how to write a speech for grade 8

Question and Answer forum for K12 Students

Speech Writing for Class 8 CBSE Format, Examples, Topics, Exercises

A speech is used to convey information orally to a number of people. The purpose of a speech is:

• to convince the listeners about the speaker’s point of view
• to pass on a wide range of information
• to express an opinion, share a point of view, experience, observation, etc.

Basic  English Grammar  rules can be tricky. In this article, we’ll get you started with the basics of sentence structure, punctuation, parts of speech, and more.

Speech Writing Class 8 Format, Examples, Topics, Exercises PDF

Parts of a speech

• Salutation: This is where the speaker greets the chief guests, fellow speakers and audience.
• Key sentence: It is the central theme or the key issue of the speech. Since this introduces your speech, it should be catchy.
• Body: You will need supporting data to make the speech credible and interesting. This should reflect clarity of thought, accuracy of facts and a balanced view, unless it is a debate that calls for an one-sided stand.
• Conclusion: It should be brief, consolidate ideas, personal observations and predictions, with a catchy and striking end.
• Thanking the audience: One needs to thank the audience at the end of the speech.

Format of a speech

• Opening statement (Good Morning …)
• Statement of problem
• Causes of problem
• Suggestions
• Concluding remarks

• Use simple language and involve the audience.
• Do not exceed the word limit.

A speech is merely a one-sided discussion, in which one person constructs a talk on a given topic and presents it to an audience.

A debate, on the other hand, is a discussion between opposing sides. In a debate, you present viewpoint within a given time slot. One gets some time for each side to cross-examine the other, which is the rebuttal round.

Starting • Chairperson, Members of the Jury, Teachers and my dear friends

• I strongly support/reject/oppose the motion …
• Firstly, speaking for/against the topic …
• My worthy opponent has just pointed out … But I feel
• Although my opponent may feel …
• Summing up …
• Finally, I would like to say that …

Writing task A. Your school is celebrating the “Save Earth Week’. You have to give a speech in the morning assembly on the topic ‘Save Earth, Save Life’. Use the prompts given below to write the speech.

• natural resources depleting every day
• dumping waste indiscriminately
• pollution—land, water, air, noise, light
• resulting in diseases/ill-health
• flora and fauna perishing
• need to wake up before it’s too late

Answer: Encourage the students to use their creativity and formulate their own answers.

Save Earth, Save Life

Earth is our home, and we have nowhere else to live. Mother earth is our nurturer and our nourisher. However, the truth is that our mother is in a deplorable state. Yes, environmental changes are real. Everything that we do, all of our activities, affect the environment. Some of this is inevitable, and there’s not much we can do about it. But most of this is caused by our callousness and unbounded greed. Our natural resources are depleting day by day. And we must ensure that we leave it intact for our future generations.

Sustainable development is the need of the hour. We must plant more trees and find more sustainable alternatives to the use of fossil fuels such as coal, petroleum and diesel. Reforestation should be encouraged, and deforestation should be penalized. Growth should not happen at the cost of our environment. We need to spread awareness on this matter at the grassroots levels. We must save our planet earth by saving our trees, natural vegetation, natural resources, water and electricity. Measures must be taken for controlling environmental pollution and global warming.

We need to reduce our use of paper, and also recycle it whenever we can. The use, of air conditioners, should be minimized, and electricity should never be wasted. Water pollution should also be kept in check by not throwing garbage in our water bodies. We must strive for safe and pure drinking water. Industries should ensure that their pollution level is always under control, and huge penalties must be laid on those who produce pollution levels beyond the permissible limits. Industry waste should also be treated carefully and then disposed off.

It is high time that we become aware of what we are doing to our environment. We need to take small steps individually to have a larger effect on our environment.

B. School uniforms are an important point of discussion these days. While some feel that they help maintain discipline and uniformity, some feel that they curtail a child’s right to freedom of expression. As the head boy/head girl, write for or against the topic—Uniforms Make Schools Better’. You can use the table given below to express your point of view.

Uniforms Make Schools Better—For the Topic

It is a truth universally acknowledged that nobody would like to dress in the same kind of clothes every day. It is not exciting to wear the same shirt, blazer and tie day after day. But uniforms are not the drag that we make them out to be. The idea of a school uniform is neither new, nor exciting. But wearing it is like wearing a badge of honour, and should be a matter of pride for the students. It fills them with a sense of belongingness to a particular school or educational institute. It is often the first element of our identity in the outer world.

It shows that we identify with and endorse the values that a particular school or institute espouses. Uniforms teach a person to take pride in the identity that they have created. It helps each student to express their inner personality freely, and reduces dependence on their looks. It helps reduce peer pressure, because there is no competition to look better than the other person or follow the latest trend. It helps foster equality among all students and dispels groupism.

It helps reduce distraction among students, and helps them concentrate on what is actually important—their academic performance. It also helps in preventing bullying because of how someone dresses. Having a uniform can be a safety net for many students who might otherwise suffer from bullying. A strict uniform inculcates discipline among students, helping maintain a sense of order at school. Not only this, it makes it easier to identify intruders, thus making school a safe haven for all.

It also makes it easy for the students to dress up in the morning, and makes one look smart and dapper. School uniform isn’t fashionable, but that’s exactly why I think it should be here to stay.

Speech Writing For Class 8 Format, Examples, Topics, Exercises

Introduction:.

Speech writing is an important skill that can help students to communicate effectively in a variety of settings, including academic, social, and professional contexts. In this guide, we will discuss the format, examples, topics, and exercises related to writing a speech for Class 8 students.

Format Of Speech Writing For Class 8:

A speech should have a clear and logical structure, which includes the following elements:

1. Introduction: The introduction should grab the audience’s attention and provide an overview of the topic that will be discussed in the speech. It should also include a thesis statement or main idea that the speech will address. 2. Body: The body of the speech should provide evidence and support for the main idea or thesis statement. It should be organized into several main points or arguments, with each point supported by evidence, facts, and examples. 3. Conclusion: The conclusion should summarize the main points of the speech and restate the thesis statement or main idea. It should also leave a lasting impression on the audience and encourage them to take action or think differently about the topic.

Also Read: Speech Writing Class 6 

Examples Of Speech Writing For Class 8:

Example 1: A Speech on the Importance of Education

Introduction: Good morning, everyone. Today, I would like to talk to you about the importance of education. Education is the key to unlocking our potential and achieving our dreams.

Body: There are several reasons why education is so important. First, education provides us with the knowledge and skills we need to succeed in life. It helps us to think critically, solve problems, and communicate effectively. Second, education opens up doors to opportunities that would otherwise be closed to us. With education, we can pursue our passions and achieve our goals. Finally, education empowers us to make a positive difference in the world by contributing to our communities and making the world a better place.

Conclusion: In conclusion, education is essential to our personal and collective success. We should all strive to learn as much as we can and pursue our passions with passion and dedication. By doing so, we can make a positive impact on the world and achieve our dreams.

Example 2: A Speech on Climate Change

Introduction: Good afternoon, everyone. Today, I would like to talk to you about climate change. Climate change is one of the most pressing issues facing our planet today, and it is up to all of us to take action to address it.

Body: Climate change is caused by the release of greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide, into the atmosphere. These gases trap heat and cause the Earth’s temperature to rise, leading to a wide range of negative impacts, such as rising sea levels, more frequent and severe weather events, and the loss of biodiversity. It is important that we take action to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions by using renewable energy, reducing our use of fossil fuels, and adopting sustainable practices in our daily lives.

Conclusion: In conclusion, climate change is a serious threat to our planet, and we must all take action to address it. By working together and adopting sustainable practices, we can help to reduce our impact on the environment and create a better future for ourselves and future generations.

Topics Of Speech Writing For Class 8:

There are several topics that Class 8 students can explore when writing a speech, such as:

1. The importance of volunteering in the community 2. The benefits of a healthy lifestyle 3. The impact of social media on society 4. The importance of financial literacy 5. The effects of bullying and how to prevent it 6. The importance of mental health and well-being 7. The role of technology in our daily lives 8. The importance of diversity and inclusion in society

Exercises Of Speech Writing For Class 8:

To practice writing a speech, Class 8 students can try the following exercises:

Exercise 1: Choose a topic that interests you and write a speech on why it is important. Be sure to include evidence and examples to support your argument.

Exercise 2: Research a current event or issue, such as climate change or gun control, and write a speech outlining your position on the topic.

Exercise 3: Choose a historical figure or leader who inspires you and write a speech about their accomplishments and legacy. Be sure to include specific examples and anecdotes.

Conclusion On Speech Writing For Class 8:

Writing a speech is an important skill that can help Class 8 students to communicate effectively and persuasively. By following a clear format, exploring a range of topics, and practicing with exercises, students can develop their writing and public speaking skills, and learn to express their ideas with confidence and clarity.

• Speech Topics For Kids
• How To Write A Speech

How to Write a Speech: A Guide to Enhance Your Writing Skills

Speech is a medium to convey a message to the world. It is a way of expressing your views on a topic or a way to showcase your strong opposition to a particular idea. To deliver an effective speech, you need a strong and commanding voice, but more important than that is what you say. Spending time in preparing a speech is as vital as presenting it well to your audience.

Read the article to learn what all you need to include in a speech and how to structure it.

Table of Contents

• Self-Introduction

The Opening Statement

Structuring the speech, choice of words, authenticity, writing in 1st person, tips to write a speech, frequently asked questions on speech, how to write a speech.

Writing a speech on any particular topic requires a lot of research. It also has to be structured well in order to properly get the message across to the target audience. If you have ever listened to famous orators, you would have noticed the kind of details they include when speaking about a particular topic, how they present it and how their speeches motivate and instill courage in people to work towards an individual or shared goal. Learning how to write such effective speeches can be done with a little guidance. So, here are a few points you can keep in mind when writing a speech on your own. Go through each of them carefully and follow them meticulously.

Self Introduction

When you are writing or delivering a speech, the very first thing you need to do is introduce yourself. When you are delivering a speech for a particular occasion, there might be a master of ceremony who might introduce you and invite you to share your thoughts. Whatever be the case, always remember to say one or two sentences about who you are and what you intend to do.

Introductions can change according to the nature of your target audience. It can be either formal or informal based on the audience you are addressing. Here are a few examples.

Addressing Friends/Classmates/Peers

• Hello everyone! I am ________. I am here to share my views on _________.
• Good morning friends. I, _________, am here to talk to you about _________.

Addressing Teachers/Higher Authorities

• Good morning/afternoon/evening. Before I start, I would like to thank _______ for giving me an opportunity to share my thoughts about ________ here today.
• A good day to all. I, __________, on behalf of _________, am standing here today to voice out my thoughts on _________.

It is said that the first seven seconds is all that a human brain requires to decide whether or not to focus on something. So, it is evident that a catchy opening statement is the factor that will impact your audience. Writing a speech does require a lot of research, and structuring it in an interesting, informative and coherent manner is something that should be done with utmost care.

When given a topic to speak on, the first thing you can do is brainstorm ideas and pen down all that comes to your mind. This will help you understand what aspect of the topic you want to focus on. With that in mind, you can start drafting your speech.

An opening statement can be anything that is relevant to the topic. Use words smartly to create an impression and grab the attention of your audience. A few ideas on framing opening statements are given below. Take a look.

• Asking an Engaging Question

Starting your speech by asking the audience a question can get their attention. It creates an interest and curiosity in the audience and makes them think about the question. This way, you would have already got their minds ready to listen and think.

• Fact or a Surprising Statement

Surprising the audience with an interesting fact or a statement can draw the attention of the audience. It can even be a joke; just make sure it is relevant. A good laugh would wake up their minds and they would want to listen to what you are going to say next.

• Adding a Quote

After you have found your topic to work on, look for a quote that best suits your topic. The quote can be one said by some famous personality or even from stories, movies or series. As long as it suits your topic and is appropriate to the target audience, use them confidently.  Again, finding a quote that is well-known or has scope for deep thought will be your success factor.

To structure your speech easily, it is advisable to break it into three parts or three sections – an introduction, body and conclusion.

• Introduction: Introduce the topic and your views on the topic briefly.
• Body: Give a detailed explanation of your topic. Your focus should be to inform and educate your audience on the said topic.
• Conclusion:  Voice out your thoughts/suggestions. Your intention here should be to make them think/act.

While delivering or writing a speech, it is essential to keep an eye on the language you are using. Choose the right kind of words. The person has the liberty to express their views in support or against the topic; just be sure to provide enough evidence to prove the discussed points. See to it that you use short and precise sentences. Your choice of words and what you emphasise on will decide the effect of the speech on the audience.

When writing a speech, make sure to,

• Avoid long, confusing sentences.
• Check the spelling, sentence structure and grammar.
• Not use contradictory words or statements that might cause any sort of issues.

Anything authentic will appeal to the audience, so including anecdotes, personal experiences and thoughts will help you build a good rapport with your audience. The only thing you need to take care is to not let yourself be carried away in the moment. Speak only what is necessary.

Using the 1st person point of view in a speech is believed to be more effective than a third person point of view. Just be careful not to make it too subjective and sway away from the topic.

• Understand the purpose of your speech: Before writing the speech, you must understand the topic and the purpose behind it. Reason out and evaluate if the speech has to be inspiring, entertaining or purely informative.
• Identify your audience: When writing or delivering a speech, your audience play the major role. Unless you know who your target audience is, you will not be able to draft a good and appropriate speech.
• Decide the length of the speech: Whatever be the topic, make sure you keep it short and to the point. Making a speech longer than it needs to be will only make it monotonous and boring.
• Revising and practicing the speech: After writing, it is essential to revise and recheck as there might be minor errors which you might have missed. Edit and revise until you are sure you have it right. Practise as much as required so you do not stammer in front of your audience.
• Mention your takeaways at the end of the speech: Takeaways are the points which have been majorly emphasised on and can bring a change. Be sure to always have a thought or idea that your audience can reflect upon at the end of your speech.

How to write a speech?

Writing a speech is basically about collecting, summarising and structuring your points on a given topic. Do a proper research, prepare multiple drafts, edit and revise until you are sure of the content.

Why is it important to introduce ourselves?

It is essential to introduce yourself while writing a speech, so that your audience or the readers know who the speaker is and understand where you come from. This will, in turn, help them connect with you and your thoughts.

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How to Write a Good Speech for Grades 6 to 8

Middle-school students are usually just beginning to take speech-writing classes. They are developing public-speaking confidence, learning how to develop arguments, and beginning to learn eloquence and the importance of a well-crafted speech. For grades six to eight, a key element of writing a good speech is understanding the difference between writing a speech and writing an essay: the importance of timing, careful phrasing and engaging listeners. While middle-school students usually have some experience with public speaking in the form of presentations, they still need to learn how to write a good speech and deliver it effectively.

Choose a compelling topic, although in some cases a topic may be mandated by the teacher. Focus on topics that interest and excite you, as this energy and enthusiasm will make your speech more compelling. Select a cause you are passionate about, a subject that interests you, or a hobby you enjoy. Avoid settling for a topic you don't care about, which will almost inevitably lead to a lackluster speech.

Create an outline will allow you to most effectively track your arguments and make sure that your material is arranged in a way that makes sense. Listeners should be able to easily understand your trajectory as your move from sentence to sentence, point to point. Understanding the path you want your speech to take will help you write more quickly--and be able to focus on making your speech interesting and eloquent.

Write the speech. While this may be the most difficult part, the preparations you have already made will simplify the process. Focus on using descriptive phrases, anecdotes and powerful arguments that will engage your audience and keep them interested.

Rehearse your speech. Make changes as you hear awkward phrases, unclear points or a point that doesn't seem to flow intuitively from the statement before it. As you read aloud, you will really begin to hear how your speech will sound to others. Once you have fully revised your speech, keep practicing, this time focusing on presentation. Indicate where to place dramatic pauses, interject humor or grow aggressively questioning. Ask a parent or friend to listen to your speech and give feedback on your content and delivery. Don't be concerned if you end up making significant changes to your speech, as you are just making it more effective.

• Learning to write good speeches is always made easier by reading good speeches. Study the arguments, powerful phrases and tricks in famous speeches. When possible, watch footage of speeches to examine what different speakers do right -- and what they do wrong.
• Scholastic: Writing with Writers - Speech Writing

Based in northern Virginia, Rebecca Rogge has been writing since 2005. She holds a bachelor's degree in journalism from Patrick Henry College and has experience in teaching, cleaning and home decor. Her articles reflect expertise in legal topics and a focus on education and home management.

My Speech Class

Public Speaking Tips & Speech Topics

224 School Speech Topics for All Grades [High School, Middle School, Elementary]

Jim Peterson has over 20 years experience on speech writing. He wrote over 300 free speech topic ideas and how-to guides for any kind of public speaking and speech writing assignments at My Speech Class.

In this article:

High School

Middle school, elementary school, school speech topics checklists, list of school speech topics.

• Girls are under more pressure in high school.
• Schools must not sell unhealthy foods.
• Cyberbullies should be suspended from school.
• Peer pressure will help students grow.
• Parents must not pay kids for good grades.
• Students don’t spend enough time reading books.
• Class sizes make a big difference.
• Schools must get involved with obese students weight issues.
• All students should join the gym.
• Schools should offer rewards for good test scores.
• Cheerleading isn’t a sport.
• The media is to blame for the pressure of girls wanting perfect bodies.
• Mass-shooting in schools can be prevented.
• 16 is an appropriate age to start dating.
• The in crowd is usually the most insecure group.
• Failing is a blessing in disguise.
• Students do not know how to live in the moment.
• Fashion isn’t all that important.
• The methods used to deal with bullies are not effective.
• Private schools are not better than government schools.
• Co-ed schools are better than single-gender schools.
• Recess time must be extended.
• Standardized tests are not a measure of a students ability.
• Textbooks shouldn’t be replaced by technology in high schools.
• Students shouldn’t be graded for gym.
• Birth control should be available at schools.
• Cheating at school is getting worse.
• Sugary drinks should not be sold at school.
• Healthy school lunches are a lost cause.
• Boys hide their body image pressure.
• Smoking makes students outcasts.
• ‘Name and shame’ does not change teenage behaviour.
• Bystanders must be held responsible for not intervening when there is trouble at school.
• Gay students need older gay role models.
• It should be illegal for under 21’s to buy cigarettes.
• Grouping students by ability only benefit the smartest ones.
• Students are less religious than their parents.
• It is important to have a mix of friends to socialize with.
• Kids purposely make parenting hard.
• Helping a friend isn’t always good.
• Not every teacher has the ability to inspire students.
• High school kids don’t need helicopter parents.
• High schools don’t recognize a student’s full potential.
• Class sizes should not exceed 20 students.
• Extra online classes are worth it.
• School should be all year round.
• Parents embarrass their kids too much.
• Attractive students have an advantage over others.
• Students have no interest in government matters.
• Hard work is more important than talent.
• The morning after pill shouldn’t have an age restriction.
• Group work in class should be kept small.
• The best way to learn is alone.
• Teachers don’t use technology to its full potential.
• Dropping out of high school should be an illegal offense.
• The racial make up of a school is important.
• Outings to museums have no educational value.
• Creativity isn’t something that can be taught.
• Students have too much workload.
• Untidy handwriting is a sign of intelligence.
• Student’s interests will change in high school.
• It is important to take career assessment tests.
• Students do not have to get involved with everything in high school.
• Weekend jobs make students more responsible.
• It is important that students volunteer in fields of interest.
• Students must know their place in the classroom.
• Teachers want to create leaders.
• Tutors are necessary even with good grades.
• Locker room talk is demeaning to female students.
• Driving must be taught in High School.
• Plagiarism is getting out of hand.
• The importance of not being a follower.
• Students should focus school work ahead of a social life.
• Students should leave a team if they are never chosen to play.
• Leaving high school with no clear career path isn’t a bad thing.
• Students should always have condoms with them.
• Never shrug off small assignments.
• High school should be treated as if it were a job.
• Web filters at school are not restrictive enough.
• There is too much focus on sports in high schools.
• All students should get involved in exchange programs.
• Group projects only cause conflict.
• Teachers should be allowed to refuse problem students in their classes.
• Principals don’t help develop teachers enough.
• Corporal punishment is abuse.
• Robotics now and in the future – is it helpful in the daycare business?
• Your most embarrassing moment at school and the way you saved your face, solve and fix the awkward situation.
• Amazing discoveries or facts you have never heard of before and like to introduce to your class.
• Adventure racing and famous heroes on motorbikes – so-called off the road movie clips could be nice video aids Such as Steppenwolf.
• Astronomical signs and their meanings. Make it personal by asking a volunteer to give all the info you need.
• Nursing your parents when they get older. Lots of young people do that in their spare time, and they do not often speak about it. Take a chance and show them the world of voluntary care by friends, children, and neighbors.
• Islands in Oceania, in the tropical Pacific Ocean region. There where the date line starts.
• Railroads and trains from 1850, and great train builders and engineers is a high school speech topic to work out.
• How to visit and enjoy an art museum with an audio guide tour on your ears.
• Strange experiences in a restaurant or bar and the moral lesson you draw after that.
• Hurricanes, how they start and their international accepted standards for name giving (boys and girls names from a to z).
• Food photography is much difficult than you think.
• A narrow escape from trouble …
• How to organize surprise parties.
• Why are television soaps popular – did you know a whole team of scenarists writes the storylines – often three per edition?
• I want a new law on … Well feel free to repair and remedy abuses.
• What do you think about often when you enter the school?
• What have you always wanted to do and did not have the courage to ask or really act?
• What would you like to change and why? This one is especially good as graduation input and output.
• Things we can’t understand.
• What are your community activities?
• Suggestions for a school field trip in the autumn.
• Dream explanation, ask for dreams, explain them. Consult dream reading professional and keep away from the shabby occult business.
• Rhetorical questions, Socratical debating techniques.
• Great places to go in the world.
• Hiking trails nobody knows and you want to share.
• See Europe in seven days after high school!

Middle school speech topics for public speaking and oral writing assignments from outdoor activities to Greyhound racing and Rodeo riding to sports games. I have brought into being several themes, suggestions and easy to develop ideas for school:

• My hobby and pet peeves.
• Free time activities that you can recommend.
• What brands or products are popular in this school and why?
• Unusual experiences in the last year.
• Outdoor activities, and indoor activities on a rainy day.
• Why we are no longer kids but are called young adults.
• Suggestions for fun weekends.
• Animation characters and their voices.
• Antarctica research of penguins.
• Aviation pioneers.
• Celebrities, actors, and actresses.
• Computer games are great middle school speech topics if you have an interested audience who likes to game at home.
• Flying discs tricks on the beach side.
• Foreign flags and their story – perhaps you should play the anthems too for a full picture.
• Reasons to abandon grounding rules.
• Rodeo riding: how to survive more than 30 seconds on the riding machine 🙂
• Strange world records set in history.
• Skateboarding tips and tricks, safe on the sidewalks.
• Greyhound racing and the bet systems that are used.
• The world would be a better place if … (fill in your highest dreams)
• Environmental problems in our community.
• Fashion trends in the last century.
• Pen pals or email pals; how traditional patterns have changed.
• My favourite sports games on television.
• My checklist for if you move to another town.
• Kid cooking is cool – if you know how to prep recipes 🙂
• My trip abroad to Europe or Latin-America.
• Monitoring butterflies in the field outside and in our garden.
• Aztec masks and their amazing stories and secrets hidden inside.
• Mythological monsters such as the Minotaur and Nymphs.
• How to organize a fun weekend for the whole family.
• If I was born hundred years ago, I would be …:
• African masks and their meaning in holy rituals.
• Ancient Chinese emperors and their interesting uniform and dress looks.
• The Ice Age; when, how and the causes are good K-6 subjects to come across.
• Pollution sources in our world, and what to do about them in a cost-friendly way at home.
• A Day In the life of a kid in Ancient Rome, compare it with your own modern life.
• Discovering caves are cool grade 6 speech topics to tell something more and show them the work of speleologists.
• Traditional fairy tales from around the world – remember the thick book of the Grimm Brothers?
• Puppets and their funny looking but indeed very serious theatrical performances from Java, Indonesia.
• The Diary of Anne Frank (book or movie) and the meaning today.
• My penpal or better: email-pal from the other side of the world.
• The secrets of the Egypt King Tutankhamun.
• If I was a journalist, I should investigate …
• If I won one million dollars, I would …
• When I am grown up I want to become a / an …
• Last weekend I was at …
• The funniest thing that ever happened to me this month or year.
• Things that make you happy right away if you have the power to buy or dictate.
• Ways I use to relax.
• Favorite sports moments.
• The character I want to be in a movie the hero with heroic courage / or the villain who gets the worst of it in the end.
• My most memorable vacation trip till now.
• The best summer camp games I have ever played and enjoyed very much.
• My favorite spot in the woods near our cabin.
• Your most favorite memories are also great grade 6 speech topics too to talk about in school.
• When you take a walk in the woods, you can see more than you might think …
• Recipes for kids, orally like your favorite meals and food.
• Cool home computer games I like to play, criticize, review and share in class.
• The day I was sick and I must see the doctor.
• Pot and care for a plant or small vegetable ishard labor and needs patience.
• How to make a marionette puppet – a grade 8 speech topic for the artistic
• Birds in our backyard, you’re perplexed about the miles they flew to get there.
• Oceans of the world: Pacific, Atlantic, Indian, Southern, and Arctic gulf streams.
• A ride in a truck for transporting heavy objects.
• What is a decent dress code for a serious dinner at official moments:
• My musical instrument and the lessons I take.
• Why giraffes have long necks.
• Animals I should take in Noah’s Ark – and the philosophy behind it.
• Why I like to dance my favorite dance.
• I cope with fear of public speaking for this grade 8 speech by … (secret tactic)
• Magic tricks with simple playing cards for every unexpected occassion.
• Exotic fruits and vegetables in grocery stores; look up where they come from.
• Best 3D paper models: cars, robots, spaceships, airplanes, buildings.
• Things to expect when your mother is pregnant.
• Birds, bears and rabbits spend the winter by sleeping, why?
• My first visit to a dentist: the correct way to brush and floss your teeth.
• Family members I admire: uncles, aunts, nieces or nephews.
• Music festivals and the big logistics puzzle of the organizing parties involved.
• History of the Panama Canal, and the way the pilotage handle very big ships.
• How does global warming affect the icebergs?
• If I was my father or mother for one day.
• My favorite era in history.
• What’s in my room at home.
• The school field trip I would like to make.

Elementary school speech topics on animal keeping, favorite things to do at home or the playground and specific hints that lead to innumerable variations:

• What makes me happy.
• Our last vacation trip.
• Fairy tale characters you would like to talk with.
• Magic tricks you can show.
• Funny things my pet has done. A great quantity of this special theme is to be sorted out of animals and keeing them at home. Do consult your atending if you may bring an animal in class. In case of hesitation – do not cross this line:
• My favorite family story.
• Oceans in the world.
• My neighbourhood.
• Funny Halloween costumes, inspires to lots of funny elementary school speech topics.
• A visit to the doctor, dentist.
• How does it feel to wake up an being a giant?
• Places I lived.
• Why I want to travel in space to the interstellair universe.
• The best paper airplanes withput less folding work.
• How boomerangs return to their sender.
• Circus clowns in all sorts and characters.
• My one-day internship at the fire department.
• Fireworks on New Year’s Eve.
• The best fishing spots.
• My best birthday ever.
• I am good at …
• This is the song I like to sing every day is: …
• Making puzzles of thouands pieces and the tricks I have learned.
• Police uniforms or fire department attire outfits.
• What can you see in the zoo?
• Musical instruments in an full orchestra.

School speech topics tips for verification and 1-2-3 step checking at the secondary middle, high and elementary public speaking homework assignments on teaching skills. In a nutshell: they are easy to answer questions to make a better choice for creating the best result.

Also on this page, you will discover tips to concrete communication issues and education resources. They lead you in the right direction; you only have to use your fantasy.

Let the imaginary juices flow in your brains!

Can We Write Your Speech?

Get your audience blown away with help from a professional speechwriter. Free proofreading and copy-editing included.

Read all my checks for writing subjects and after you have completed that task follow all secure education idea links to the online education lists I have shaped and modified in class education material:

More aggravated lists of themes and valuable information regarding different subjects for future generations education are below. As well as a summary of the implications and / or requirements of what you have found, and school speech topics you could analyze in class.

You can sort out any ideas you like to talk about in oral lessons, scan the possible suggestions and think about what your audience like to hear you talking about: cite short passages and quotation excerpts from well-known experts in the field of research, or refer to good knowledge illustrations and sustainable proof.

Learn to gather material from outside sources about your thread for grades 9 through 12 learning, and deliver your opinion strongly and concisely. Give plain reasons for something you believe. Foster support for your solution, theory or device.

This is principally beneficial for achieving higher education institute assertiveness when you are on stage and put two or more views together, and provide a reason for putting them together by logical reasoning. Another method is approaching the subject matter in both positive and negative lights.

Tracing how something has induced artificially from an earlier state to its current form could welcomed by higher pedagogic instructors.

Next tip: workout extensive information on indoor and outdoor recreation activities to tempt your public to explore other activities than dating, dancing and drinking in a local bar.

Sports is a candidate for finding senior graded school speech topics. E.g. sport as profession to earn a living. With a scientific twist you make it more sophisticated, and because you’re highly qualified and have an actively learning attitude you are able to get their thesis commitment.

Some moves that matter in lower classes are the so-called critize teaching skills, often described as asking and wondering through critical inquiry:

You can help your teacher and fill her or him with enthusiasm by going extracurricular in proposing a particular judgment on a certain top topicality and examen the validity of the arguments by criticizing. This has been in practice in the late seventies – when things went the old-fashioned and more severe way 🙂 – but this technique has made a terrific comeback and is now used in grades 5 through 8 homework assignments.

Many of my visitors look for sixth grade inspiration, or class 6 if you live in India, Bangladesh and Pakistan, Primary 5 or 6 in Singapore, and 6ГЁme in France for example. Anyway, in what country you are right now does not matter; all school speech topics are created for children in the range of eleven and twelve years old.

The same holds good for class conversations of (usually) thirteen to fourteen years old who try to cover explanations of various objects and their meaning in the accustomed world of the eight grade population.

Children speak the truth, is often said 🙂 And that saying is more than true. Give them something to chew on in public – from colouring plates to planting and caring for trees – and it is so easy, a younger persons can do it 🙂

More for girls and boys – although it depends on the specific age or progress of the pupils – can be found at this index number two. Help them to be able to get to know the material, and to make the first steps on the path of learning the rudimentary public speaking skills (that are valuable for their whole life).

I have shaped a list that also contains some reference information for nursery and primary and kindergarten material.

10 Tips to Write the Best High School Valedictorian Speech

Ceremonial Speech Topics

9 thoughts on “224 School Speech Topics for All Grades [High School, Middle School, Elementary]”

The topics are 1: the worst day in my life 2: how can we take care of our elders at home. 3: good qualities about your classmates. 4: how I learnt cycling. 5: if you are alone at home and a stranger enters what would you do.

My topic ideas are: Why I hate speeches (for middle school or elementary school) My favorite type of music (for elementary school) Why parents shouldn’t spank their children and better ways to punish children (for elementary school)

The key to success is positive thinking

My favorite holiday

Wow. Just wow.

mental health is an important issue

“Prayer should be compulsory”…that’s my suggestion of a topic

At school there should be a free period where you can do anything you want

Why is the canteen so expensive?

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Great Informative Speech Topics for Grade 8

Perfect for middle school informative presentations, with three bonus speech outlines.

Informative Speech Topics for Grade 8

Table of Contents

• Topics about Developing Practical Skills
• Topics about Personal Growth and Responsibility
• Topics about Engaging with the World
• Topics about Life Skills and Independence
• Topics about Creative Expression and Hobbies
• Topics about Problem-Solving and Critical Thinking
• Topics about Exploring New Experiences
• Topics about Cultural and Artistic Appreciation

Informative Speech Sample Outlines for Grade 8

• Outline #1: Fixing a Flat Bike Tire
• Outline #2: Writing Cursive and Signing Names
• Outline #3: Cleaning Their Room

Developing practical skills:

Several suggested speech topics for grade 8 about developing practical skills.

• Fixing a flat bike tire
• Packing a suitcase efficiently
• Doing laundry
• Cooking basic meals

Following are several additional topics tailored towards developing practical skills for 12-13 year olds. The 8th grade speaker can master the skill with the help of a parent or teacher, prepare an outline of the steps needed to demonstrate the skill, and then present to others to help an interested audience of grade 8 students also learn about the topic.

• "Cooking Safety and Simple Recipes" : This speech could cover basic cooking safety rules and introduce a few simple, healthy recipes a young teen could easily prepare.
• "First Aid Skills Every Teen Should Know" : This could cover basic first aid skills like how to treat cuts and burns, what to do in case of choking, and when to call for professional medical help.
• "Learning to Sew: Mending and Beyond" : This speech could introduce basic sewing skills, like how to sew a button, mend a tear, or even create simple items like a face mask or a bag.
• "DIY Home Repair Basics" : This speech could cover simple tasks like unclogging a drain, fixing a leaky faucet, or safely resetting a tripped circuit breaker.
• "Mastering Laundry: From Sorting to Folding ": This could cover the entire process of doing laundry, including sorting, stain removal, choosing the proper wash/dry cycle, and folding clothes.
• "Plant Care 101: From Seed to Sprout" : This speech could introduce the basics of plant care, including choosing the right plants, understanding light and watering requirements, and troubleshooting common plant problems.
• "The ABCs of Bicycle Maintenance" : This could cover topics like how to clean and oil a bicycle, pump tires, and perform a basic safety check.
• "Navigating Public Transport" : This could cover practical skills like reading a bus or train schedule, understanding routes, and general etiquette and safety rules when using public transportation.

Remember, it's crucial to include hands-on demonstrations or visual aids to enhance understanding and engagement.

Personal growth and responsibility:

Several suggested speech topics for grade 8 about personal growth and responsibility.

• Taking responsibility for homework
• Getting ready for school on time
• Managing allowance and money
• Maintaining a calendar for organizing schedules

Here are several additional informative speech topics for grade 8 centered around personal growth and responsibility for 8th graders. These topics are for students willing to tackle the challenge of informing peers about vital responsibilities.

• "The Art of Time Management" : This speech could cover practical tips on how to manage time effectively, including using tools like calendars or planners, setting priorities, and the importance of a balanced routine.
• "Budgeting Basics for Teens" : This speech could teach young teens about the concept of budgeting. It might cover topics like understanding income and expenses, the importance of saving, and how to start a simple budget.
• "The Importance of Goal Setting" : This speech could discuss the benefits of setting personal, academic, and long-term goals. It could provide strategies on how to effectively set and achieve these goals, including the SMART goal framework (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound).
• "Understanding and Managing Emotions" : This topic could cover different types of emotions, why we experience them, and strategies for managing and expressing them healthily.
• "The Power of Self-Care" : This speech could delve into the importance of looking after one's physical, mental, and emotional health and provide tips on incorporating self-care into daily routines.
• "Dealing with Peer Pressure" : This speech could discuss the concept of peer pressure and its impact and provide strategies for standing up to it.
• "Building Healthy Habits" : This topic could provide practical tips on how to develop and maintain good habits, such as proper sleep hygiene, regular exercise, and balanced nutrition.
• "Taking Responsibility for Actions" : This speech could cover why it's important to own up to mistakes, apologize when necessary, and learn from these experiences.
• "Developing a Growth Mindset" : This speech could explain the concept of a growth mindset, how it differs from a fixed mindset, and how adopting a growth mindset can lead to tremendous success and resilience.
• "The Importance of Respect and Empathy" : This speech could discuss the importance of understanding and respecting the feelings of others and how empathy can improve relationships and contribute to a more inclusive community.
• "Cyber Safety and Digital Responsibility" : This speech could cover essential topics such as protecting personal information online, the dangers of cyberbullying, and responsible social media use.
• "Organizational Skills for Better Study" : This speech could provide practical tips on organizing study time effectively, including using planners, the benefits of a dedicated study space, and techniques like the Pomodoro Technique.

These topics provide an excellent foundation for teaching and discussing personal growth and responsibility with young teens.

Engaging with the world around them:

Several suggested speech topics about engaging with the world around you.

• Engaging through volunteering
• Cultivating and expressing personal opinions
• Understanding the basics of death, sex, and birth
• Developing a relationship with the natural world

Following are several additional informative speech topics for grade 8 that encourage engagement with the world.

• "Understanding and Addressing Climate Change" : This speech could explain the basics of climate change, its impact on our planet, and practical ways young people can help combat it, such as recycling, conserving energy, and advocating for environmental policies.
• "The Importance of Community Service" : This speech could discuss the benefits of volunteering in local communities, provide examples of possible service activities, and inspire youth to contribute to their communities.
• "Exploring Cultural Diversity" : This speech could cover the importance of understanding and appreciating cultural diversity, including discussions about traditions, languages, cuisines, and customs from around the world. It could also highlight the significance of empathy and respect in multicultural societies.
• "Civic Engagement for Youth" : This speech could explain the concept of civic engagement and discuss ways young people can get involved, such as participating in student government, attending city council meetings, or writing to their local representatives about issues they care about.
• "Digital Citizenship in the 21st Century" : This speech could discuss the rights, responsibilities, and opportunities of being a digital citizen, including responsible internet use, understanding the difference between real and fake news, and how to safely and respectfully communicate online.

These topics are designed to help young teens understand the world around them and encourage active engagement in various aspects of society.

Life skills and independence:

Several speech topics for grade 8 that relate to life skills and independence for tweens and teens.

• Taking care of pets or plants
• Using the phone effectively for communication
• Taking responsibility for household chores
• Showing compassion for others, both humans and animals

Below are six additional informative speech topics that are youth-centric and focus on life skills and independence.

• "Balancing School and Hobbies" : This speech could discuss how to manage time between schoolwork and personal interests effectively. It could include personal experiences and strategies that have worked for the speaker.
• "My Journey Learning to Cook My Favorite Meal" : This topic allows the presenter to share their personal experience learning to cook a specific dish. They could include challenges they faced, how they overcame them, and tips for others who want to try cooking the same meal.
• "How I Organized My Study Space for Better Productivity" : This speech could detail the speaker's personal experience in organizing their study space, the changes they made, and how it has affected their study habits and academic performance.
• "My Experience with a DIY Project" : The speaker could discuss a DIY project they undertook, such as building a model, crafting, or gardening. They can share the skills they learned, the challenges they faced, and the satisfaction of completing the project.
• "Creating and Sticking to My Personal Budget" : In this speech, the presenter could share their experience of creating a simple budget for their allowance or earnings from chores. They could discuss why they decided to start a budget, the benefits they've seen, and tips for peers who might want to do the same.
• "How I Learned to Plan and Host a Successful Sleepover" : This speech could cover the speaker's experience planning and hosting a sleepover or a small get-together with friends. They could talk about the planning process, the activities they organized, how they handled unexpected challenges, and what they learned about responsibility and coordination through the experience. This topic is highly relatable and engaging for this age group while also emphasizing important life skills.

Creative expression and hobbies:

Four speech topics for grade 8 middle school students related to creative expression and hobbies.

• Making a comic book
• Doing a DIY project
• Learning to play an instrument
• Learning calligraphy or hand lettering

Below are some additional hobby-themed informative speech topics that we like for middle school students.

• "My Experience with Reading a New Book" : The speaker could share their experiences in reading a book, including selecting the book, sharing themes from the book, and the benefits they've gained from information or lessons learned.
• "Building My First Model Kit" : This speech could cover the speaker's experience building a model kit, such as an airplane or a Lego set. They could detail the steps they took, challenges faced, problem-solving used, and the satisfaction of seeing the completed model.
• "Exploring the World of Digital Art" : For youth interested in art and technology, this speech could discuss their journey into digital art. They could talk about the software they use, their learning process and showcase some of their creations.
• "My Journey in Learning a New Sport" : This speech could be about the speaker's experience with learning a new sport, such as soccer, tennis, or swimming. They could share about the training process, the importance of teamwork and discipline, and the joy of competition and improvement.
• "Starting My Own YouTube Channel" : The speaker could discuss their experience of starting and managing a YouTube channel. This could include how they chose their content focus, the process of making and editing videos, how they handle feedback, and what they've learned about digital media and online engagement. This topic could be fascinating, given the popularity of YouTube among this age group.

These topics allow young teens to share their personal experiences and passions, making the speeches more engaging and relatable to their peers.

Problem-solving and critical thinking:

Several speech topics for grade 8 youth in the problem-solving and critical thinking category.

• Solving puzzles
• Playing board games and card games
• Taking part in a STEM scavenger hunt
• Brainstorming an idea

Below are five informative speech topics for grade 8 on problem-solving and critical thinking that are suitable for 12-13-year-olds:

• "What Video Games Have Taught Me About Problem-Solving" : Video games often require critical thinking and problem-solving skills. For example, the speaker could discuss a particular game they play, the challenges it presents, and how they strategize to overcome them.
• "Learning to Code: My Journey with Problem-Solving" : If the speaker has begun learning to code, they could share their experiences, the challenges they've encountered, and how they've used logic and problem-solving skills to overcome them.
• "How I Improved My Chess Game" : Chess is a strategy and critical thinking game. The speaker could share their learning journey, strategies they've developed, and how playing chess has influenced their problem-solving skills.
• "My Involvement in a School Debate Team" : The speaker could share their experiences participating in a school debate team, discussing how they develop arguments, research supporting evidence, and learn to think critically to engage effectively in debates.

These topics relate to this age group and allow the speaker to share personal experiences of problem-solving and critical thinking.

Exploring new experiences:

Here are several speech topics for grade 8 students that let the student explore new experiences in their presentations.

• Planning a Google Maps adventure
• Creating a photo collage
• Running an obstacle course
• Playing laser maze

The following are some additional informative speech topics on new experiences that many 12-13-year-olds have had and could present as an informative speech.

• "My First Time at Summer Camp" : This speech could cover the speaker's experiences at a summer camp, including the activities they participated in, the friends they made, and how they handled being away from home for an extended period.
• "My Experience Joining a Sports Team" : The speaker could share their journey joining a new sports team, including their challenges, the skills they learned, and the value of teamwork.
• "My First Public Performance" : If the speaker has ever performed in a play, a concert, or a talent show, they could share about the preparation process, dealing with stage fright, and the experience of performing in front of an audience.
• "Visiting a New City" : The speaker could share their experiences visiting a new city or country with their family. They could discuss the culture, the sights, the food, and how the experience broadened their horizons.

These topics should be engaging and relatable for 12-13-year-olds, and they also provide opportunities for the speakers to share personal stories and lessons they've learned from these experiences.

Cultural and artistic appreciation:

The speech topics for grade 8 listed below provide themes related to cultural and artistic appreciation. An eighth-grade student with experience in one of the endeavors will enjoy sharing the process in an informative speech. 

• Learning a new language
• Watching a movie and analyzing it
• Researching pets
• Learning to draw and paint

Below are five informative speech topics about cultural and artistic appreciation that our eighth-grade readers may have experienced and enjoy sharing in a presentation.

• "My Experience Learning Traditional Dance" : The speaker could discuss their journey learning a traditional dance from their own culture or another culture, sharing the history of the dance, the techniques they learned, and their appreciation for the culture it represents.
• "The Art of Manga" : For those interested in Japanese culture and manga, this speech could discuss the history of manga, its influence on global pop culture, and personal experiences with favorite manga series or drawing manga.
• "Exploring the World through Cuisine" : The speaker could talk about their experiences trying foods from different cultures. Then, they could discuss what they learned about each culture through its cuisine and share their favorite dishes.
• "The Beauty of Classical Music" : The speaker could discuss their experience with classical music, whether through playing an instrument, attending a concert, or simply listening to the music. They could share what they've learned about the history of the music and their favorite pieces or composers.
• "Art Movements and Their Influence" : The speaker could choose an art movement (like Impressionism, Surrealism, or Pop Art) to research and present about. They could discuss the historical context, notable artists, and how this movement influenced or was influenced by society.

These topics should provide opportunities for 12-13-year-olds to share their personal experiences with cultural and artistic appreciation, and they can also encourage their peers to explore these areas further.

Sample Speech Outlines pulled from the above speech topics for grade 8:

An outline for a speech about "fixing a flat bike tire".

When writing an informative presentation for speech topics in grade 8, or any grade, it is important to brainstorm, research, and come up with the body and structure. With that in mind, BST wrote three example informative speech outlines for grade 8 to help you understand the details. 

These three points provide a clear and structured guide for the audience to understand the step-by-step process of fixing a flat bike tire, ensuring they gain practical knowledge and confidence in handling this common issue.

• Identifying the problem:
• Understanding the signs of a flat tire.
• Locating the puncture or damage on the tire.
• Removing and repairing the tire:
• Removing the wheel from the bike frame.
• Deflating the tube and removing it from the tire.
• Locating and patching the puncture or replacing the tube if necessary.
• Reassembling the bike:
• Checking the tire pressure and inflating it to the appropriate level.
• Ensuring the wheel is securely attached to the bike frame.
• Testing the bike to ensure the tire is fixed and functional.

An Outline for a Speech About "Writing cursive and signing names"

Significance of the three body points in a speech: These three points offer a comprehensive approach to understanding the importance of cursive writing and the ability to sign names, including the basics of cursive, the historical significance of signatures, and the practical application of cursive and signatures in real-life situations.

• Learning cursive writing:
• Understanding the basics of cursive writing.
• Practicing individual cursive letters.
• Progressing to writing words and sentences in cursive.
• Understanding the importance of signatures:
• Exploring the historical significance of signatures.
• Discussing the uniqueness and personalization of signatures.
• Practicing signing one's name in cursive.
• Applying cursive and signatures in real-life situations:
• Discuss the occasions where cursive and signatures are commonly used.
• Emphasizing the importance of legible and consistent signatures.
• Encouraging cursive writing and signatures as a personal touch in everyday life.

An Outline for a Speech on "Cleaning their room"

Significance of the three body points in a speech: These three points outline the essential aspects of teaching children to clean their room, including establishing a cleaning routine, organizing belongings, and demonstrating cleaning techniques. This structure ensures a comprehensive understanding of the topic and practical guidance for the audience.

• Establishing a cleaning routine:
• Discussing the importance of cleanliness and organization in personal space.
• Introducing a regular cleaning schedule and checklist.
• Demonstrating how to create and follow a cleaning plan.
• Organizing belongings:
• Teaching techniques for organizing clothes, toys, and personal items.
• Introducing storage solutions such as shelves, bins, and labels.
• Encouraging decluttering and donating unused or outgrown items.
• Demonstrating cleaning techniques:
• Teaching proper dusting, vacuuming, and sweeping techniques.
• Explaining how to clean surfaces, windows, and mirrors effectively.
• Emphasizing the importance of tidying up after oneself daily.

Alright folks, as a certain web-spinning superhero  would say, that's the scoop on 'informative speech topics for grade 8'.

I mean, who knew talking about speech stuff could be this cool? Right? We've dived through a bunch of topics, like swinging through the city engaging with the world, and laid out some tips on how to outline your ideas make your words stick, like my trusty webbing.

It's like being a superhero, you know. You've got this power to influence, to inspire, and just like Uncle Ben said, "With great power, comes great responsibility". So, pick a topic that matters to you, and who knows? You might just end up saving the day.

Remember, every hero starts somewhere. For me, it was a radioactive spider, but for you, it could be 'a speech in 8th grade'.

So suit up, step up to the mic, and let's see what kind of hero you can be!

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Sample Outlines for Grade 8

• Fixing a Flat Bike Tire
• Writing Cursive
• Cleaning Their Room

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How to write a speech for kids

 create an engaging presentation for children .

By:  Susan Dugdale  | Last modified: 04-28-2021

Writing a speech for kids and then giving it is relatively straightforward. Truly! Once you've gained some experience you'll find it fun, as well as hugely rewarding.

You'll follow exactly the same steps as you would when preparing a speech for adults but with minor, yet crucial variations. 

You'll plan, make an outline, write up your notes, prepare cue cards if you need them, rehearse and finally, deliver your speech.

However because you are presenting to children you'll need to adapt some of the processes. Kids are a very different audience!

Use the on-page quick links below to follow my 3 part outline, and you'll be fine.

What's on this page

Part One : Background & audience research

Part Two: Techniques to gain & hold their attention

Part Three: Rehearsal

Whoops, that went down like the proverbial lead balloon:   Traps for the unwary

Part 1: Background & audience research

Your first step is to consider your audience. The questions you'll want answers to are:

- What age are these children?

- What backgrounds do they mostly come from?

- What background, if any, do they have in relation to your topic?

- What common experiences do they all share that you could use as stepping stones into your material?

- What level of vocabulary will they readily understand?

- what grabs and keeps their attention?

To get the answers, ask the person or people, who invited you to speak.

• How long you're expected to speak for. This is critical. A child's attention span is not the same as an adults, and there are big differences between a 6 year old and a 16 year old. Find out more: Normal attention span expectations by age
• What the purpose is behind inviting you to speak. Are you being asked to inform, to persuade, to entertain ...?
• If the group has members with special needs you should be aware of like children who are deaf, sight impaired or emotionally fragile

Once you've got that information you're ready to begin shaping your material.

Return to Top

Part 2: How to gain & hold attention

Bear in mind the following as you plan:

• Keep the structure simple and clear: introduction, body of speech, conclusion. Kids, just like adults, appreciate knowing what is going on and knowing why they're being asked to listen.
• Use conversational language rather than formal. In your mind choose a child to give your speech to. This will help you keep it 'real'.
• Limit the number of main points you wish to make about your topic to one or two. 
• Keep the formal or structured part of your speech brief.
• Allow time for, and encourage questions.
• Relate the topic back to themselves, their experience, from the beginning. This gives them an anchor, a place they know and understand as a starting point for the journey you're about to take them on. 

Kids love to laugh

Use humor and personal storytelling to get your message across.  

Children of all ages love stories, especially personal ones. A story told well, with humor, will grab their attention faster and hold it longer than any other technique I know. Make it relevant, add characterization, (voices and appropriate body language), and you'll have every child listening.

You can find out more about incorporating stories into your speeches on these pages:

• storytelling  - How to choose and tell a story
• storytelling set-ups  - How to integrate a story into your speech
• characterization techniques  - How to make your stories come alive through gesture and voice.

Vocabulary choices, questions & props

• Use specific words rather than general ones. 'I love being outdoors' is less evocative than 'I love puddle jumping, building a bonfire at the beach...'
• Use inclusive words: 'we' and 'our' as well as personal ones: 'yours', 'you'
• Vary your sentence length and your word choice to keep it interesting to listen to. Children, like adults, appreciate variation.

Questions, instructions and involvement

Use interactive questions, and instructions, to ensure they're following you throughout your speech. For example:  'Have you got that? Nod your heads if you have.'

Or, 'Wave your hand like this ( d emonstrate ) if you can see the picture I put on the board.'

Get them involved by asking for volunteers to help hand things around.

Play simple chorus answer and action games like, 'When I say, who has got a good thinking brain, you say ME and pat your head. Let's try it now. Ready? Who's got ...'

Or, 'When I get to a scary bit in the story you're going to go ooooooh,oooooh in a very frightened sort of way and make yourselves very small like this.' ( Demonstrate .) 'Now, let's try it together...That's fantastic. I've never seen a better bunch of scared kids.' 

Props or visual aids

Where possible incorporate 'showing' as well as 'telling'. Take along things children can see and if at all possible, handle. This gives your speech another dimension. And don't be afraid to break out your silly wig, or a clown's nose ...

Check this page on using props well in speeches .

Once you have the basic outline of your speech planned you're ready for the next step.

Now you're going to trial your work.

Rehearsal will help you identify what you've done well and where you need to fine tune.

If you can, practice in front of several children of the same age and background you're going to talk to.

If they're old enough to understand, ask them before you give the speech, if they can help you make it better and collect their feedback at the end.

If they're not old enough, look for cues like looking away, looking puzzled, talking through it, or wriggling. If it's too long and without relevance or connection to them they'll soon let you know.

Children don't have filters. They'll show and tell you like it is. They're not being deliberately rude. It's actually quite simple. They're not interested and haven't learned to pretend otherwise, yet. Don't make the mistake of taking their responses personally! 

Before you go on to finalize your speech incorporate your changes.

If you'd like pointers on how to rehearse you'll find them here:

• how to rehearse

Do try and give your speech without a word-for-word script. It might feel safer for you but for children, listening to you read is not as effective as you talking to, or interacting with them, directly.

Use cue cards if you can.  Rehearse until you know it fluently and the cue cards are merely a safety net should you need them.

And finally run through the checklist below.

These are the pitfalls I've either fallen into myself or watched others tumble down. Knowing will help you avoid them.

Whoops - traps for the unwary

Learning the hard way; when it doesn't go like you imagined it would and a great dark chasm opens beneath your feet and you find yourself rapidly disappearing down it, silly wig and all.

It's ghastly, and an experience I've had more than several times in my teaching career.

Here's what I've learned. Blaming your audience is letting yourself off the hook! When a presentation lurches sideways it's not the children's fault. The hell hole is generally of our own making. Any of these factors could have caused it:

• assuming that because a child is a child and you're an adult you automatically know more than they do
• patronizing your audience through using either over-simplified or baby language
• talking over their heads by using either non-explained jargon or a vocabulary beyond their experience
• not rehearsing and then finding that your speech doesn't flow logically. Or it's too long.  Or that it doesn't have enough relevance so the kids are bored. Or the props you brought don't work as you wished. They're too small to be seen from the stage. And the stories you planned fall flat.
• introducing inappropriate subject matter for the group or an individual in the group. Always check.
• trying to fit too much information into the time allotted.
• inadvertently making fun of a child's comments and concerns therefore shaming them in front of their peers.
• exploiting their trust and naivety by presenting material persuasively that is ultimately of no benefit to them and at worst destructive.
• getting flustered by bit of very ordinary spontaneous child behavior (talking while you are talking, wriggling ...) and not knowing how to handle it and move on with ease
• not having established the rules of engagement at the beginning for asking questions, handling props, or any activity involving interaction ...

There is a common sense remedy for all of them. Trial your speech in rehearsal! And if it helps get a trusted and experienced colleague in to give you feedback!

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• December 15, 2021
• By Homework Help Global

How to Write a Speech For Any Occasion in 8 Simple Steps

For a lot of students, just seeing the word “speech” in your assignment instructions is enough to set off that anxiety, especially if you aren’t very comfortable with public speaking. However, if you have a really good speech, public speaking is a lot easier.

When it comes to writing a good speech, learning the right way to do it can be a big game changer for your confidence in both your writing skills and your public speaking skills. Standing in front of your audience with that perfect speech in your hands makes a world of difference, and even if you don’t really believe that right now, when you’re done with our advice you will.

This blog will give you the tools and knowledge to learn how to write a speech that hits the right audience no matter what you need the speech for. We’ll walk you through every step so you can be confident that you’re going to ace that assignment and present with pride.

Why is it Important to Learn How to Write a Speech?

In the professional world, being able to write an effective speech is an important skill for a variety of different types of job positions. Politicians and public figures are required to make speeches regularly, some jobs require higher-ups to make speeches to the public (such as a police chief) and certain types of industries often present awards where recipients are expected to deliver an acceptance speech. You may also be required to give presentations or proposals at work, which you’d need to write a speech for as well.

Outside of the professional world, you might encounter plenty of times in your life where you’ll need to deliver a speech. Wedding toasts, acceptance speeches, eulogies, and even pep talks are all possibilities in your future, and speech writing skills come in very handy for those scenarios. In fact, there’s a chance you may have landed on this page when Googling “how to write a speech” for one of these reasons and not just for school.

No matter the reason you have to give a speech, the advice in this article is sound and applicable to every type of speech you need to write. So, let’s get right down to business and dive into every detail you need to know.

Famous Speeches That Will Inspire You to Write the Perfect Speech

To begin your journey into speech writing, it’s worth taking a look at some iconic speeches that have made a strong mark on the world. These speeches have stood the test of time and are still relevant today because they were written effectively and checked all the boxes we’ll outline in this guide. Now, they serve as examples of the power of persuasion and good writing.

Here is a selection of five famous speeches that are now known as some of the best speeches in history. Read them, study them, and make note of how they resonate with you.

Abraham Lincoln’s “ Gettysburg Address ”: Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, 1863

Widely considered one of the best speeches of all time, Abraham Lincoln’s “Gettysburg Address” was delivered during the Civil War in 1863 and contained only 275 words. However, in just a few minutes, Lincoln had the attention of everyone in the audience and left a mark on history. He wasn’t even the only speaker that day, but his words resonated farther than anyone else at the time. You’ve probably even heard the famous opening lines before: “Four score and seven years ago, our fathers brought forth, on this continent, a new nation…”

Queen Elizabeth I’s “Spanish Armada” Speech: Tilbury, Essex, 1588

In 1588, Queen Elizabeth I stood in front of her troops in England dressed in battle armor as they prepared for the incoming Spanish Armada invasion and delivered her “Spanish Armada” speech to inspire them. It was iconic not only for the content of the speech, but the impact this speech had. At the time, it was very rare for a woman to be in any position of power, let alone present herself infront of her troops in armor as an authoritative force. Just take a look at this quote: “ I know I have the body but of a weak and feeble woman; but I have the heart and stomach of a king, and of a king of England too, and think foul scorn that Parma or Spain, or any prince of Europe, should dare to invade the borders of my realm .” It was persuasive, powerful, and effective.

Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” Speech: Washington, D.C., 1963

Delivered in 1963 during the Civil Rights Movement, Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “ I Have a Dream ” speech is arguably one of the most famous speeches of all time. Its use of repetition, emotional appeal, and call to action have been referenced hundreds of times to this day, even over 50 years later. We probably don’t even need to quote his famous line because you likely already know it, but here it is to remind you: “ I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character .”

Winston Churchill’s “Iron Curtain” Speech: Fulton, Missouri, 1946

While it wasn’t his only iconic speech, Winston Churchill’s “Iron Curtain” speech (also known as “The Sinews of Peace”) is one of his most well known. He delivered it in 1946, in the middle of the aftermath of World War II, to stress the need to establish peace between the Allies and the Soviet Union. This speech is also responsible for coining the term Iron Curtain, which was a defining term during the Cold War era. Here’s that famous line: “ From Stettin in the Baltic to Trieste in the Adriatic, an iron curtain has descended across the Continent .”

John F. Kennedy’s Inaugural Address: Washington, D.C., 1961

In 1961, John F. Kennedy was inaugurated as the 35th president of the United States, and delivered his iconic Inaugural Address to a massive crowd outside the Capitol. As one of the most iconic speeches in modern history, his use of rhetoric and emotional appeal helped cement his position as a charismatic new leader who won over the hearts of people around the world. This speech is most well known for its iconic call to action: “ And so, my fellow Americans, ask not what your country can do for you; ask what can do for your country .”

Rhetoric and The Power of Persuasion

If you read the famous speeches listed above, you’ll notice a few common elements within them that made them so effective when they were delivered. The most common element is their use of rhetoric to harness the power of persuasive writing.

Rhetoric is most commonly known as the art of persuasion. It’s a language technique used to appeal to an audience and influence them, but it can also be used to inform an audience of something and convince them to believe it. Rhetoric is actually one of the three ancient arts of discourse (also known as the trivium), with the other two being grammar and logic.

At its core, rhetoric is about writing and delivering your speech in a way that connects and appeals to the specific demographic of your audience. There are three core rhetorical techniques of appeal:

1. Pathos: The appeal to emotion

2. Logos: The appeal to logic

3. Ethos: The appeal to ethics

It’s up to you how you want to appeal to your audience and listeners, but the topic you’re covering and the purpose of your speech will dictate how you do so. Most speeches utilize a combination of the three to cover all their bases. For example, if you’re making a persuasive speech on why everyone should stop eating meat, you could use pathos and ethos to talk about animal cruelty and logos to talk about the potential benefits there could be.

To learn more about rhetoric and how you can use it as a persuasive tool, read our blog on how to write an argumentative essay .

The Core Elements of an Effective Speech

No matter what you’re doing, every effective speech has a core set of common elements that make it so powerful. Each speech should always include these in order to get the highest grade possible and have the most powerful impact on the audience.

The core elements of a good speech are:

● Simple, direct sentences that are easy to follow

● A persuasive call to action

● Rhetoric and persuasive language

● An attention-grabbing speech introduction

● A clear take-away message

● An appropriate tone that matches your topic and message

● Descriptive language and diction

● Smooth speech delivery and pace

How to Write a Speech: 8 Steps You Should Follow

Every student who wants to learn how to write a speech the most effective way should follow a core 8-step process. This process is the easiest way to write a speech that works really well for your specific audience.

We’ll expand on each of these 8 steps in the next sections, but here is a list of the steps so you can follow them carefully.

1. Choose your topic

2. Gather your information

3. Write an outline

4. Structure your points

5. Write a great introduction

6. End with a call to action

7. Practice your speech

8. Make any edits or revisions

1. Choose a Great Topic

Narrowing down a good topic to use for your speech can also be tricky. You want to choose something that will actually interest your audience, but it also needs to be relevant for your assignment. It should also be something that you care about or are at least interested in, because the more passionate you are about the topic the more engaging and effective your speech will be.

If you’re writing an informative speech, the good news is that most topics will work as long as you can find enough research. Since you don’t really need to take a stand one way or another, your biggest challenge will be figuring out how to present your information in an engaging, interesting way. With a persuasive speech, the best topics are those that have two sides to an issue, like a debate topic.

Depending on your class, you may not get a choice on speech topics. When you’re stuck with something you don’t care about, you have to be able to find a way to make yourself care. Do some Google research and see if there’s a sub-issue or subtopic that interests you.

For some inspiration, check out our list of 200 informative speech topics and 100 persuasive speech topics you can use or build on for your assignment.

2. Figure Out What You Need to Know First

Before you start to write your points and outline, you need to make some decisions. Information gathering is an important step in any writing process, but when what you’re writing is entirely dependent on a few key elements, you want to make sure you’ve made the right decisions first.

There are three key things you need to know before you write any speech:

1. Audience

Each of these things plays an important role in an effective speech because they will guide how you write it. You need to know who you’re talking to, why you’re talking to them, and how long you’re talking to them for before you can even start planning and outlining your speech. Otherwise, if you go in blind or just wing it, you probably won’t get your point across in the way you really intend to.

Know Your Audience

The entire point of a speech is to connect with your audience and deliver your message in a way that they can absorb. To do that, you need to understand who your audience is and how they think.

For example, an audience full of CEOs of Fortune 500 companies is very different from an audience full of elementary school teachers. If you’re a politician trying to secure the vote of both audiences, your CEO audience isn’t going to care about budgeting the education system, while the elementary school teachers aren’t going to care about corporate taxes. Talking about something your audience doesn’t care about is the worst thing you can do to hold their attention.

To fully understand your audience, answer the 5 Ws:

● Who is your audience? In other words, who are you going to be speaking to? This will determine what type of language and diction you’ll use when it’s time to begin writing.

● What does your audience already know? How familiar are they going to be with the subject matter? This will dictate how much background information you’ll need to provide.

● Where will you be presenting your speech? Understanding how you’ll present the speech gives you a better feel for what kind of environment you’re working with. For example, presenting a speech in a big open conference room is a completely different feeling than presenting a speech in a small seminar room.

● When will you present your speech? Are you going first, or will you be able to listen to a few of your classmates’ speeches beforehand? Sometimes you don’t know this information ahead of time, but if you do it can be helpful in the writing process. For example, if you’re going last, you have to consider the fact that your audience has already listened to many other speeches and will have a harder time focusing on you – so make sure it’s interesting and catchy.

● Why are you presenting your speech? We’ll go over the purpose of your speech next, but it’s important to know what your intention is when you’re narrowing down your audience so you can decide on a good call to action.

Determine Your Purpose

The purpose or intention of your speech determines how you’ll write it. Are you giving this speech in order to provide information to your audience, like during a presentation? Maybe you have to make an argumentative or persuasive speech to convince your audience to think a certain way.

All of those speech purposes mentioned above will dictate how you write and present your speech. Based on the purpose of the speech, you’ll know what kind of language to use and what type of rhetoric will work best.

For example, if you’re presenting a persuasive speech about a topic you are very passionate about and want everyone to support your cause, you’re going to present it in a different way than you would an informative speech. You’ll likely want to use emotional language that tugs on your audiences’ heartstrings, whereas in an informative speech you’d probably want to take more of a logical, fact-based approach.

Know the Length of Your Speech

It might seem kind of straightforward, just like an essay assignment when you have a certain word count to hit. But the thing about speeches is that your length has a more important role to play than just a word count.

For starters, the length of your speech determines how long the speech will be in terms of time. When you don’t have a set timeline to work with, you have to make a decision based on the context. A best man speech for a wedding, for example, should only be a few minutes while a speech for a presentation that’s worth 30% of your grade might be as long as 10 or 15 minutes.

The more time you have to fill with your speech will guide your writing. Holding an audience’s attention for 15 minutes is a lot harder than holding it for just a few minutes. This is especially important for a persuasive speech, where you’re relying on your audience staying interested because you want them to support your perspective.

While you’re writing your speech, stop and recite it every so often and time yourself. This will help keep you on track and let you know if you need to cut anything or narrow down your sentences any further.

3. How do You Start Writing a Speech?: Writing The Outline

You should always start by creating an outline first. An effective speech relies heavily on its structure. Your audience isn’t reading what you write down; they’re listening to you say it out loud. If you start going on tangents or jumping around between points, it’s going to be really hard for your listeners to connect the dots and follow what you’re saying.

To begin your outline, write out the main points you want to make about your topic. Make sure you write them out in an order that’s easy to follow, since your audience will be listening along. Give yourself space in the outline for your introduction, each main point and supporting explanations, and the conclusion. Look it over to be sure that it makes sense in this particular order.

Once you have your outline written and your points in order, it will be very easy to write the rest of your speech and make sure that everything stays organized and flows well. All you really need to do at that point is fill in the gaps and connect your points.

4. Organize Your Sentence Structure and Flow

Speech structure is extremely important. Each point should be presented one at a time so that your audience doesn’t have any trouble following along and staying on track.

Try to keep your speech to three main points if you can. Your audience doesn’t need every single small detail about your topic, and they certainly won’t remember that much either. Once you decide on those three main points in your outline, you can use them to connect the dots in your writing and tie them together smoothly.

Here are some ways to make sure your speech structure is ideal for your listeners:

● Sentences should transition smoothly from one idea to another. Pull from our list of transition words for some extra help on this.

● Talk about one point at a time. Jumping from one point to another makes it difficult for your audience to follow along as it’s easy for them to lose track and become confused.

● Use short, direct sentences as much as possible. Long, complex sentences work in formal essays, but aren’t as easy on the ears as they are on the eyes.

● Go for a narrative structure as if you’re telling a story. When you tell a story, you start at the beginning and work to the end in a narrative order. You don’t jump around from piece to piece and expect your listener to follow along. Write your speech the same way.

5. Write an Attention-Grabbing Speech Introduction

Your speech introduction is extremely important. In fact, its significance might be on par with the actual content of the speech itself. This is the part of your speech where you’ll have the most of your audience’s attention. If you don’t do enough here to keep that attention, the rest of your speech won’t land.

There are 3 main parts to a speech introduction:

1. The opening hook

2. Purpose and context

3. Transition into the speech body

Every good speech needs to begin with a great opening line or hook . If you don’t hook your audience and grab their attention right away, you’re in for a really difficult presentation. As we mentioned before, your audience isn’t reading an essay and doesn’t have anything to follow along with, so they’re listening to you by ear. When you start boring them, you’ll lose their attention fast.

Next, your speech introduction should outline your purpose. It can be a little more direct than you’d write in an essay. For example, a sentence like, “I am speaking to you today about something very important – our precious ecosystem” is not acceptable in an essay but is a great line in your speech introduction. If your audience isn’t really familiar with your topic, this is also where you’ll add some background information to give them context.

Spend a good amount of time working on the beginning of your speech. We included the introduction as the fourth step in the process, but you can also choose to write it first if you come up with something earlier on. It’s often a lot easier to write your speech introduction after you’ve written everything else because you have a solid idea of what you’re talking about in the body of the speech.

If you need more help writing your introduction, check out our blog here . We go over tips and tricks for writing a good essay introduction, which can also be used for your speech introduction!

6. Nail Your Call to Action

A call to action is the part of a piece of content that tells the audience what type of action you want them to take. In marketing, this is usually the button that says something along the lines of “buy now,” “subscribe now,” or “get a free quote.” These types of calls to action are often more direct and straightforward because they are trying to get you to make a conversion. In your speech, your call to action is a little more subtle than that but should always be there if you’re writing a persuasive speech.

Think about what it is you want your audience to take away from your speech. Are you trying to convince them to do something, like eat less meat or support a certain cause? Maybe you just want your audience to be informed on a topic. Either way, it should be clear and in line with your purpose.

So, where does your call to action go? Your call to action should ideally be located in your speech introduction and again in your conclusion. A good way to think about this is to consider your call to action as the equivalent of your thesis statement in an essay or paper. It’s the statement you’re going to make in the beginning to tell your audience what you’re going to be talking about, and then a reminder at the end of what you want them to do. Make sure it’s something that counts.

8. Practice Makes Perfect

It’s extremely important that you practice saying your speech out loud as much as you can. During the writing process, practicing your speech will help give you an idea of what it sounds like out loud instead of just written on paper. Sometimes things don’t sound that great when you actually hear them, so this gives you a chance to change things up if you need to.

Practicing your speech is also a great way to work on your speech delivery. The more you recite your speech, the easier it will be to remember. In turn, the better you remember your speech, the more confident you will be when you present it. You can even work out a few cool movements to make during certain parts of the speech for emphasis and flare.

9. Edit and Revise

Editing and revising should be your final step in any type of writing assignment you need to complete, and a speech is no different. No matter what you write, you should never turn in your first draft as is without looking it over at least two or three times.

Have someone else look over your speech or listen to you present it to them. It’s a lot more difficult to revise your own work because you wrote it, so you’re not always able to identify your own mistakes. It doesn’t have to be someone from your class or within the field you’re studying. All you need is a fresh set of eyes on your speech so they can identify any issues or mistakes that might have gone under your radar.

If this speech is worth a big portion of your grade, it might be worth it for you to have a professional editing service take a look at your work. This way, a professional can let you know which parts of your speech are working and which could be improved, and they can even offer you some extra pointers along the way.

Extra Tips For a Perfect Speech

As you start to write down your speech, here are a few extra tips to keep in mind.

● Don’t be afraid to repeat yourself. In fact, repetition is a great way to reinforce your speech and ensure that your audience remembers the key takeaways you’re presenting. Just don’t overdo it and repeat everything you say.

● Add your own flare. Most speeches are delivered in the first person, which is a great opportunity to be a little more creative. This is also a great way to express yourself in a way that stands out from everyone else speaking that day.

● Include stories or anecdotes if you can. This can be a great way to relate to your audience and keep their attention longer, while making your speech more interesting overall.

● Don’t over-share. You only have a certain amount of time to present your speech, so don’t try to stuff it with every possible detail you can think of about your topic.

● Get the tone right. If you’re presenting a persuasive speech about something you’re passionate about, show it. Be enthusiastic, interesting, and exciting when you need to be. If your speech is more serious, adjust your tone accordingly to make sure your point hits home.

Post-Writing: Tips to Help You Improve Your Public Speaking and Speech Delivery

Once you’ve learned how to write a speech and put pen to paper, your job isn’t quite done yet. You’ll need to work on your speech delivery and practice your presentation.

For some people, the thought of learning how to write a speech is terrifying solely because it means that at some point in the near future, you’re going to have to actually deliver one. Public speaking is a major source of stress and anxiety for a lot of students. You could write the most amazing speech you’ve ever heard in your life, but if you get up there in front of your audience and your hands start to get clammy and you start choking on your words, it’s going to fall short of making any impact.

Here are some extra tips that will help you get over your fear of public speaking and ace any presentation or speech:

● Practice with friends or family. We already mentioned how important practicing your speech is; it’s equally as important to practice in front of an audience to get comfortable with public speaking. Start out with an audience of friends, roommates, or family to work your way up and have them give you constructive feedback.

● Be prepared. The more prepared you are, the less nervous you’ll be when you walk up to that podium. Bring cue cards with you in case you forget a line or two and make a list of possible questions your audience might ask after your presentation so you’re ready for them.

● Work on your body language. This is a great way to keep your audience engaged and make sure that you don’t feel stiff and uncomfortable while you’re talking.

● Reduce your anxiety before the speech. There are many ways to do this. Get a little exercise in the morning of to release endorphins that help you de-stress, get a good night’s sleep, eat a healthy breakfast, and memorize as much as possible as early as you can.

Check out our blog on how to improve your public speaking for even more tips and guidance on speech delivery, presentations, and more. With our help, you’ll wonder why you were ever afraid of public speaking in the first place.

The Real Secret to Learning How to Write a Speech: Use A Professional Writing Team

If you’re still a little nervous about writing your speech, you always have other options. In fact, you don’t even have to write your own speech at all: our team of academic writers already know how to write a speech and are happy to handle all of the work for you.

Think of us like your own personal team of speech writers right there in your back pocket. We can’t get up and present your speech for you, but we can write you a powerful, effective speech that will give you the confidence you need to get up there and present. You can also use our services to have one of our professionals look over your speech for you and give you some helpful constructive feedback to make it even better.

To ace your next speech, order it from our professional team with our easy online ordering form , or get a free custom quote from our operations team now.

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How to Write an Effective Speech Outline: A Step-by-Step Guide

• The Speaker Lab
• March 8, 2024

Table of Contents

Mastering the art of speaking starts with crafting a stellar speech outline. A well-structured outline not only clarifies your message but also keeps your audience locked in.

In this article, you’ll learn how to mold outlines for various speech types, weaving in research that resonates and transitions that keep listeners on track. We’ll also show you ways to spotlight crucial points and manage the clock so every second counts. When it’s time for final prep, we’ve got smart tips for fine-tuning your work before stepping into the spotlight.

Understanding the Structure of a Speech Outline

An effective speech outline is like a map for your journey as a speaker, guiding you from start to finish. Think of it as the blueprint that gives shape to your message and ensures you hit all the right notes along the way.

Tailoring Your Outline for Different Speech Types

Different speeches have different goals: some aim to persuade, others inform or celebrate. Each type demands its own structure in an outline. For instance, a persuasive speech might highlight compelling evidence while an informative one focuses on clear explanations. Crafting your outline with precision means adapting it to fit these distinct objectives.

Incorporating Research and Supporting Data

Your credibility hinges on solid research and data that back up your claims. When writing your outline, mark the places where you’ll incorporate certain pieces of research or data. Every stat you choose should serve a purpose in supporting your narrative arc. And remember to balance others’ research with your own unique insights. After all, you want your work to stand out, not sound like someone else’s.

The Role of Transitions in Speech Flow

Slick transitions are what turn choppy ideas into smooth storytelling—think about how bridges connect disparate land masses seamlessly. They’re not just filler; they carry listeners from one thought to another while maintaining momentum.

Incorporate transitions that feel natural yet keep people hooked. To keep things smooth, outline these transitions ahead of time so nothing feels left up to chance during delivery.

Techniques for Emphasizing Key Points in Your Outline

To make certain points pop off the page—and stage—you’ll need strategies beyond bolding text or speaking louder. Use repetition wisely or pause strategically after delivering something significant. Rather than go impromptu, plan out what points you want to emphasize before you hit the stage.

Timing Your Speech Through Your Outline

A watchful eye on timing ensures you don’t overstay—or undercut—your moment under the spotlight. The rhythm set by pacing can be pre-determined through practice runs timed against sections marked clearly in outlines. Practice will help ensure that your grand finale isn’t cut short by surprise.

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Depending on the type of speech you’re giving, your speech outline will vary. The key ingredients—introduction, body, and conclusion—are always there, but nuances like tone or message will change with each speaking occasion.

Persuasive Speeches: Convincing With Clarity

When outlining a persuasive speech, arrange your arguments from strong to strongest. The primacy effect works wonders here, so make sure to start off with a strong point. And just when they think they’ve heard it all, hit them with an emotional story that clinches the deal.

You might start by sharing startling statistics about plastic pollution before pivoting to how individuals can make a difference. Back this up with data on successful recycling programs which demonstrate tangible impact, a technique that turns facts into fuel for action.

Informative Speeches: Educating Without Overwhelming

An informative speech shouldn’t feel like drinking from a fire hose of facts and figures. Instead, lay out clear subtopics in your outline and tie them together with succinct explanations—not unlike stepping stones across a stream of knowledge.

If you’re talking about breakthroughs in renewable energy technology, use bullet points to highlight different innovations then expand upon their potential implications one at a time so the audience can follow along without getting lost in technical jargon or complexity.

Ceremonial Speeches: Creating Moments That Matter

In a ceremonial speech you want to capture emotion. Accordingly, your outline should feature personal anecdotes and quotes that resonate on an emotional level. However, make sure to maintain brevity because sometimes less really is more when celebrating milestones or honoring achievements.

Instead of just going through a hero’s whole life story, share the powerful tales of how they stepped up in tough times. This approach hits home for listeners, letting them feel the impact these heroes have had on their communities and sparking an emotional bond.

Incorporating Research in Your Speech Outline

When you’re crafting a speech, the backbone of your credibility lies in solid research and data. But remember, it’s not just about piling on the facts. It’s how you weave them into your narrative that makes listeners sit up and take notice.

Selecting Credible Sources

Finding trustworthy sources is like going on a treasure hunt where not all that glitters is gold. To strike real gold, aim for academic journals or publications known for their rigorous standards. Google Scholar or industry-specific databases are great places to start your search. Be picky. Your audience can tell when you’ve done your homework versus when you’ve settled for less-than-stellar intel.

You want to arm yourself with evidence so compelling that even skeptics start nodding along. A well-chosen statistic from a reputable study does more than decorate your point—it gives it an ironclad suit of armor.

Organizing Information Effectively

Your outline isn’t just a roadmap; think of it as scaffolding that holds up your argument piece by piece. Start strong with an eye-opening factoid to hook your audience right off the bat because first impressions matter—even in speeches.

To keep things digestible, group related ideas together under clear subheadings within your outline. Stick to presenting data that backs up each key idea without wandering down tangential paths. That way, everyone stays on track.

Making Data Relatable

Sure, numbers don’t lie but they can be hard to connect to. If you plan on using stats in your speech, make them meaningful by connecting them to relatable scenarios or outcomes people care about deeply. For instance, if you’re talking health statistics, relate them back to someone’s loved ones or local hospitals. By making the personal connection for your audience, you’ll get their attention.

The trick is using these nuggets strategically throughout your talk, not dumping them all at once but rather placing each one carefully where its impact will be greatest.

Imagine your speech as a road trip. Without smooth roads and clear signs, the journey gets bumpy, and passengers might miss the scenery along the way. That’s where transitions come in. They’re like your speech’s traffic signals guiding listeners from one point to another.

Crafting Seamless Bridges Between Ideas

Transitions are more than just linguistic filler. They’re strategic connectors that carry an audience smoothly through your narrative. Start by using phrases like “on top of this” or “let’s consider,” which help you pivot naturally between points without losing momentum.

To weave these seamlessly into your outline, map out each major turn beforehand to ensure no idea is left stranded on a tangent.

Making Use of Transitional Phrases Wisely

Be cautious: overusing transitional phrases can clutter up your speech faster than rush hour traffic. Striking a balance is key—think about how often you’d want to see signposts on a highway. Enough to keep you confident but not so many that it feels overwhelming.

Pick pivotal moments for transitions when shifting gears from one major topic to another or introducing contrasting information. A little direction at critical junctures keeps everyone onboard and attentive.

Leveraging Pauses as Transition Tools

Sometimes silence speaks louder than words, and pauses are powerful tools for transitioning thoughts. A well-timed pause lets ideas resonate and gives audiences time to digest complex information before moving forward again.

This approach also allows speakers some breathing room themselves—the chance to regroup mentally before diving into their next point with renewed vigor.

Connecting Emotional Threads Throughout Your Speech

Last but not least, don’t forget emotional continuity, that intangible thread pulling heartstrings from start-to-finish. Even if topics shift drastically, maintaining an underlying emotional connection ensures everything flows together cohesively within the larger tapestry of your message.

Techniques for Emphasizing Key Points in Your Speech Outline

When you’re crafting your speech outline, shine a spotlight on what matters most so that your audience doesn’t miss your key points.

Bold and Italicize for Impact

You wouldn’t whisper your punchline in a crowded room. Similarly, why let your main ideas get lost in a sea of text? Use bold or italics to give those lines extra weight. This visual cue signals importance, so when you glance at your notes during delivery, you’ll know to emphasize those main ideas.

Analogies That Stick

A good analogy is like super glue—it makes anything stick. Weave them into your outline and watch as complex concepts become crystal clear. But remember: choose analogies that resonate with your target audience’s experiences or interests. The closer home it hits, the longer it lingers.

The Power of Repetition

If something’s important say it again. And maybe even once more after that—with flair. Repetition can feel redundant on paper, but audiences often need to hear critical messages several times before they take root.

Keep these strategies in mind when you’re ready to dive into your outline. You’ll transform those core ideas into memorable insights before you know it.

Picture this: you’re delivering a speech, and just as you’re about to reach the end, your time’s up. Ouch! Let’s make sure that never happens. Crafting an outline is not only about what to say but also how long to say it.

Finding Balance in Section Lengths

An outline isn’t just bullet points; it’s a roadmap for pacing. When outlining your speech, make sure to decide how much time you’d like to give each of your main points. You might even consider setting specific timers during rehearsals to get a real feel for each part’s duration. Generally speaking, you should allot a fairly equal amount of time for each to keep things balanced.

The Magic of Mini Milestones

To stay on track, a savvy speaker will mark time stamps or “mini milestones” on their outline. These time stamps give the speaker an idea of where should be in their speech by the time, say, 15 minutes has passed. If by checkpoint three you should be 15 minutes deep and instead you’re hitting 20 minutes, it’s time to pick up the pace or trim some fat from earlier sections. This approach helps you stay on track without having to glance at the clock after every sentence.

Utilizing Visual Aids and Multimedia in Your Outline

Pictures speak louder than words, especially when you’re on stage. Think about it: How many times have you sat through a presentation that felt like an eternity of endless bullet points? Now imagine if instead, there was a vibrant image or a short video clip to break up the monotony—it’s game-changing. That’s why integrating visual aids and multimedia into your speech outline isn’t just smart. It’s crucial for keeping your audience locked in.

Choosing Effective Visuals

Selecting the right visuals is not about flooding your slides with random images but finding those that truly amplify your message. Say you’re talking about climate change. In this case, a graph showing rising global temperatures can hit hard and illustrate your chosen statistic clearly. Remember, simplicity reigns supreme; one powerful image will always trump a cluttered collage.

Multimedia Magic

Videos are another ace up your sleeve. They can deliver testimonials more powerfully than quotes or transport viewers to places mere descriptions cannot reach. But be warned—timing is everything. Keep clips short and sweet because no one came to watch a movie—they came to hear you . You might highlight innovations using short video snippets, ensuring these moments serve as compelling punctuations rather than pauses in your narrative.

The Power of Sound

We often forget audio when we think multimedia, yet sound can evoke emotions and set tones subtly yet effectively. Think striking chords for dramatic effect or nature sounds for storytelling depth during environmental talks.

Audiences crave experiences they’ll remember long after they leave their seats. With well-chosen visuals and gripping multimedia elements woven thoughtfully into every section of your speech outline, you’ll give them exactly that.

Rehearsing with Your Speech Outline

When you’re gearing up to take the stage, your speech outline is a great tool to practice with. With a little preparation, you’ll give a performance that feels both natural and engaging.

Familiarizing Yourself with Content

To start off strong, get cozy with your outline’s content. Read through your outline aloud multiple times until the flow of words feels smooth. This will help make sure that when showtime comes around, you can deliver those lines without tripping over tough transitions or complex concepts.

Beyond mere memorization, understanding the heart behind each point allows you to speak from a place of confidence. You know this stuff—you wrote it. Now let’s bring that knowledge front and center in an authentic way.

Mimicking Presentation Conditions

Rehearsing under conditions similar to those expected during the actual presentation pays off big time. Are you going to stand or roam about? Will there be a podium? Think about these details and simulate them during rehearsal because comfort breeds confidence—and we’re all about boosting confidence.

If technology plays its part in your talk, don’t leave them out of rehearsals either. The last thing anyone needs is tech trouble during their talk.

Perfecting Pace Through Practice

Pacing matters big time when speaking. Use timed rehearsals to nail down timing. Adjust speed as needed but remember: clarity trumps velocity every single time.

You want people hanging onto every word, which is hard to do if you’re talking so fast they can barely make out what you’re saying. During rehearsals, find balance between pacing and comprehension; they should go hand-in-hand.

Finalizing Your Speech Outline for Presentation

You’ve poured hours into crafting your speech, shaping each word and idea with precision. Now, it’s time to tighten the nuts and bolts. Finalizing your outline isn’t just about dotting the i’s and crossing the t’s. It’s about making sure your message sticks like a perfectly thrown dart.

Reviewing Your Content for Clarity

Your first task is to strip away any fluff that might cloud your core message. Read through every point in your outline with a critical eye. Think of yourself as an editor on a mission to cut out anything that doesn’t serve a purpose. Ask yourself if you can explain each concept clearly without needing extra words or complex jargon. If not, simplify.

Strengthening Your Argument

The meat of any good presentation lies in its argument, the why behind what you’re saying. Strengthen yours by ensuring every claim has iron-clad backing—a stat here, an expert quote there. Let this be more than just facts tossed at an audience; weave them into stories they’ll remember long after they leave their seats.

Crafting Memorable Takeaways

Audiences may forget details but never how you made them feel—or think. Embed memorable takeaways throughout your outline so when folks step out into fresh air post-talk, they carry bits of wisdom with them.

This could mean distilling complex ideas down to pithy phrases or ending sections with punchy lines that resonate. It’s these golden nuggets people will mine for later reflection.

FAQs on Speech Outlines

How do you write a speech outline.

To craft an outline, jot down your main ideas, arrange them logically, and add supporting points beneath each.

What are the 3 main parts of a speech outline?

An effective speech has three core parts: an engaging introduction, a content-rich body, and a memorable conclusion.

What are the three features of a good speech outline?

A strong outline is clear, concise, and structured in logical sequence to maximize impact on listeners.

What is a working outline for a speech?

A working outline serves as your blueprint while preparing. It’s detailed but flexible enough to adjust as needed.

Crafting a speech outline is like drawing your map before the journey. It starts with structure and flows into customization for different types of talks. Remember, research and evidence are your compass—they guide you to credibility. Transitions act as bridges, connecting one idea to another smoothly. Key points? They’re landmarks so make them shine.

When delivering your speech, keep an eye on the clock and pace yourself so that every word counts.

Multimedia turns a good talk into a great show. Rehearsing polishes that gem of a presentation until it sparkles.

Last up: fine-tuning your speech outline means you step out confident, ready to deliver something memorable because this isn’t just any roadmap—it’s yours.

• Last Updated: March 5, 2024

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8th Grade Graduation Speech Examples

Graduation speeches are a time-honored tradition, and they can be a lot of fun to give. If you are feeling nervous about giving your speech , don’t worry! We are here to help. If you’re looking for inspiration, or simply want to see how other people have done it, we’ve gathered some 8th grade graduation speech examples and inspiring quotes to include for you.

Before we get to the examples themselves, let’s go over a few tips on how to make your 8th grade graduation speech memorable.

How to Give a Memorable Speech

Giving a memorable speech in 8th grade is all about finding your personal voice and using it to connect with your audience. The best speeches are the ones that sound like they were written just for the occasion, and that’s exactly what you should aim for.

Start by thinking about what makes you unique – what experiences, hobbies, or interests do you have that nobody else does? This can be anything from your love of animals to your talent for painting.

Once you’ve pinpointed what makes you special, use that as the foundation for your speech. What message do you want to share with your classmates? How can you inspire them to follow their own dreams ? Answering these questions will help you write a speech that is both personal and powerful.

And if you’re still feeling nervous about speaking in front of a group, remember that practice makes perfect! Studies show that the more you speak in front of others, the more confident you’ll become.

Here are some tips to help you make it memorable:

• Be yourself: This is probably the most important tip of all. Being genuine and authentic will help you connect with your audience and deliver a speech that is truly meaningful.
• Use humor: A little bit of humor can go a long way in making your speech more enjoyable for everyone. Just be sure not to overdo it – too much jokes can make you seem unprofessional.
• Tell a story: Stories are a great way to engage your audience and illustrate your points. If you can, try to find a personal story that relates to the topic of your speech .
• End on a high note: Your conclusion is what people will remember most, so make it count! Sum up your main points and leave your audience with a strong and positive message.

The 8th grade graduation speeches examples below provide a great starting point, but remember that the best way to make your speech memorable is to be yourself. Be natural, and speak from the heart. This is your time to shine, so enjoy it!

And now, without further ado, here are some 8th grade graduation speech examples.

Blurbs to include in your 8th Grade Speech

“Class of 20xx, we did it! We made it through 8th grade! I don’t know about you, but I’m feeling pretty proud right now. It’s been a long journey, full of ups and downs, but we’ve made it to the end. And I think that’s worth celebrating!”

“This is just the beginning. 8th grade may be ending, but there are so many great things ahead of us. I can’t wait to see what the future holds for each and every one of you. Congratulations, and best of luck!”

“Graduation is a time to look back on all we’ve accomplished, and to set our sights even higher for the future. So let’s make a promise to ourselves right now: to never give up on our dreams, no matter how big or small.”

“It’s been a pleasure getting to know all of you over the past few years. You’re an amazing group of people with bright futures ahead of you. I have no doubt that you’ll go on to do great things in the world. Congratulations!”

“Wishing all of you a bright future full of happiness, success, and lots of love. Congratulations, 8th grade graduates!”

Short 8th Grade Speech Examples

Speech example 1.

“Class of 2023, we did it! We made it through 8th grade! This is a huge accomplishment and I’m so proud of each and every one of you. I can’t wait to see all the great things you will do in high school and beyond.

Now, I know graduation speeches are supposed to be serious, but I also know that 8th graders aren’t always the most serious bunch. So, instead of giving a long speech full of big words, I thought I would leave you with this quote from Dr. Seuss:

‘Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened.’

Class of 2023 , congratulations again. Make sure to enjoy the rest of your summer break!”

Speech Example 2

“It seems like only yesterday we were starting 8th grade. Time really does fly when you’re having fun, or in 8th grade’s case, when you’re trying to survive 8th grade. But we made it! We’re finally graduating and moving on to high school.

I’m going to miss all of you, but I know that we will all keep in touch and stay friends. I want to wish you all the best of luck in high school and beyond. Remember to always stay true to yourselves and never give up on your dreams.

And with that, I’ll leave you with one more quote, this time from Walt Disney: ‘All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them.’

Thank you and good luck!”

Speech Example 3

“As I stand here today, looking at all of you, I’m filled with so much pride. We’ve come so far, and we’ve accomplished so much. 8th grade is a big milestone, but it’s only the beginning. The sky is the limit for all of us.

I encourage each and every one of you to follow your passions and never give up on yourselves. Believe in yourselves and always stay positive. And finally, don’t forget to have fun! Life is too short to not enjoy every moment.

Thank you all for making 8th grade such a great year.”

Speech Example 4

“Graduation is a time to celebrate our accomplishments, reflect on our journey thus far, and set our sights on the future. For some of us, 8th grade was tough, but we made it through! We should be proud of ourselves for everything we’ve overcome.

As we move on to high school and beyond, let’s always remember the lessons we learned in 8th grade. Be kind to others, work hard, and never give up on your dreams. With that said, I’ll leave you all with one last quote from Maya Angelou:

‘You can’t use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have.’

Class of 2023, congratulations and best of luck!”

Speech Example 5

“It’s been a pleasure getting to know each and every one of you over the past year. You’ve all accomplished so much and I know you’re going to do great things in high school.

I encourage you to always stay true to yourselves and never give up on your dreams. And remember, it’s not about the destination, it’s about the journey. So, enjoy the ride!

Thank you all for making 8th grade such a great year. I wish you all the best of luck in high school and beyond.”

Quotes to Use in Your 8th Grade Speech

“Be the change you want to see in the world.” – Mahatma Gandhi

“The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.” – Eleanor Roosevelt

“Your time is limited, don’t waste it living someone else’s life.” – Steve Jobs

“If your dreams don’t scare you, they aren’t big enough.” – Unknown

“Don’t let anyone ever dull your sparkle.” – Unknown

“Be somebody who makes everybody feel like a somebody.” – Brad Montague

“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.” – Dr. Seuss

“Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting. So… get on your way!” – Dr. Seuss

“You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.” – A.A. Milne

“If you want to live a happy life, tie it to a goal, not to people or things.” – Albert Einstein

“Remember, it’s not about the destination, it’s about the journey.” – Unknown

“Don’t be afraid to give up the good to go for the best.” – John D. Rockefeller

“If you can dream it, you can do it.” – Walt Disney

“Believe in yourself and all that you are. Know that there is something inside you that is greater than any obstacle.” – Unknown

We hope these 8th grade graduation speech examples have inspired you to write your own. Remember, the most important thing is to be yourself and have fun. Congratulations on your big day!

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How to Write a Valedictorian Speech

Last Updated: December 10, 2022 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Lynn Kirkham . Lynn Kirkham is a Professional Public Speaker and Founder of Yes You Can Speak, a San Francisco Bay Area-based public speaking educational business empowering thousands of professionals to take command of whatever stage they've been given - from job interviews, boardroom talks to TEDx and large conference platforms. Lynn was chosen as the official TEDx Berkeley speaker coach for the last four years and has worked with executives at Google, Facebook, Intuit, Genentech, Intel, VMware, and others. There are 11 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 1,151,736 times.

Giving your valedictorian or graduation speech at the end of your time at high school is both an exciting and sometimes daunting task, and it is one that most speech givers relish. Its aim is to provide a persuasive, moving, and ultimately uplifting speech. You want to give your listeners a fond farewell to high school, and also inspire them to go out and achieve greatness. That's quite a task for a speech giver in just one address. You can do it, though, as long as you plan and prepare your address before you get up to speak.

Planning Your Speech

• Steve Jobs at Stanford in 2005
• J.K. Rowling at Harvard in 2008
• David Foster Wallace at Kenyon in 2009

• “Find and follow your passion”
• “You do not need to be perfect”
• “If you think and believe you can, you can”
• “Try selflessness and give back”

• Your outline should include multiple parts, sections, and subsections.

• Note any themes or trends amongst the students. Find the most common and important ones, and stick with those.
• Don't forget the smaller memories and lesser-known stories. Mentioning them during your speech will help make those people feel noticed.

• If you aren’t sure how your speech will go, think about if you were listening to it. Is this the kind of speech you would like to hear at your graduation? [5] X Trustworthy Source University of North Carolina Writing Center UNC's on-campus and online instructional service that provides assistance to students, faculty, and others during the writing process Go to source
• If you’re not sure you would enjoy it, your fellow students probably won’t either.

• Talk to your principal or teachers to get a sense of how much time you have. If they don’t have good guidelines, 5 to 10 minutes should be more than enough.
• The average speaker reads about 120 words in a minute. That is a little less than 1 page of double-spaced,16-point font, which you’ll want because it is easier to read. [7] X Research source

• Keep the message short, brief and to the point. This will make it easier to remember.
• Your message does not have to be philosophical or mundane. It can be humorous.

Including Important Parts

• One way to make this more accessible to the rest of the class is to finish this section by encouraging or reminding the other graduates to thank someone too.

• One style of joke is the funny inspirational quote, like Will Rogers’s “Even if you’re on the right track, you’ll get run over if you just sit there,” or Ben Franklin’s “You will find the key to success under the alarm clock.” These clever lines can be a good start to a speech, introducing your big theme. [10] X Research source
• Look for funny stories specific to your school. These can help personalize your speech, and reference things that most of the audience will recognize. You can make fun of school construction that was “building the future one closed hallway at a time.”
• You only need to include a few jokes. This is a valedictorian speech, not an audition for your stand-up comedy career.
• Remember to write them down and rehearse them just like the rest of your speech. You don’t stumble over the punchlines or forget how they go on the big day.
• Keep it clean. Your audience will include teachers, parents, grandparents, and siblings, including your own, so make sure your jokes are appropriate for all.

• Make sure you mention specific accomplishments. Look for sports championships, awards, charity events, anything that you or your classmates accomplished during your time in high school. The more examples you can include that don’t involve you, the better. You are celebrating your whole class’ accomplishments, not just your own.

• As the valedictorian, you are probably going on to college after graduating. That may not be true for everyone in your class, so don’t forget to mention other possible avenues like getting a job or serving in the military.
• If you aren’t sure what kinds of things your classmates are doing after graduation, that’s a great thing to ask when you talk to them.

• If you don’t have a specific funny story about you or your friends, consider talking about how you’ve changed over your time in high school. Think about how you felt when you started as a freshman, how you got lost in the large school, or couldn’t reach your locker. A personal story is also a good way to add a little self-deprecating humor, as long as you are comfortable telling a story where you don’t look brilliant or cool.

• This means quotes too. One or two good quotes from famous people can be useful, as long as they relate directly to your main point. Remember that people want to hear you talk, not recite a list of famous lines.

Delivering Your Speech

• If you can, recreate the setting as much as possible. Wear your cap and gown so you will be comfortable in them, and practice at the podium or where the graduation is, if possible. The more familiar you are with the setting, the more comfortable you will be in giving your speech.

• Letting one or two tears out can be fine. You can always pass it off by blaming allergies, or make a joke about it being dusty in the room.

Sample Valedictorian Speeches

Expert Q&A

• Remember that you were picked to be valedictorian for a reason. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity, to speak as the representative of your graduating class, so give it your best. Thanks Helpful 4 Not Helpful 0
• Bring a copy of your speech. While you may be able to memorize it, practicing in front of the mirror or your friends is a bit different than speaking at the actual graduation. Even if you think you know it all by heart, you’ll want the little reminder just in case. Thanks Helpful 3 Not Helpful 0

• Avoid doing distracting things while giving your speech. This means keeping your phone off, making sure you don’t have a noisy keychain or coins in your pocket, and not chewing gum while speaking. These will make it difficult for people to hear you, and won’t keep their attention on your words. Thanks Helpful 17 Not Helpful 2
• Many high schools will review your speech before you give it to make sure you don’t touch on any controversial or inappropriate topics. It is not a good idea to submit one speech to the school, then give a completely different one as a way to get around this. Thanks Helpful 17 Not Helpful 6
• Avoid plagiarism. This is your speech, not a chance to use someone else’s. Make sure your work is original to you and your school. With so many speeches available online, it can be tempting to just copy one for yourself, but remember that will make it easy for people to catch you as well. Thanks Helpful 16 Not Helpful 7

You Might Also Like

• ↑ https://personalexcellence.co/blog/graduation-speeches/
• ↑ http://writingcenter.unc.edu/handouts/speeches/
• ↑ http://onlinespeechwriting.com/how-to-write-a-valedictorian-speech-an-effective-guide.html
• ↑ Lynn Kirkham. Public Speaking Coach. Expert Interview. 20 November 2019.
• ↑ http://writingcenter.unc.edu/handouts/audience/
• ↑ https://skillpath.com/blog/hate-public-speaking
• ↑ http://blog.oup.com/2015/05/how-to-write-graduation-speech/
• ↑ https://www.bigbencomedy.com/archives/what-do-you-do-when-nobody-laughs/
• ↑ https://routinelynomadic.com/funny-inspirational-quotes/
• ↑ https://www.hawaii.edu/mauispeech/html/practicing_speeches.html
• ↑ http://www.npr.org/2010/12/06/131734718/just-breathe-body-has-a-built-in-stress-reliever

About This Article

To write a valedictorian speech, start by deciding on your theme. Choose something inspiring, like “find and follow your passion,” “you don’t need to be perfect,” or “if you think and believe you can, you can.” Then, make an outline of the speech with a few major points and a couple of jokes throughout, and plan to make your most important point at the end. Remember to thank the people who have helped your class along the way, and take time to reflect on the past. For tips on handling speech anxiety and connecting with your audience, read on! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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Original Speech Writing

Students write eight original speeches.

Rubrics and example speeches are included. Each speech performance focuses on using two Podium Points (elements of effective public speaking).

Common Core Standards

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.8.1

Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence

Classroom Activities

• Classroom Activity One: Introductory Speech Students write and present a speech introducing themselves using Presence.
• Classroom Activity Two: Brown Bag Speech Focusing on Pace and Volume, students share an item that is important to them.
• Classroom Activity Three: Storytelling Speech Tone and Emphasis are stressed in this speech where students tell a true story that happened to them.
• Classroom Activity Four: Tribute Speech Each student honors someone in his/her life while working on improving Eye Contact, Enunciation and Diction.
• Classroom Activity Five: “Read to Me Speech” After picking a favorite text, students return to Emphasis and Tone in order to share a selection with the class.
• Classroom Activity Six: Book Speech Posture and Gesture are introduced to students through a speech on a favorite book. 
• Classroom Activity Seven: Teaching Speech In this activity, students must use all Podium Points while teaching the class a new skill.
• Classroom Activity Eight: This I Believe Using all Podium Points, students need to share their personal philosophy with the class.

Teacher Preparation:

Catherine Plumb-Sperry is a sixth-grade reading teacher at James Bridger Middle School in Independence, MO. Over the course of a year, her students write and perform an original speech each month. This lesson gives teachers framework for how to structure eight different speeches. Catherine’s most important tips for successfully implementing this in the classroom:

• Students do not have the option to “opt-out” of giving a speech. The teacher should perform a sample speech on the day that each speech is assigned.
• When delivering a sample speech, pick a few moments to intentionally ignore one of the Podium Points, so that students can hone their observation skills.
• Starting with Lesson Activity One, model Warm and Cool Feedback.
• Focus on two Podium Points for each speech. However, once a Podium Point has been the focus of a speech, students must continue to work on that element in all subsequent speeches. The Podium Points are cumulative as they progress through the school year. 
• It takes about three 45-minute class periods for a class of 25 students to give their two-minute speeches and receive Warm and Cool Feedback.
• Do not time speeches until the Tribute Speech. It’s better for students to have the first three speech opportunities to stand and speak in front of the class without the added pressure of a time limit.

Additionally, Catherine believes that a podium is a necessary classroom accessory when teaching oratory. Students need to be accustomed to speaking from and using a podium. The podium is also a visual aid indicating that when someone stands to speak, we listen.

Classroom Activity One

Introductory speech.

The first speech of the year is untimed. Catherine usually does the speech on the third day of school. Students cannot use notes of any kind. 

The podium point being evaluated is presence: Can you walk to the podium confidently (even if you don’t feel confident) and use a greeting?

Students are expected to:

• Have presence: walk to the podium confidently and stand confidently throughout their speech.
• Greet their audience.
• Sentence one – Tell their complete name.
• Sentence two – Tell us something about their family.
• Sentence three – Tell us something unique about them.
• End with a “thank you.”

After the speech, the students in the audience spend two minutes giving warm and cool feedback.

Classroom Activity Two

Brown bag speech.

This speech is very similar to “show-and-tell” from early elementary school. 

Students are each given a brown lunch sack. They write the speech requirements on it. They bring it home that night, and select an item to share with the class for their speech. The item must fit in the sack, and may not be a previously living or presently living item. Students bring the item in the sack to school the next day.

The two Podium Points added to this speech are volume and pace. Nerves cause speakers to speak quickly so pace is a challenge. Introduce pace early in the process so student have many opportunities to practice speaking at an appropriate pace.

• Have presence.
• Use appropriate pace and volume.
• Select an item to share.
• Walk the item around and show it to the class.
• Return to the podium to speak.
• Greet the audience. describe where the item came from, what it is used for, why it is significant to them, why they like it, or any other information they want us to know.
• Ask the audience if they have any questions.
• End their speech with a “thank you.”

After the speech, the class spends two minutes giving warm and cool feedback.

Classroom Activity Three 

Storytelling speech.

In this speech, students tell a story from their life. It must be something they are comfortable sharing in front of the class.

The two podium points that are the focus of this speech are tone and emphasis. Students are telling stories that may contain strong emotion, so this is a natural way for them to add tone and emphasis. Students should write their speech down and identify the tone they are trying to achieve. They should also highlight or circle any words they are going to emphasize. They will use the written text to rehearse, and then turn in the text before giving their speech.

Students are expected to

• Use appropriate pace, volume, tone and emphasis.
• Greet the audience.
• Tell a story with a distinct beginning, middle and end.
• Have the story memorized.

Classroom Activity Four

Tribute speech.

In this speech, students are telling the class about an important person in their life, and why they admire this person.

Encourage students to bring a photograph of their person. A photograph gives the audience a nice visual reference during the speech.

The two podium points that are the focus of this speech are eye-contact and diction. Students may use a script when delivering this speech. A caveat: because a script is  allowed, students may tend to read to the audience. It takes a high level of skill to have a script and still make eye contact. Students are expected to rehearse their speech at home before the speech performance day. Assign a rehearsal log to ensure that students practice before their performance.

Teach tongue twisters in class to support development of diction. Students can practice these tongue twisters at home when rehearsing their speech. On speech performance day, the class can warm-up using the tongue twisters. Starting off class this way may also alleviate nerves, as tongue twisters can be fun and promote a bit of laughter.

This is the first speech where speeches are timed. Speeches must be at least one minute and no longer than two minutes. Discuss time with the students but do not use it as an evaluation criteria.

• Use all previously learned Podium Points.
• Use eye-contact and diction.
• Section One: Tell who the person is, what their relationship is to the student, and why the student admires them. The student might also describe physical traits.
• Section Two: Give a personality trait the person has. Students must give two examples of the person showing the trait. (If he says a person is kind, he must say two ways that they show kindness.)
• Section Three: Give a second personality trait that the person has. The student must also give two examples of the person showing the trait.
• Conclude by restating in a different way from their introduction why the person is so special to them.
• End their speech with “thank you.”

Classroom Activity Five 

“read to me” speech.

Note: It might be helpful to pair this with the Refining Tone and Emphasis Lesson.

In this speech, the students read a piece of text written by someone else. The text can be lyrics from a song, a story or a poem.   The Podium Points that are the focus of this speech are emphasis and tone. Although these Podium Points have been covered in the past, the content of this speech requires “extra” attention to tone and emphasis when delivering the speech. Students should make a deliberate effort to put emotion into their delivery.

To find a text to read for performance, students may search online to find song lyrics, a story or poem that they connect with emotionally. They should cut and paste this text into a Word document. Students should read the text carefully to understand the message of the text, and determine the emotional tone. They should annotate their text by circling words they think best express the meaning and tone, and practice emphasizing those words when saying it aloud. Students should bring their annotated text with them to the podium for reference.

Speeches are timed and should be between one and maximum two minutes long.

• Use all previously learned Podium Points, with extra effort to demonstrate tone and emphasis.
• Credit the source of their reading.
• Make an effort to memorize as much of their text as possible and only use their scripts as reference.

After the speech, students are expected to explain briefly how they employed tone and emphasis to convey the meaning of their speech. The class then spends two minutes giving warm and cool feedback.

Classroom Activity Six

Book speech.

In this speech, students review a book they’ve read during the school year.

The Podium Points added for this speech are gesture and posture. Students need to demonstrate confident posture. Confident posture includes standing up tall, without slouching, feet firmly on the floor, no rocking or fidgeting. Shoulders should be back and down. Students can be prompted to squeeze their shoulder blades together, or imagine  that they are tucking their shoulder blades into the back pockets. The goal is to open the chest up, without puffing it out, so that students can breath properly and look confident.

They also should use gestures to emphasize the important parts of the speech or to engage the audience. Remind students that gestures should be as natural as possible. As a frame of reference, it may be helpful to demonstrate examples of natural gestures, or play clips of famous orators and have students observe their gestures.

Students are required to use a visual aide for this speech. They have the choice between creating the visual aide (e.g. a poster advertising the book) or bringing in an item related to the topic of the book (e.g. for a baseball book, a news article from the same time period as the book, or memorabilia that relates to the book). Using the visual aid is an easy way for students to include gesture into a speech.

This is a timed speech and should be between two and three minutes.

• Use all of the Podium Points learned previously.
• Use gestures and have confident posture.
• Discuss the literary elements of the book: main character, theme and plot (without giving away the ending). Share if they liked or didn’t like the book, and offer reasons why.
• Have confident posture, with feet solidly on the floor, standing calmly.
• Use gestures.
• Show their visual aid and explain how it relates to the book. The visual aid must add to the understanding of the book or author of the book.
• Ask if there are any questions about the book.
• End the speech with “thank you.”

After the speech, students spend two minutes giving warm and cool feedback.

Classroom Activity Seven

Teaching speech.

In this speech, students teach something to the entire class. To help students decide their lesson topic, offer some suggestions. This helps students to focus their ideas, so they select something they will feel confident teaching. Some suggestions: origami, how to draw something, a sports strategy, how to do a card trick, a dance step or a simple craft project.

By lesson seven, all of the Podium Points have been introduced. Students are now assessed on their use of all Podium Points and speech requirements.

This is a timed speech and should be between three and five minutes.

• Use all of the Podium Points.
• Include what the class will be learning in their speech introduction.
• If teaching a step-by-step lesson, circulate around the room to assist classmates when needed.
• Provide all the required materials, enough for every student.
• Answer any questions the audience might have.

Classroom Activity Eight

This i believe.

In this speech, students speak about a topic important to them. This speech introduces students to the art of persuasive speech. Students should be encouraged to think about what matters to them, and to select a topic they feel passionately about.  As they write their speeches, students should consider what they want the audience to know, understand and do about the topic as a result of listening to their speech. The speech must include a call to action to the audience.

This is speech includes a research component, to help students understand their issue, find evidence to support their belief, and learn about any opposing points of view. Students will need to be provided with time for research. Length of instructional time dedicated conducting research should be determined according to grade level and how much time the school curriculum will allow.

After researching the topic, the writing process begins. In-class time devoted to writing should be a minimum of three days. Consider a process that includes students writing drafts, editing and rewriting.  This I Believe  has an excellent teaching guide on how to help students write their own statements.

Our original speech writing lesson also has several useful techniques for helping students write their own speeches.

This is a timed speech and must be at least 1 minute 50 seconds, and no longer than 2 minutes 10 seconds.

• Include a personal belief.
• Share a personal story to highlight their belief.
• Explain why this topic is important to them.
• Include a call to action.

Each speech includes an individual rubric for assessment.

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Delivering a Persuasive Speech Lesson Plan

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Lesson Plan #: AELP-SPH0200 Submitted by: Douglas Parker Email: [email protected] School/University/Affiliation: Albany Academy, Albany, NY Date: May 30, 2001

Grade Level: 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12

Subject(s):

• Language Arts/Speech

Duration: Two 50-minute sessions

Description: Students need to understand that how they say something and how they physically present themselves are just as important as what they say. By understanding the dynamics involved in effective persuasive speaking, students will improve their overall confidence in communicating.

Goals: The goal of this lesson is to improve students’ speaking skills by understanding persuasion proficiencies.

Objectives: Students will be able to:

• Demonstrate the appropriate classroom public speaking and listening skills (e.g., body language, articulation, listening to be able to identify specific examples of the speaker’s coordination of talking and action) that would be necessary to influence or change someone’s mind or way of thinking about a topic.
• Define the elements of persuasion.
• Recognize the elements of personal credibility.
• Develop methods to analyze other students’ speeches.
• Understand outlining main ideas.
• Create a persuasive speech.
• teacher-prepared topics for persuasive speeches
• sample rubric (available in .pdf format)
• Sample Rubric

Procedure: During class discussion, define and explain how people make decisions based on what they see and hear. Explain that sometimes we have to use skills to convince others about our positions. Have the students recall and list their own experiences trying to convince their friends about something, and then ask them to share these with the class. Have the students pick a proposition that not everyone would agree with such as: nuclear power plants are superior energy sources. Have them write a 6-8 minute speech in outline form to persuade the class. Each student will then deliver this speech in front of the class while the rest of the students take notes and prepare to give the speaker feedback on the speech. 

The voice and the body are the best tools — every student is a natural persuader! They have done it all their lives. Every time someone enters a conversation, he or she engages in elementary persuasion techniques. It is true that any time students make a statement of fact, they are asserting its validity and assuming that their listener agrees. This speech goes further than a normal conversational assertion: now students have to assume that not everyone will agree with them from the start, and it is their job to make them see things their way. The goal of this speech is to change someone’s mind or way of thinking about a topic. This is not a speech to sell, as students do not ask that the listener do anything except to agree with them or to begin to listen to their way of thinking. Their message is, of course, very important in this speech, but their voice and body language are even more important. Here they will learn how their delivery can help. There are several important aspects of presentation to keep in mind; the academic elements of persuasion are:

• Body Language – Make sure that they have a proper posture. If their shoulders are sagging and their legs are crossed, they will not appear as being sincere, and people just will not accept their message.
• Articulation – Articulation means how their total vocal process works. There are several steps to this entire process. Students need to understand the process. First, they need air from the lungs, their vocal cords in their larynx must be working, their mouth and tongue must be in sync, and they have to make sure that they have got some saliva in their mouths to keep things oiled. They should be aware of their physical makeup to be able to understand how they speak.
• Pronunciation – Students need to pronounce each word. They must avoid slang, except to make a point, and not slur the words. They must avoid saying, you know.
• Pitch – Pitch refers to the highs and lows of the voice. Whatever they do, they must avoid a monotone!
• Speed – The speed, or pace, is an important variable to control. Between 140-160 words per minute is the normal pace for a persuasive speech. Any faster and they may appear to be glib; any slower and they sound like they are lecturing. If they are not sure about their speed, tape them for one minute and then replay it and count the number of words they used in the minute! The human ear and brain can compile and decode over 400 spoken words per minute, so if they are going too slow their listeners’ minds are going to start to wander as the brains finds other ways to keep themselves occupied.
• Pauses – The pause, or caesura, is a critical persuasive tool. When they want to emphasize a certain word, have them just pause for one second before; this highlights the word. If they really want to punch it, tell them to pause before and after the word!
• Volume – Volume is another good tool for a persuasive speech, but they should use it with caution. If they scream all the way through their speech, people will become accustomed to it and it will lose its effectiveness. On the other hand, a few well-timed shouts can liven up the speech! They must try to project or throw their voice out over the entire class – or speak to the last row.
• Quality – Quality of voice is gauged by the overall impact that their voice has on their listeners. Quality of voice is the net caliber of their voice, its character and attributes. They must try to keep the vocal quality high; it is what separates their voices from everyone else’s.
• Variance – Variance of vocal elements is the most important consideration of all! One of the most persuasive speakers in modern history was Winston Churchill. One of his most remarkable qualities was his ability to vary the elements of his voice. He would start with a slow, laconic voice and then switch gears to a more rapid pace. People were light-headed after listening to him! Even if they have no desire to run for political office, students can still use the tools of variance. Have them try to change their pitch, volume, and speed at least once every 30 seconds, if only for just one word. Never let them go more than one paragraph without a vocal variance. This keeps the class locked into the speech, if for no other reason than it sounds interesting! Let the students’ words speak for themselves; reflect their nature through their voices. If they use the word strangle, have them say it with a hint of menace in their voices. If they say the word heave, let the class feel the onomatopoeic force behind it. If they say the word bulldozer, make it sound like a titan earthmover, not like a baby with a shovel.

The Strategy: Appear Rational When students are trying to convince someone of something, they must first establish their credibility, or in other words, they must sell themselves before they sell their message. If people feel that they are not being reasonable or rational, they do not stand a chance. They must be committed to the ideals and goals of their speech and what they are saying. They should not use words such as maybe or might- the should use positive words such as will and must. Students must portray themselves as the authority figures in this speech, so they had better supply enough information to prove their points so that they can seem knowledgeable, and they had better know their material cold. People can usually spot someone who is trying to wing a speech. They should also appear to be truthful – even when they are really stretching a point. If they do not appear to be earnest, even if their message is the 100% truth, people will doubt their word and tune out their speech. Lastly, they must not be afraid to show a little emotion – this is not a sterile or static speech. Students’ bodies and voices must match the tone of their words. If their language is strong, they must present a physical force to go along with their deliveries.

The Class Reaction The class has two major criteria to consider after each member’s speech. First, the delivery. Were the speaker’s body, words, and actions in synchronization and harmony? Did one support the other or was there tension between the body and the voice? Secondly, were the students persuaded? Why or why not? Discuss what makes a persuasive speech work and how the intangibles effect a positive outcome. Assessment: The class will assess each speaker’s performance in terms of voice and body coordination and in terms of persuasiveness. Each class can develop performance assessments such as rubrics to facilitate this process (see sample rubric in Materials ).

Useful Internet Resource: * Basic Public Speaking, 2nd edition (written by the lesson plan author) http://www.capital.net/~bps2

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