General tips for public speaking and debating

Posture and Body Language Proper posture Stand up straight Keep your shoulders back and your chest out Keep your feet on the ground Do not slouch or slump over Body Language Avoid crossing your arms or making fists Use gestures to enhance your speech, not to distract from it

Articulation how your total vocal process works articulation noun 1.  the aspect of pronunciation that involves bringing articulatory organs together so as to shape the sounds of speech (www.dictionary.com)

Pronunciation pro⋅nun⋅ci⋅a⋅tion –noun 1. the act or result of producing the sounds of speech, including articulation, stress, and intonation, often with reference to some standard of correctness or acceptability. 2. an accepted standard of the sound and stress patterns of a syllable, word, etc. (www.dictionary.com) Always be sure to check the pronunciation of unfamiliar words.

Pitch The highs and lows of your voice Avoid being monotone

Pace The speed of your speech Between 140-160 words per minute is the normal pace for a persuasive speech The human ear and brain can compile and decode over 400 spoken words per minute

Caesura The pause Use pauses to emphasize or highlight words or phrases in your speech.

Volume Always be aware of your volume Be sure to speak to the last row of your audience without shouting at them

Quality Quality of voice is gauged by the overall impact that your voice has on your listeners. Quality of voice is the net caliber of your voice, its character and attributes.

Variance Vary the elements of your voice Change your pitch, volume, and speed at least once every 30 seconds, if only for just one word. Never go more than one paragraph without a vocal variance. Let the words speak for themselves; reflect their nature through your voice.

Great Speeches

Your Assignment Search www.youtube.com for great speeches You must choose TWO speeches One speech should be a famous historical speech One speech should be a famous movie speech Post each speech video link and analysis comment to this post Copy and paste the link from www.youtube.com into your comment and write an analysis of the speech with reference to the elements of public speaking. Your analysis must be specific and must be at least one paragraph in length for each video clip Be prepared to present your work to the class.