Delivering an effective extempore speech

By Anil
Delivering an effective extempore speech

Well, for some students, the very thought of delivering a speech may send down anxious chill down their spines, that can be understandable. Perhaps, what they should try to understand is the thought of not thinking that way, which gives them loads of confidence that would be required to perform the act.

 

Extempore speech gets created then and there. It is an on-the-spot event. Some organisers give a minute or two to the speakers to arrange their thoughts before speaking. Saying words and phrases in a short span of time is where you will be showcasing the confidence and the capacity to articulate, think, and project yourself.

In school/college, it is quite a common thing to deliver an extempore speech. What does it do to a learner? In what way does it help the student in the long-run?

  • Extempore enables the student to think out of the box and off the feet.
  • It is a great platform to develop communication skills and time management.
  • Pushes one to conceive and generate ideas without any preparation.
  • Makes them address and analyse the issue on the spot.
  • Improves logical thinking and reasoning ability in a learner.
  • It is an excellent training exercise for future leaders.

Let us look at some easy and workable pointers to muscle up an effective extempore speech.

Content knowledge
Know what you are talking about and whom you are talking to. Before you speak about something, you should make sure to know that something. Your facts and figures have to be apt and appropriate. Factual accuracy and sequential order must be kept in mind as well. Gather your points and organise it to give a smooth flow. Remember to deliver steady, contextually relevant information. If possible, have related quotes to beautify your content. Stick to the core points and narrate it in a systemmatic way. Try not to divert from the actual concept.

Body language
Body language portrays the level of confidence in you. Have your head raised and make sure to keep your mic at a constant position. Look into your audiences' eyes to connect with them and to drive the message home. Expressions matter. Give your all to express your understanding about the topic, as you speak. As this activity is stage-oriented, remember to render best impression on your audience.

Confidence matters
Extempore performances are carried out without any prior preparation. So, your level of confidence directly depends on the level of knowledge you have on the subject. Be it an abstract topic or a very well-known topic, you will be primarily tested on your presence of mind, consistency and reasoning skills on the topic. Just stay confident in what you speak and deliver your speech without fear.

Voice modulation
Voice can depict a person's character, mood, feelings, emotions and tone. Change of voice may vary depending on what you are saying. You cannot stay at a high-pitched voice all throughout your speech. Likewise, you can't stay at a lower-pitched voice either. There must be a mix of vocal ranges to balance the intonation and the content you express.

Time check
Impromptu performances are time-based. Along with competence, enthusiasm and delivery, you must keep 'time' in mind as well. Delivering quality and valuable speech in the specified duration is the best rendition that the audience generally expect and appreciate.

Above all, practising extempore before you hit the actual competition, would be very helpful. Time yourself. Pick topics randomly and start practising well. It would even give you an extra mile of confidence to face the real challenge.

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