Digital @ The Arts Unit Creative Classes
Express yourself eloquently
Analyse the impact of mannerism in public speaking
Student public speaking resource developed by The Arts Unit
Years 7 to 12 public speaking
What will I learn?
You will:
analyse manner in public speaking
experiment with different speaking styles
organise your ideas
practise your own prepared speech
reflect on your practice.
Before you begin
You will need:
an ideas notebook and a pen or pencil
palm cards or pieces of paper.
Review
Public speaking is when you speak in front of an audience. Some examples of when you might need to do public speaking include; talking in front of the class, in a debate, presenting a project or participating in a public speaking competition at school.
It's more formal than everyday conversations. For example, the speaker usually talks to an audience (without being interrupted) in a structured way.
Some people love to talk and some people can't think of anything worse than public speaking! Even though it can sometimes be scary, public speaking is a great opportunity because it gives you a chance to communicate your ideas, knowledge or opinions to a large group of people.
Every year, hundreds of students take part in public speaking competitions in NSW schools. Some students go on to compete in local district, regional, state and national finals. At public speaking events, students make 2 speeches:
a prepared speech (which they have rehearsed)
an impromptu speech (a speech made up on the day, based around a surprise topic).
When we discuss a speech (and when adjudicators judge a speech) we look at something called the 3 Ms:
Matter is what you say
Manner is how you say it
Method is the structure of a speech.
In public speaking, the most important element is matter. Matter matters most!
However, it is also important to have good manner and matter if you want your speech to be really effective.
In this class we are going to explore manner in more depth.
Let's get started!
Manner
Manner is what you look and sound like when you give your speech. In other words, your mannerisms.
When we talk about manner, we think about how the speaker uses their voice, face (expressions) and body (movements, hand gestures) to communicate clearly with the audience.
Watch the video Manner to find out more!
After watching the video:
Summarise what can you recall about 'manner'? Think/pair/share.
clarify anything that came up in the video that you're unsure of.
Good manners
Good communication requires skills in speaking and listening.
Consider 'good' mannerism and 'bad' mannerisms.
Write about what you should do and not do in a speech (at least 5 of each).
Check to see if some of your answers are in the drop-down boxes below.
Do ...
speak loud enough so they can hear you from the back of the room (as this is normally where the adjudicator sits!)
speak clearly so the audience can understand you.
use your face, hands and voice to help explain what you're talking about. You can convey lots of emotion this way!
look at the people you are talking to ('eye contact').
stand in a relaxed, natural way.
Don't ...
rush (don't speak too quickly).
pause for too long or speak too slowly.
sway or move around too much (this can be distracting!)
perform like an actor, sing or do any over-the-top gestures.
stare at your palm cards the whole time
try to do a speech without palm cards (you never know when you will get nervous and forget a bit of your speech!)
over-rehearse. One or two 'ums' are okay!
speak without any emotion. You want to avoid sounding robotic.
What not to do
Watch and analyse these 2 examples of speeches.
Both speeches are delivered by comedians who are purposely doing things that they should not be doing in a speech.
While watching, make a list of the mannerisms you identify as ineffective, or 'what not to do'.
1. Derek Zoolander eugoogly
Duration: 1:19(watch until 01:19)
2. Taika Waititi TEDTalk on The Art of Creativity
Duration: 2:16(watch until 02:16)
If you're unsure check this list of 'what not to do' in speeches after completing the task:
Some examples:
unnecessarily explaining a joke or a metaphor
awkward or inappropriate references
not focusing on the purpose at hand
yelling over an interruption
many 'ums' and 'ahs'
lists that don’t seem to go anywhere.
Analyse
The way we communicate with others is influenced by our culture. For example, in some cultures, maintaining 'eye contact' is considered to be disrespectful. In other cultures, certain hand or body gestures (like nodding) can mean different things, too.
Can you think of any ways that your cultural background influences the way you communicate with others?
Remember, when relating to people from other cultures it is sometimes important to modify your speech, tone of voice or body language in order to be respectful.
Watch the video of Janet Diba presenting her prepared speech at the 2018 national finals.
Prepared speech – Janet Diba
2018 Legacy Junior Public Speaking Award National Final
Video transcript – Prepared speech by Janet Diba
After watching the video completed the following:
Discuss
What makes Janet a good speaker and communicator?
What is she doing well in her manner?
Reflect
Who are other good speakers that you know of?
What makes them good?
Speaking clearly
Tongue twisters
One aspect of good communication is speaking clearly, but everybody stumbles now and then. At the end of the day, 'matter' matters the most. It's important that you don't let mispronouncing, forgetting or repeating a word throw you off when you are presenting.
The purpose of this activity is to forge ahead and/or correct yourself if you mix up your words. In small groups, take it in turns to say the following tongue twisters. Each is to be said twice clearly with correct word pronunciation.
Hint: tongue twisters are also an excellent way to prepare your voice and mouth before presenting a speech.
Top ten twisters
Truly plural
A big black bug bit a big brown bear
Canned cod comes completely cooked
Bonnie burned the brown bread badly
Eight grey geese grazing in Greece
Six thick thistle sticks
The sun shines on the shop signs
Tom threw Tan three thumb tacks
Weak writers want white ruled writing paper
Do you know some other tongue twisters you can try and master?
Using 'um' and pauses
Using 'um'
Although you don't want to say too many, it is okay to say the occasional 'um' or 'ah' when speaking! These are thinking words (also called 'filler words' or 'hesitation words') and can have many useful purposes when speaking.
We don't use them in formal, written language, but it is sometimes okay to use them when speaking. While we don't want too many of these in a prepared speech, just a few is okay!
Watch the video to find out more.
Why do we, like, hesitate when we, um, speak?
Duration: 5:33Pausing
The great thing about public speaking is that no one is going to interrupt you like they might in a conversation. For this reason, it can be useful to pause instead of say 'um' if you're thinking during your speech.
In addition to a 'thinking pause' there are also 'powerful pauses'! These pauses are something you do on purpose. You might pause to:
control your speed
make your point more dramatic
give the audience time to think about what you just said
get the audience's attention
give the audience time to laugh after a joke
allow the audience time to mentally answer a rhetorical question.
Watch the following video before answering the questions below. Hint: watch Tips 1 to 11.
How to effectively use pauses during your public speech
Duration: Watch until 8:43From the video answer the following questions.
Describe 3 instances you might pause during a speech.
How can you remind yourself to pause during a speech?
Gestures
A gesture refers to the movements you make with your hands or arms as you speak.
We sometimes refer to the 'box of normality'. Basically, any gestures within this imaginary box in front of you appear 'normal'.
If it's any bigger you might look like you are performing instead of speaking. If it's any smaller (like if your hands stay in your pockets or are incredibly still) it looks a bit uncomfortable to the audience.
Analyse
Take a closer look at this picture of a student presenting their speech.
Question 1: what is good about her use of gestures?
Make connections
Your manner should match (and enhance) your matter.
Question 2: What sorts of things do you think this student is talking about, based on her gestures?
Possible answers:
Task 1:
She has her palm cards in one hand so she can make gestures.
Her gestures are within the 'box of normality'.
She is moving her hands in a standard way to express herself (not too big or overly dramatic!)
Her stance isn't changing too much (which is good!) but she is making small movements with her arms and hands so she doesn't look too stiff. She is also looking around at the audience in an engaging way.
Task 2:
(From left to right)
In the first picture she might be asking the audience a rhetorical question, or pondering why something is happening.
In the second picture she could be explaining something.
In the third picture she might be listing reasons or explaining the order in which something happened.
In the fourth picture she could be comparing things (e.g. "On one hand... but on the other hand...")
1. Read the following speech excerpt, adding in gestures that you think would be suitable.
Make sure you move within the 'box of normality' and try not to go over-the-top with your gestures.
Text to read
"The fact that humans spend so much time sitting down is – when you think about it – actually quite absurd. If our bodies are made to move, why do we choose crash in front of the TV, or sit and scroll on phones so much?
According to the World Health Organisation, a lack of physical activity is responsible for more than 5 million deaths worldwide each year! This is a seriously concerning statistic.
Unsurprisingly, one way to help avoid this is to encourage a culture that values physical activity. There are two simple ways we can approach this. One: encourage kids to be active from a young age, and two: find more ways for them to actively play."
Voice and expression
Voice and expression normally go hand in hand. If you sound excited by something, your facial expressions will generally match that. If your voice sounds bored and monotone, there's a good chance your face will look blank and disinterested, too.
In public speaking, it's important for your voice and facial expressions to reflect what you are talking about. This can (and should!) change throughout your speech.
Remember, how a speech is presented or delivered will depend on its purpose as well as the personality of the speaker. Some speakers will be great storytellers, some will sound sincere and serious and others will be quite comical. These are all okay! You will soon learn what style suits you and what will suit your speech.
Draw or describe how someone might look and sound when expressing the following sentences:
It's worth considering the perspectives of both countries in this instance.
Why do people continue to harass and troll others on social media?
People are becoming a lot more conscious of what they're putting into their bodies.
This blatantly disregards the most basic human rights!
Using palm cards
Palm cards are an excellent tool to help you stay on track and remain confident during your speech. Most students use small pieces of paper or cardboard which list the key parts of their speech (using dot points, preferably).
When using palm cards:
Don't try to read your speech from the cards. Look at them as little as possible so that you are able to maintain eye contact and engage with your audience.
Avoid writing full sentences and instead use prompts or dot points (like the following image).
Hold your palm cards in one hand so that you are also able to use gestures when appropriate.
Top tip: Even if you know your speech off by heart, it's always a good idea to have palm cards. You never know when you'll get nervous or distracted and forget your next point. Interestingly, palm cards also help you make more natural gestures.
Task
Explain the benefits of using dot points on palm cards (instead of writing full sentences).
What are 3 important things to remember when it comes to using palm cards?
Reflect
1. Recording yourself speak
Record yourself presenting a short, prepared speech on a simple topic (e.g. something you're really knowledgeable about or interested in).
2. Analyse
Watch your recording back and reflect on your mannerisms. This can be awkward and intimidating to do, but is a very valuable tool for self reflection! You get to see what the audience would see.
Make sure you're not too critical of yourself. Focus on what you did well, in addition to what you'd like to work on.
For your voice, consider:
Volume – was your voice too loud, too soft or just right? Did your volume change throughout the speech?
Clarity – were any words mumbled or difficult to understand?
Pace – how fast were you talking? Did this change throughout the speech?
Cadence – did your voice change in pitch as you spoke, or was it monotone?
Tone – did you use different tones throughout the speech?
Pauses – did you pause at certain moments in your speech? If so, were the pauses effective?
For your body, face and hand gestures, consider:
Gestures – did you move your hands a lot, a little or just enough?
Stance – did you stand very still, did you sway, did you move naturally?
Eye contact – where was your gaze? Did it move throughout your speech?
Expression – did you use facial expressions to match your tone?
Other – was there anything else you noticed?
Congratulations!
You have completed this Digital @ The Arts Unit Creative Class
You are on your way to becoming a great public speaker!
To investigate public speaking in more detail and explore a range of skills building activities you might like to complete these creative classes:
Third-party content attributions
Statistics from the World Health Organisation article 'To grow up health, children need to sit less and play more'