It’s extremely hard to write a good speech, even as an adult. Now consider how hard it is for your child. Especially if it is their first time attempting to write a speech.
As we’ve stated on the main speeches page, the key is to start with a creative brainstorming exercise and then begin to structure all your ideas and thoughts into a logical format.
The easiest way to do this is:
- Brainstorm on a blank piece of paper, by either using a mindmap technique or simply by writing ideas in a bullet format.
- The next step is to write ideas that fit together on smaller pages or cards – we usually recommend cards sized 15cm wide and 10cm high.
- Only write one idea, message, statement or fact per card. (do this with your kids, and make it fun – use colour cards, or funny cards. Have a “race” to see who can write down the most ideas in 5 mins…)
- Up to know was all about being creative and generating ideas; Now the structuring begins.
- Organise all the same ideas or arguments together. Simply put all the same idea cards together in piles.
- Research your ideas. Simply go to your search enginge and type in the statement or argument that you want to make and read what other people are saying about it. Can you substantiate your point of view, or have you missed a trick. Update your cards with the research that you’ve done.
- Decision time: decide which 3 or 4 messages you want to talk about. (This heavily depends on the time you have available. Try not to convey more than 4 messages, as the audience easily loses interest if they need to absorb too much).
By now, you will have a PLAN for your speech and it is time to start writing your speech.
- By using your 3 or 4 selected messages, start writing the detail of each message that you want to talk about.
- Remember to write as if you were speaking: use short sentences, don’t use jargon or many accronyms, and use good grammar.
Now you should have an outline of the 3 or 4 messages. The next and final steps are:
- Write an interesting introduction and conclusion for your speech.
- Proof read your speech to ensure that you every argument and statement fits into the overall “theme” of the speech.
- Make the speech more interesting and credible by adding facts, figures and funny stories.
- Now sit back and read the speech as a single and complete work. Does it make sense? Does everything fit together? Does your message come across clearly and easily for your audience to understand?
One last piece of advice would be to get an independent person to proof read your speech. Just to help you identify anything that you might have missed.
