it is up to each individual orator to determine which method of delivery they prefer.

1.      Write it out in full, then read it from a paper or a teleprompter.

2.      Write it out, then commit it to memory

3.      Write it out in full, then memorize the opening and closing statements and any part the speaker deems most important. The rest of the speech can then be read.

4.      Use an outline to suggest headings in a logical order, then improvise the material.

5.      Speak without any notes at all.

In most instances of public speaking it doesn’t matter which of these the speaker chooses to use so long as they are familiar with their material and therefore capable of making a strong delivery.

Reading the Speech

Reading the speech is both the simplest and the most difficult method of delivery in public speaking. It ensures that the speaker says everything that they intended to say (without throwing in anything they’re going to regret when the reviewers get their hands on the words) and presents arguments in a properly analytical manner, allowing for facts and figures that might otherwise be forgotten.

On the other hand, there are very few speakers who can read a speech from a piece of paper or a teleprompter and make it sound like anything other than a lecture. Effective public speaking demands both zest and verve, neither one of which is present when a speech comes from a page rather than the  mind.

Memorizing the Speech

Memorizing a written speech is a slight improvement over direct recitation in public speaking. The speaker has the opportunity to practice the parts which demand to be brought to life while at the same time ensuring that they present their material carefully, with definite reasoning and careful construction.

There are still drawbacks, however. Even with plenty of practice it can be difficult to make a written speech sound like anything other than the carefully researched discourse that it is. Emphasis is often lacking, the tone monotonous and variety in speech patterns conspicuously absent. The speech flows along without any of the enthusiasm that would be present if the speaker was simply speaking “off the cuff”.

When delivering the memorized speech the speaker needs to become the consummate actor. He should be able to simulate real feeling when he speaks, and to do so in a manner that lacks the smooth monotone of a carefully prepared presentation. Even with these precautions, however, the keen listener will probably be able to tell that the material has been prepared in advance. The difference in the details between the written word and the spoken word is usually enough to alert an audience to when the speaker is speaking from the heart and when they are reciting memorized material.

Memorizing Parts

Memorizing bits and pieces of a speech carries with it the same difficulties as the two methods described above. A student in public speaking that has not yet learned the art of taking material off the written page and breathing life into it so that it becomes an entity of its own will find that a speech memorized in part becomes a hideous patchwork monstrosity of spontaneous speaking and carefully prepared recitation.

Speaking from an Outline

Public speaking from an outline is by far the easiest method for the beginner. They have the opportunity to pull their material into a carefully prepared format so that they’re not left scrambling when onstage, but their familiarity with their subject will shine through in the “impromptu” presentation of the details. The speech will flow smoothly as the speaker warms to their topic, avoiding the “patchwork” impression that was discussed earlier.

The Best Method

Although it sounds illogical, the best type of public speaking is that which is done with very little preparation altogether. A good speaker should know his material well enough that he can tell his listener about it without having to worry about faltering in his thought process, and his speaking skills should be developed enough that he doesn’t have to worry about tripping over his tongue. A spontaneously given speech, even one that has been carefully researched, comes from the speaker’s heart, and they will have the opportunity in the heat of the moment to decide what to include, what to omit, what to rush through, what should be lingered over, what can be treated lightly and what demands gravity.

A speech given off the cuff is the gold standard in public speaking, and it’s the ideal toward which all speakers, whether they be students or professionals, should strive.

My Name Is Christopher Carlin And I Want To Give You Twenty Free Public Speaking Tips

 

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