More and more local and national bodies organize or support public speaking contests today. Major organizations such as Lions and Rotary, Toastmasters, Schools and their agencies, and some government agencies are recognizing the contribution that speech contests make to the development of our children. Some of these organizations offer some important prizes, such as trips abroad and scholarships.
The purposes of speech contests are to provide an opportunity for competent speakers to gain speaking experience, to provide an opportunity to observe and learn from the best speakers.
The tips for the contests are to write a good speech that has all the qualities of the speeches described in this book, practice and polish the speech in front of a live audience, even if you, the parents and the rest of the family are sick. from that. Always practice the timing of the speech, even if you go so far as to know exactly where the end point of a speech begins to occur with a minute to go. If there are lights to indicate the stages through a speech, you can determine where to start your wind in a given light.
Know the evaluation sheet. So many good speakers make the mistake of concentrating on a poorly marked area and forgetting to score on heavily marked areas. Know the evaluation sheet, Know the evaluation sheet, Know the evaluation sheet!
Include some humor, finish on time, and don’t seem rushed. Have a very good structure that leaves the judges with no choice but to follow you! See if you can also get some audience participation. This means that the audience and perhaps the judges will respond to you, making your task a little easier.
Summary
o Clear structure – Opening, body and conclusion. Link back to the Open from the close.
o Memorize the closing first, then the body and vice versa until the opening.
o Leave them with a really insightful statement, quote or action that is so unusual they will remember your speech.
o Include humor, but not so much that it is a comedy. Make the audience laugh at you.
o Link back to previous speeches if you can by saying “Bob said in the previous speech…”, as this shows that you are very observant and very relaxed.
o Act like you’re confident and calm, even if you have the worst nerves, act until you get an Oscar!
o Know where your marks will come from, work the scoring sheet.
o Get the audience to participate, even if you have to get them to answer a question by raising their hands. The judges are in the room and they will have to participate as well.
o Arrive early.
o Manage time perfectly. Know where you are every step of the way.