Powerful public speaking starts with understanding the anatomy of a speech. The essential elements of a speech are: 1. Structure 2. Words 3. Voice 4. Body Language 5. Stagecraft In this slideshow, these elements are introduced, with exercises to improve your skill in each of them. Powerful public speaking - from <a>www.SpeechMatrix.nz</a>

1. The Anatomy of a Speech

2. The Anatomy of a Speech

3. Anatomy of a Speech
1. STRUCTURE

4. 1. Structure
Build your ideas.

5. Build relationships –between– your ideas.
Link ideas in a seamless flow.
1. Structure

6. 1. Structure
Add a dramatic opening…

7. 1. Structure
…and a memorable conclusion.

8. 1. Structure
Create a seamless flow, as if you’re on a scenic journey.

9. Anatomy of a Speech
2. WORDS

10. 2. Words

(Less relatable)
Use words that your audience can relate to…

11. It started to snow that evening, and our journey became more
difficult.
2. Words
Use word pictures.
Dusk fell; the air was dense and heavy with snow. The terrain
became steeper and more difficult, our journey punctuated
only by the steady beat of the horses’ hooves and my own
ragged breathing.



12. Tell riveting stories.
2. Words
Weave stories
into the structure
of your speech.
Build a narrative,
not just a speech!

13. 2. Words
Dusk falls; the air is dense and heavy with snow. The terrain
becomes steeper and more difficult, our journey punctuated
only by the steady beat of the horses’ hooves and my own
ragged breathing.
Tell riveting stories in the present tense.

14. Anatomy of a Speech
3. VOICE

15. • PITCH is the rate of
vibration of your vocal
folds.
• TONE is the resonance - the
quality of your voice.
• VOLUME is the decibel level
at which you speak.
• PACE is the number of
words a minute.

16. 3. Voice
• YOUR pitch, tone, volume
and pace are unique.
• Take your voice for a test
drive: vary the pitch,
tone, volume and pace.
• What can you REALLY do
with your voice?

17. • Vocal Variety
• Read out a familiar story in a low pitch,
medium pitch and high pitch. Did the
meaning change?
• Take any sentence from the story. Read
it in a angry, happy, sad, loving,
despairing, laughing, authoritative, sly
and shy voice.
3. Voice

18. • Read out loud in a monotone
• Stand up, take a deep breath and read
out a couple of paragraphs of text
from your favourite novel or magazine.
Read it in a monotone, ensuring that
you use your diaphragm when you
speak.
Exercise:
Pitch and Tone

19. • Singing Lessons
• Alternating pitches
• Take singing lessons – this will give you
more breath control, flex your “vocal
muscles”, and give you lots of practice
using your diaphragm to sing and to
speak.
• Say the words “cheese sandwich”, or any
other two-word phrase, alternating
between two pitches. “cheese” (low)
“sandwich” (high) - and vice versa.
Exercise:
Pitch and Tone

20. • Imagine you’re standing in front of a mirror.
Greet your image in the mirror. “Hello, Sam!”
• Now walk backwards from the mirror, greeting
yourself again every five to ten feet you move
further away.
• Vary your voice – pitch, tone and especially
volume, till you truly believe your “mirror image”
self can hear you at 50 feet or more. Do this
outdoors, in a park, and practise with a friend if
possible.
• Projecting Your Voice
Exercise:
Projecting Your Voice

21. • Write your speech. Count the words.
• Deliver your speech as a practice. Time yourself. Divide the number of
words by the total time to get your “practice” pace.
• Deliver your speech to an audience. Time yourself. Again, divide the
number of words by the total time. This is your “actual” pace.
• Get feedback from your audience. Do you need to change your pace
to make your speech clearer and more powerful?
Exercise: What’s Your Pace?

22. Anatomy of a Speech
4. BODY LANGUAGE

23. 4. Body Language
Start your speech with hands open and at your sides.
This starts the connection between you and the audience.

24. 4. Body Language
Use hand gestures judiciously. Keep them clean, strong, and purposeful.

25. 4. Body Language
Use facial expressions consciously but naturally, to tie in perfectly with your words.

26. 4. Body Language
Move your feet only when required, when
movement adds to your message.
Watch out for “wandering feet”!
A lot of speakers do this without realising it, and
the audience can find it distracting.

27. Anatomy of a Speech
5. STAGECRAFT

28. 5. Stagecraft
Future
Present
Past
Show TIME visually
Step back (past) step forward (present), step forward again (future).
Move naturally!
Stage

29. 5. Stagecraft
Show DIALOGUE visually
Example: Calpurnia begs Caesar not to go to the Senate, and Caesar responds.
Calpurnia Caesar
Right = The audience’s right. Left = The audience’s left.
When you’re speaking Calpurnia’s words, move to the right hand side of the stage.
When you’re speaking Caesar’s words, move to the left hand side of the stage.
Maintain the same positions throughout the dialogue.
Always on the right as Calpurnia, always on the left as Caesar.
Stage

30. 5. Stagecraft
Show LOCATIONS visually
Example: “I was born in Sydney. I moved to New York in my teens. Now I live in Stockholm.”
New York
Right = The audience’s right. Left = The audience’s left.
Sydney = left. New York = centre. Stockholm = right.
Maintain the same position for each location throughout your speech.
Stockholm
Stage
Sydney

31. Anatomy of a Speech
1. Structure
2. Words
3. Voice
4. Body Language
5. Stagecraft

32. Visualise! Practice.
That’s what brings authenticity. Yes, really.

33. More than anything else, have fun with it !

34. Powerful Public Speaking