Building a Speech
This page brings the unit together in a practical workshop. It moves from a prompt to a delivered short speech in a sequence you can use in class or independently. The aim is a clear, honest speech of one to three minutes, not a polished performance that hides the thinking.
The workshop at a glance
| Stage | Time | Output |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Prompt and purpose | 5 minutes | One sentence: what the speech will do. |
| 2. Audience | 5 minutes | A short audience profile. |
| 3. Gather material | 10 minutes | Examples, evidence, images, a story. |
| 4. Outline | 10 minutes | Hook, purpose, three points, close. |
| 5. Draft | 15 minutes | A spoken-style draft. |
| 6. Mark and cut | 10 minutes | A marked script at target length. |
| 7. Rehearse | 15 minutes | Two timed runs and one recorded run. |
| 8. Deliver and reflect | 10 minutes | A short speech and a written reflection. |
Step 1: Prompt and purpose
Choose a prompt that gives you something to say. It can be a question, an object, a place, a change you want to see or a person you want to honour. Avoid topics so broad that the speech becomes a list.
| Prompt | Narrower purpose |
|---|---|
| “School” | Explain one change that would make lunchtime better. |
| “Family” | Tell the story of one object that matters in your family. |
| “The future” | Persuade the audience to take one practical action. |
| “A place I know” | Describe a place so the audience can see it. |
| “A mistake” | Explain what you learned from one specific mistake. |
Write: “By the end of this speech, I want the audience to ...” Keep it to one sentence.
Step 2: Audience
Answer four questions: What do they already know? What do they need to know? What do they care about? What access needs do they have? Then decide on register, length and one example that will land.
Step 3: Gather material
Collect more than you need, then choose. Use a simple grid:
| Type | Example | Use it for |
|---|---|---|
| Story | A moment you witnessed or experienced. | Connection and memory. |
| Fact | A number or finding from a reliable source. | Credibility. |
| Example | A specific case that illustrates the point. | Clarity. |
| Analogy | A comparison to something familiar. | Explaining a difficult idea. |
| Image | A concrete visual detail. | Atmosphere and emphasis. |
| Quotation | A short attributed line. | Weight or contrast. |
If you use a fact or quotation, record the source. Do not invent statistics or attribute words to people who did not say them.
Step 4: Outline
Model outline: “The bench outside the office”
Purpose: To explain why one ordinary bench has become an important place in our school.
Hook: “There is a bench outside the office that nobody is supposed to sit on.”
Point 1: It began as a waiting place for late students.
Point 2: It became a meeting place for students who needed somewhere to be.
Point 3: It shows that belonging is often made in ordinary spaces.
Close: “The bench is not beautiful. But it is ours.”
This is an original teaching example, not a transcript of a real speech.
Step 5: Draft
Write for the ear, not the eye. Use shorter sentences than you would in an essay. Read each sentence aloud as you write. If you run out of breath, split the sentence. If a word is hard to say, replace it.
| Written style | Spoken style |
|---|---|
| “The implementation of the proposal would necessitate additional consultation.” | “We need to talk to people before we start.” |
| “Furthermore, it is evident that ...” | “Here is the evidence.” |
| “A significant proportion of the student body ...” | “Most students ...” |
| “In conclusion, it can be seen that ...” | “So what does this mean?” |
Step 6: Mark and cut
Mark breath points, stresses, pauses and signposts. Then cut ten percent. Most first drafts are too long, and the cut usually improves clarity. Remove throat-clearing, repeated ideas and any example that does not earn its place.
Step 7: Rehearse
- Read the speech aloud once without stopping.
- Time it at performance pace.
- Record one run and watch it with the checklist on the rehearsal and delivery page.
- Choose one change and rehearse again.
- Perform for one listener and ask for one strength and one next step.
Step 8: Deliver and reflect
Before you begin, pause, look at the audience and breathe. Deliver the speech. At the end, hold still for a moment before you leave or invite questions.
Then write a reflection of 100–200 words:
- What did you want the audience to understand or feel?
- Which choice helped most?
- What changed between the first and final version?
- What would you do differently next time?
Planning template
| Element | Your notes |
|---|---|
| Purpose | |
| Audience | |
| Hook | |
| Point 1 + evidence | |
| Point 2 + evidence | |
| Point 3 + evidence | |
| Close | |
| One risk and backup |
Common errors
- Writing an essay and reading it aloud. Spoken sentences need to be shorter and clearer.
- Too many points. Two or three are enough for a short speech.
- No concrete example. The audience remembers stories and images.
- Over-rehearsing the words but not the body. Practise standing, breathing and moving.
- Ignoring the time limit. Cut content rather than rushing.
- Reflecting only on what went wrong. Name what worked so you can repeat it.
Next, read ethics and inclusion before you deliver, especially if your speech draws on other people's stories. The teacher notes offer further planning support.