Delivering A Persuasive Speech

Introduce the activity by explaining that a persuasive speech not only involves making effective language choices but also needs to be thoughtfully delivered for maximum impact. The message IS important but delivery can make the all the difference to an audience.

View video extract Fire in the Belly. Discuss the main point with students.

View one of the video clips e.g. Once More Unto the Breach or Laurence Olivier's Henry V (both could be used for a comparison of the style of delivery).

After viewing, invite the students to identify features of effective delivery. Summarise under the following headings:

Body language

Articulation/clarity

Emphasis

Pitch (high/low tones)

Pace

Pause/caesura

Volume

Variation

Body language

Body language can be very subtle. Eye contact is important but an unbroken gaze can come across as threatening. Hunched shoulders, twiddling with hair or touching the face may suggest uncertainty. Upright posture will indicate confidence. Crossed legs may indicate lack of sincerity. Open arms may give the impression of trustworthiness. Gesture can reinforce an emphatic statement.

Articulation

Well formed words are audible and so more easily understood. The importance of good articulation varies according to context.

Emphasis

Changing the words emphasised in a sentence creates different nuances of meaning. Emphasising verbs instead of adjectives can be more forceful.

Pitch /inflection

Inflection is the musical pattern, the rise and fall which conveys emotion, feeling and meaning. Monotone speeches will quickly sound boring.

Pace

Variation of pace (increase, decrease ) can be used to good effect. Winston Churchill was particularly good at changing the pace of his delivery often beginning laconically and picking up pace.

Pause/ Caesura

In music and speech pauses are never empty. A pause before and after an important word can intensify the impact.

Power is about the energy used. A speech can be delivered loudly or softly, shouted or whispered, firm or gentle. A speech delivered at a constant loud level may not be as effective as one where a crescendo is built up. A contrast between quiet and loud phrases may also work well.

You might use some warm-up activities prior to reading. Here are some suggestions: Raise shoulders to ears, squeeze tight, hold, let go with a sigh Hold your hand at arm's length in front of your face. Hold up one finger. Imagine that it is a candle. Use just enough breath to blow the candle out. Repeat with 10 candles (10 fingers). Now imagine that you have three cakes lined up in front of you each with 10 candles. Blow all of the candles out using one breath. Now imagine one candle. Blow on the candle bending the flame with a steady breath. Keep the flame bent for as long as possible without blowing the candle out. Volume/power: count from one to ten aiming at a point in the room. Start quietly and increase volume.

Articulation/clarity: try some tongue twisters (e.g. red lorry yellow lorry, bipperty bopperty, fattypuff thinnifer)

Emphasis: repeat a sentence with the emphasis on different words in the sentence (e.g. Would you like a cup of tea? Would you like a cup of tea? Etc)

Enlarge a copy of the speech Once More Unto the Breach, using the OHP or interactive whiteboard. Demonstrate how the text can be annotated with a marking code. Students can invent their own marking codes or alternatively you can suggest some symbols (e.g. underline a word for emphasis; use a slash to indicate a pause; use a crescendo mark to show increase in volume and diminuendo mark to show decrease in volume) Words can also be used as annotations (e.g. faster, slower, accentuate alliteration etc.).

Distribute copies of Once More Unto the Breach. Working in pairs, students decide how to read the speech and annotate it. Allow time for practice and encourage students to self-appraise and make changes.

Ask for volunteers to read their prepared speeches. Evaluate. Comment on the effective choices made by the students.

What have we learned about presenting a persuasive speech?