how to write a speech year 5

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How to write a speech for kids

 create an engaging presentation for children .

By:  Susan Dugdale  | Last modified: 04-28-2021

Writing a speech for kids and then giving it is relatively straightforward. Truly! Once you've gained some experience you'll find it fun, as well as hugely rewarding.

You'll follow exactly the same steps as you would when preparing a speech for adults but with minor, yet crucial variations. 

You'll plan, make an outline, write up your notes, prepare cue cards if you need them, rehearse and finally, deliver your speech.

However because you are presenting to children you'll need to adapt some of the processes. Kids are a very different audience!

Use the on-page quick links below to follow my 3 part outline, and you'll be fine.

What's on this page

Part One : Background & audience research

Part Two: Techniques to gain & hold their attention

Part Three: Rehearsal

Whoops, that went down like the proverbial lead balloon:   Traps for the unwary

Part 1: Background & audience research

Your first step is to consider your audience. The questions you'll want answers to are:

- What age are these children?

- What backgrounds do they mostly come from?

- What background, if any, do they have in relation to your topic?

- What common experiences do they all share that you could use as stepping stones into your material?

- What level of vocabulary will they readily understand?

- what grabs and keeps their attention?

To get the answers, ask the person or people, who invited you to speak.

• How long you're expected to speak for. This is critical. A child's attention span is not the same as an adults, and there are big differences between a 6 year old and a 16 year old. Find out more: Normal attention span expectations by age
• What the purpose is behind inviting you to speak. Are you being asked to inform, to persuade, to entertain ...?
• If the group has members with special needs you should be aware of like children who are deaf, sight impaired or emotionally fragile

Once you've got that information you're ready to begin shaping your material.

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Part 2: How to gain & hold attention

Bear in mind the following as you plan:

• Keep the structure simple and clear: introduction, body of speech, conclusion. Kids, just like adults, appreciate knowing what is going on and knowing why they're being asked to listen.
• Use conversational language rather than formal. In your mind choose a child to give your speech to. This will help you keep it 'real'.
• Limit the number of main points you wish to make about your topic to one or two. 
• Keep the formal or structured part of your speech brief.
• Allow time for, and encourage questions.
• Relate the topic back to themselves, their experience, from the beginning. This gives them an anchor, a place they know and understand as a starting point for the journey you're about to take them on. 

Kids love to laugh

Use humor and personal storytelling to get your message across.  

Children of all ages love stories, especially personal ones. A story told well, with humor, will grab their attention faster and hold it longer than any other technique I know. Make it relevant, add characterization, (voices and appropriate body language), and you'll have every child listening.

You can find out more about incorporating stories into your speeches on these pages:

• storytelling  - How to choose and tell a story
• storytelling set-ups  - How to integrate a story into your speech
• characterization techniques  - How to make your stories come alive through gesture and voice.

Vocabulary choices, questions & props

• Use specific words rather than general ones. 'I love being outdoors' is less evocative than 'I love puddle jumping, building a bonfire at the beach...'
• Use inclusive words: 'we' and 'our' as well as personal ones: 'yours', 'you'
• Vary your sentence length and your word choice to keep it interesting to listen to. Children, like adults, appreciate variation.

Questions, instructions and involvement

Use interactive questions, and instructions, to ensure they're following you throughout your speech. For example:  'Have you got that? Nod your heads if you have.'

Or, 'Wave your hand like this ( d emonstrate ) if you can see the picture I put on the board.'

Get them involved by asking for volunteers to help hand things around.

Play simple chorus answer and action games like, 'When I say, who has got a good thinking brain, you say ME and pat your head. Let's try it now. Ready? Who's got ...'

Or, 'When I get to a scary bit in the story you're going to go ooooooh,oooooh in a very frightened sort of way and make yourselves very small like this.' ( Demonstrate .) 'Now, let's try it together...That's fantastic. I've never seen a better bunch of scared kids.' 

Props or visual aids

Where possible incorporate 'showing' as well as 'telling'. Take along things children can see and if at all possible, handle. This gives your speech another dimension. And don't be afraid to break out your silly wig, or a clown's nose ...

Check this page on using props well in speeches .

Once you have the basic outline of your speech planned you're ready for the next step.

Now you're going to trial your work.

Rehearsal will help you identify what you've done well and where you need to fine tune.

If you can, practice in front of several children of the same age and background you're going to talk to.

If they're old enough to understand, ask them before you give the speech, if they can help you make it better and collect their feedback at the end.

If they're not old enough, look for cues like looking away, looking puzzled, talking through it, or wriggling. If it's too long and without relevance or connection to them they'll soon let you know.

Children don't have filters. They'll show and tell you like it is. They're not being deliberately rude. It's actually quite simple. They're not interested and haven't learned to pretend otherwise, yet. Don't make the mistake of taking their responses personally! 

Before you go on to finalize your speech incorporate your changes.

If you'd like pointers on how to rehearse you'll find them here:

• how to rehearse

Do try and give your speech without a word-for-word script. It might feel safer for you but for children, listening to you read is not as effective as you talking to, or interacting with them, directly.

Use cue cards if you can.  Rehearse until you know it fluently and the cue cards are merely a safety net should you need them.

And finally run through the checklist below.

These are the pitfalls I've either fallen into myself or watched others tumble down. Knowing will help you avoid them.

Whoops - traps for the unwary

Learning the hard way; when it doesn't go like you imagined it would and a great dark chasm opens beneath your feet and you find yourself rapidly disappearing down it, silly wig and all.

It's ghastly, and an experience I've had more than several times in my teaching career.

Here's what I've learned. Blaming your audience is letting yourself off the hook! When a presentation lurches sideways it's not the children's fault. The hell hole is generally of our own making. Any of these factors could have caused it:

• assuming that because a child is a child and you're an adult you automatically know more than they do
• patronizing your audience through using either over-simplified or baby language
• talking over their heads by using either non-explained jargon or a vocabulary beyond their experience
• not rehearsing and then finding that your speech doesn't flow logically. Or it's too long.  Or that it doesn't have enough relevance so the kids are bored. Or the props you brought don't work as you wished. They're too small to be seen from the stage. And the stories you planned fall flat.
• introducing inappropriate subject matter for the group or an individual in the group. Always check.
• trying to fit too much information into the time allotted.
• inadvertently making fun of a child's comments and concerns therefore shaming them in front of their peers.
• exploiting their trust and naivety by presenting material persuasively that is ultimately of no benefit to them and at worst destructive.
• getting flustered by bit of very ordinary spontaneous child behavior (talking while you are talking, wriggling ...) and not knowing how to handle it and move on with ease
• not having established the rules of engagement at the beginning for asking questions, handling props, or any activity involving interaction ...

There is a common sense remedy for all of them. Trial your speech in rehearsal! And if it helps get a trusted and experienced colleague in to give you feedback!

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If You Want to Write a Great Speech, Here’s How to Do It

Writing a speech isn’t all that different than writing for other mediums. You need to know your audience, the required length, and the purpose or topic. This is true whether your speech is for a business conference, a wedding, a school project, or any other scenario.

But there’s something about speech writing that’s especially nerve-wracking .

If you write and deliver a speech that doesn’t go over well, you’ll get feedback in real time. The people sitting in front of you could lose interest, start talking, doze off, or even wander out of the room. (Don’t worry, only audiences in movies throw tomatoes).

Of course, a poor speech is not the end of the world. You can give plenty of crummy speeches and live to tell the tale.

But we also know that a great speech is capable of changing the world. Or at least sparking an audience’s imagination, catapulting your business into success, earning an A+ on your assignment, or ensuring that the bride and groom are still friends with you after the wedding.

So if you’re feeling stressed over your impending speech writing duties, fret no more! Today we’re breaking down for you the step-by-step process of exactly how to write a great speech.

Here’s a tip: Want to make sure your writing shines? Grammarly can check your spelling and save you from grammar and punctuation mistakes. It even proofreads your text, so your work is extra polished wherever you write.

Your writing, at its best Grammarly helps you communicate confidently Write with Grammarly

1 Tips to write (and live) by

Let’s start with the 30,000 foot, big-picture view. These are the tenets that will guide you in your speech writing process (and pretty much anything else you want to write).

• Know the purpose: What are you trying to accomplish with your speech? Educate, inspire, entertain, argue a point? Your goals will dictate the tone and structure, and result in dramatically different speeches.
• Know your audience: Your speech should be tailored for your audience, both in terms of ideas and language. If you’re speaking at a sound healer convention, you won’t need to explain the concept of energetic blocks. And if you’re speaking to an octogenarians-only quilting circle, you probably shouldn’t drop as many F-bombs as you would with your local biker gang.
• Know the length: You don’t want to underwhelm or overwhelm your audience.Ten minutes may be too short for your keynote address, but it’s probably too long for your best man speech. Don’t leave things up to chance. Your writing process will be much easier if you keep your eye on your target length.
• Write, revise, practice, revise, practice…: MLK’s “I Have a Dream” speech wasn’t written in a day. Give yourself the time you need to practice your material and work through multiple drafts. Don’t expect to nail everything on the first try.

2 The step-by-step process

Still feeling stressed over how to get started? Here’s how to write your speech from concept to completion.

Step 1: Outline your speech’s structure. What are the main ideas for each section?

Step 2: Flesh out the main ideas in your outline. Don’t worry about finding the perfect words. Just let your creativity flow and get it all out!

Step 3: Edit and polish what you’ve written until you have a cohesive first draft of your speech

Step 4: Practice, practice, practice. The more you practice your speech the more you’ll discover which sections need reworked, which transitions should be improved, and which sentences are hard to say. You’ll also find out how you’re doing on length.

Step 5: Update, practice, and revise your speech until it has a great flow and you feel it’s ready to accomplish its purpose.

3 The universal structure

Getting hung up on Step 1? Here’s a structure you can follow for any type of speech.

Introduction

Who are you, why are are you giving this speech, what is your main thesis?

The “who” and “why” can be longer or shorter depending on the context. For example, if you’re speaking at a wedding, you’ll want to explain your relationship to the bride and groom and why they mean so much to you. But if you’re presenting to your class at school, you may be able to head straight into your thesis.

If you’re presenting in a business or motivational setting, this is a crucial time to hook your audience’s attention and pique their curiosity. Typically someone else will have already introduced you and your accolades, so use this to your advantage and dive straight in.

“Hi everyone, it’s great to be here! As Kevin just said, I’ve been an urban beet farmer for 30 years, and a couple years back I got this absolutely crazy idea. What if…”

Main message

Idea 1, Idea 2, Idea 3…

The majority of your speech should be spent presenting your thesis and supporting material in a simple, organized way.

Whether you’re giving an inspirational talk or a business presentation, rambling is a sure-fire way to lose your audience’s attention. Don’t try to share absolutely everything you know on your topic, instead pick a few (two to five) key points to present to your audience.

Stick to one point at a time and finish the thought before you move on to the next. Build in clear, logical transitions from idea to idea.

Want to make your speech memorable? Studies have shown our brains are great at remember stories! As much as is appropriate, make your speech personal and include your own anecdotes and thoughts.

We’re also better at remembering big ideas if they’re condensed into a few memorable words, so do your best to sum up your thesis.

“I have a dream.”

“Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.”

“Make good art.”

What do you want your audience to walk out of the room remembering?

Wrap everything up and drive home your main idea, whether that’s through providing a few (one to three) key takeaways, or telling one last story that perfectly illustrates your point.

Here are some examples of how your outline might look

As a researcher presenting your findings…

Introduction: Explain the key problem or question of your research.

Main message: Describe the research process, then describe your three key findings.

Takeaway: Present your conclusions and their implications, then your next steps for moving forward.

As the maid of honor giving a speech at your best friend’s wedding…

Introduction: Explain who you are and how you met the bride.

Main message: Recount three funny and heartwarming stories about your decades-long friendship with her, plus your first impressions of the groom.

Takeaway: Wrap things up by expounding on how amazing the bride and groom’s love for each other is, how they’re meant to be together, and how you know their love will last a lifetime. …L’chaim!

What are your favorite tips for writing a great speech?

Here’s a tip: Grammarly’s  Citation Generator  ensures your essays have flawless citations and no plagiarism. Try it for citing speeches in Chicago , MLA , and APA styles.

• How to Cite
• Language & Lit
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• The Rewrite
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How to Write a Speech in Fifth Grade

In fifth grade, many students are introduced to the topic of speech writing. To write an effective speech, a student first must have a firm grasp on the chosen topic. This means that you need to do some extensive research on your speech topic before you sit down to write. As you write your speech, keep your audience in mind and make sure you present the topic in a way that your audience will understand and appreciate. These guidelines can be used when writing a speech in fifth grade or any time.

Read your teacher's instructions very carefully. The instructions might include what type of topic you need to pick, how long the speech needs to be and what the purpose of the speech is. For example, the purpose might be to inform your audience or to persuade them.

Choose a topic. Narrowing down your topic will make writing the speech easier. For example, the solar system is a very broad informative speech topic, while "Why Pluto is not longer a planet" is a narrow topic.

Write the introduction for your speech. The introduction tells the audience what the speech is about and goes over the main points briefly.

Develop at least three major points for the speech. These points directly relate to your topic. For example, one point from the above example might talk about what information is used to categorize something as a planet in the solar system.

Add additional details to each point that back it up. These details should come from your research on the topic, based on legitimate sources. The NASA website, for example, would be a legitimate source to go to for information about Pluto.

Conclude your speech. The conclusion goes back over your main points to remind your audience of everything you've addressed.

Read the speech you've written out loud. This will show you if any of your sentences or points are not complete or sound awkward. Practice your speech until you're comfortable saying the whole thing out loud.

• Write-out-loud.com: How to Write a Speech

Mike Johnson has been working as a writer since 2005, specializing in fitness, health, sports, recreational activities and relationship advice. He has also had short stories published in literary journals such as "First Class Magazine." Johnson holds a Bachelor of Science in education and history from Youngstown State University.

Public Speaking Tips For Kids

The speeches are written and practiced at home. This year I created a template for the kids to help make a start on their speech. The template not only helps them plan out the content for their speech, but gives them tips on how to define the purpose, research and practise their speech.

I used this template with all three kids – prep, year three and year five. The level of guidance needed by each child varied and I naturally I spent the most time with the six year old as this is the first time he has had to write and present a speech.

Not every element of the template will necessarily need to be completed and depends on the topic. For example the prep child chose “Kids have fun when….” from the list of topics for his class. This topic requires no research to be done as he is an expert in knowing how kids have fun!

The kids may also need more room than for the “middle” section, depending on how long their speech is to be. We simply turned over the page and wrote on the back.

Public Speaking Tips For Kids – A Checklist

I have listed below the elements the template covers:

• Topic and Time: Choose something that you are interested in.
• How long do you have to talk for?
• Audience: Who will you be talking to and who will be judging.
• Subject and purpose: What is the aim of your speech – to persuade, inform, entertain, etc. Brainstorm ideas note them down. Note personal stories you can add to make it more interesting.
• Research: Not just internet, newspapers, magazines, library, family friends etc.
• Structure: Ask yourself the question – ‘At the end of the speech I would like my audience to…….
• Beginning: Brief, capture the attention of the audience and establish the subject and purpose of the speech. Don’t just restate the topic. Add your personality and make it unique, many others may be talking on the same topic.
• Middle: Sets out your ideas, shares your research, includes examples to support your topic. For your time limit work out how many points / paragraphs you can include. Work on having a powerful statement to lead into each new point / paragraph.
• End: Short statement relating back to the topic and sums up the subject and purpose of the speech. Make it brief, but memorable. Try including a memorable line that the audience can take away with them. Memorise your conclusion, so your last couple of sentences can be delivered with confidence and with full eye contact with the audience.
• Practice: By yourself first. Time it and edit your content so it first with the time restraints.
• Palm Cards: Then make palm cards for key points only. Keep cards to a minimum and number them.
• Dress rehearsal: Practice using palm cards, first by yourself, then either in front of family or even video your self.

Are school mornings stressful for you?

Are any of these scenarios familiar to you:

• Are your school mornings currently a harder version of Groundhog Day?
• Do you sleep a bit longer than planned in the mornings then rush to get you and the kids ready?
• Do you wake up to a house that is already in a state of mild chaos?
• Do the kids end up buying their lunches more than you planned because you ran out of time or food?
• Do you drop the kids off at school with you feeling frazzled and the kids grumpy?

Then my super simple system will help revolutionise your school mornings! Sign up to my E-news and receive my guide here .

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Writing Persuasive Texts Unit Plan - Year 5 and Year 6

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This English unit addresses the genre of persuasion; specifically, how to write an effective persuasive text.

It consists of 11 lessons of approximately 60 minutes duration.

The sequence of lessons and suggested time frames should be regarded as a guide only; teachers should pace lessons in accordance with the individual learning needs of their class.

An independent writing task, which may couple as an assessment task, is included in the unit. The number of lessons required to complete this task may vary from class to class.

Login to view the Unit plan.

Understand the use of vocabulary to express greater precision of meaning, and know that words can have different meanings in different contextsElaborationsmoving from general, 'all-purpose' words, for example 'cut', to more specific words, fo...

Clarify understanding of content as it unfolds in formal and informal situations, connecting ideas to students’ own experiences and present and justify a point of viewElaborationsasking specific questions to clarify a speaker’s meaning, mak...

Use interaction skills, for example paraphrasing, questioning and interpreting non-verbal cues and choose vocabulary and vocal effects appropriate for different audiences and purposesElaborationsparticipating in pair, group, class and school speaking...

Plan, rehearse and deliver presentations for defined audiences and purposes incorporating accurate and sequenced content and multimodal elementsElaborationsplanning a report on a topic, sequencing ideas logically and providing supporting detail, incl...

Identify and explain characteristic text structures and language features used in imaginative, informative and persuasive texts to meet the purpose of the textElaborationsexplaining how the features of a text advocating community action, for example ...

Plan, draft and publish imaginative, informative and persuasive print and multimodal texts, choosing text structures, language features, images and sound appropriate to purpose and audienceElaborationsusing research from print and digital resources t...

Re-read and edit student’s own and others’ work using agreed criteria for text structures and language featuresElaborationsediting for flow and sense, organisation of ideas and choice of language, revising and trying new approaches if an el...

Investigate how vocabulary choices, including evaluative language can express shades of meaning, feeling and opinionElaborationsidentifying (for example from reviews) the ways in which evaluative language is used to assess the qualities of the variou...

Participate in and contribute to discussions, clarifying and interrogating ideas, developing and supporting arguments, sharing and evaluating information, experiences and opinionsElaborationsusing strategies, for example pausing, questioning, rephras...

Use interaction skills, varying conventions of spoken interactions such as voice volume, tone, pitch and pace, according to group size, formality of interaction and needs and expertise of the audienceElaborationsparticipating in pair, group, class, s...

Plan, rehearse and deliver presentations, selecting and sequencing appropriate content and multimodal elements for defined audiences and purposes, making appropriate choices for modality and emphasisElaborationsusing technologies to collaboratively p...

Analyse how text structures and language features work together to meet the purpose of a textElaborationscomparing the structures and features of different texts, including print and digital sources on similar topics, and evaluating which features be...

Plan, draft and publish imaginative, informative and persuasive texts, choosing and experimenting with text structures, language features, images and digital resources appropriate to purpose and audienceElaborationscreating informative texts for two ...

Re-read and edit students’ own and others’ work using agreed criteria and explaining editing choicesElaborationsediting for coherence, sequence, effective choice of vocabulary, opening devices, dialogue and description, humour and pathos, a...

Communicates effectively for a variety of audiences and purposes using increasingly challenging topics, ideas, issues and language forms and features

Composes, edits and presents well-structured and coherent texts

Discusses how language is used to achieve a widening range of purposes for a widening range of audiences and contexts

Uses knowledge of sentence structure, grammar, punctuation and vocabulary to respond to and compose clear and cohesive texts in different media and technologies

Identifies and considers how different viewpoints of their world, including aspects of culture, are represented in texts

Recognises, reflects on and assesses their strengths as a learner

Analyse the text structures and language features used in imaginative, informative and persuasive texts to meet the purpose of the text

Understand the use of vocabulary to express greater precision of meaning, and know that words can have different meanings in different contexts

Plan, draft and publish imaginative, informative and persuasive print and multimodal texts, choosing text structures, language features, images and sound appropriate to purpose and audience

Reread and edit own and others’ work using agreed criteria for text structures and language features

Clarify understanding of content as it unfolds in formal and informal situations, connecting ideas to students’ own experiences, and present and justify a point of view or recount an experience using interaction skills

Participate in informal debates and plan, rehearse and deliver presentations for defined audiences and purposes incorporating accurate and sequenced content and multimodal elements

Investigate how vocabulary choices, including evaluative language can express shades of meaning, feeling and opinion

Plan, draft and publish imaginative, informative and persuasive texts, choosing and experimenting with text structures, language features, images and digital resources appropriate to purpose and audience

Reread and edit own and others’ work using agreed criteria and explaining editing choices

Participate in formal and informal debates and plan, rehearse and deliver presentations, selecting and sequencing appropriate content and multimodal elements for defined audiences and purposes, making appropriate choices for modality and emphasis

Understand how vocabulary is used to express greater precision of meaning, including through the use of specialist and technical terms, and explore the history of words

Use appropriate interaction skills including paraphrasing and questioning to clarify meaning, make connections to own experience, and present and justify an opinion or idea

Explain characteristic features used in imaginative, informative and persuasive texts to meet the purpose of the text

Plan, create, edit and publish written and multimodal texts whose purposes may be imaginative, informative and persuasive, developing ideas using visual features, text structure appropriate to the topic and purpose, text connectives, expanded noun groups, specialist and technical vocabulary, and pu

Plan, create, rehearse and deliver spoken and multimodal presentations that include relevant, elaborated ideas, sequencing ideas and using complex sentences, specialist and technical vocabulary, pitch, tone, pace, volume, and visual and digital features

Identify authors’ use of vivid, emotive vocabulary, such as metaphors, similes, personification, idioms, imagery and hyperbole

Use interaction skills and awareness of formality when paraphrasing, questioning, clarifying and interrogating ideas, developing and supporting arguments, and sharing and evaluating information, experiences and opinions

Analyse how text structures and language features work together to meet the purpose of a text, and engage and influence audiences

Plan, create, edit and publish written and multimodal texts whose purposes may be imaginative, informative and persuasive, using paragraphs, a variety of complex sentences, expanded verb groups, tense, topic-specific and vivid vocabulary, punctuation, spelling and visual features

Plan, create, rehearse and deliver spoken and multimodal presentations that include information, arguments and details that develop a theme or idea, organising ideas using precise topic-specific and technical vocabulary, pitch, tone, pace, volume, and visual and digital features

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15 Powerful Speech Opening Lines (And How to Create Your Own)

Hrideep barot.

• Public Speaking , Speech Writing

Powerful speech opening lines set the tone and mood of your speech. It’s what grips the audience to want to know more about the rest of your talk.

The first few seconds are critical. It’s when you have maximum attention of the audience. And you must capitalize on that!

Instead of starting off with something plain and obvious such as a ‘Thank you’ or ‘Good Morning’, there’s so much more you can do for a powerful speech opening (here’s a great article we wrote a while ago on how you should NOT start your speech ).

To help you with this, I’ve compiled some of my favourite openings from various speakers. These speakers have gone on to deliver TED talks , win international Toastmaster competitions or are just noteworthy people who have mastered the art of communication.

After each speaker’s opening line, I have added how you can include their style of opening into your own speech. Understanding how these great speakers do it will certainly give you an idea to create your own speech opening line which will grip the audience from the outset!

Alright! Let’s dive into the 15 powerful speech openings…

Note: Want to take your communications skills to the next level? Book a complimentary consultation with one of our expert communication coaches. We’ll look under the hood of your hurdles and pick two to three growth opportunities so you can speak with impact!

1. Ric Elias

Opening: “Imagine a big explosion as you climb through 3,000 ft. Imagine a plane full of smoke. Imagine an engine going clack, clack, clack. It sounds scary. Well I had a unique seat that day. I was sitting in 1D.”

How to use the power of imagination to open your speech?

Putting your audience in a state of imagination can work extremely well to captivate them for the remainder of your talk.

It really helps to bring your audience in a certain mood that preps them for what’s about to come next. Speakers have used this with high effectiveness by transporting their audience into an imaginary land to help prove their point.

When Ric Elias opened his speech, the detail he used (3000 ft, sound of the engine going clack-clack-clack) made me feel that I too was in the plane. He was trying to make the audience experience what he was feeling – and, at least in my opinion, he did.

When using the imagination opening for speeches, the key is – detail. While we want the audience to wander into imagination, we want them to wander off to the image that we want to create for them. So, detail out your scenario if you’re going to use this technique.

Make your audience feel like they too are in the same circumstance as you were when you were in that particular situation.

2. Barack Obama

Opening: “You can’t say it, but you know it’s true.”

3. Seth MacFarlane

Opening: “There’s nowhere I would rather be on a day like this than around all this electoral equipment.” (It was raining)

How to use humour to open your speech?

When you use humour in a manner that suits your personality, it can set you up for a great speech. Why? Because getting a laugh in the first 30 seconds or so is a great way to quickly get the audience to like you.

And when they like you, they are much more likely to listen to and believe in your ideas.

Obama effortlessly uses his opening line to entice laughter among the audience. He brilliantly used the setting (the context of Trump becoming President) and said a line that completely matched his style of speaking.

Saying a joke without really saying a joke and getting people to laugh requires you to be completely comfortable in your own skin. And that’s not easy for many people (me being one of them).

If the joke doesn’t land as expected, it could lead to a rocky start.

Keep in mind the following when attempting to deliver a funny introduction:

• Know your audience: Make sure your audience gets the context of the joke (if it’s an inside joke among the members you’re speaking to, that’s even better!). You can read this article we wrote where we give you tips on how you can actually get to know your audience better to ensure maximum impact with your speech openings
• The joke should suit your natural personality. Don’t make it look forced or it won’t elicit the desired response
• Test the opening out on a few people who match your real audience. Analyze their response and tweak the joke accordingly if necessary
• Starting your speech with humour means your setting the tone of your speech. It would make sense to have a few more jokes sprinkled around the rest of the speech as well as the audience might be expecting the same from you

4. Mohammed Qahtani

Opening: Puts a cigarette on his lips, lights a lighter, stops just before lighting the cigarette. Looks at audience, “What?”

5. Darren Tay

Opening: Puts a white pair of briefs over his pants.

How to use props to begin your speech?

The reason props work so well in a talk is because in most cases the audience is not expecting anything more than just talking. So when a speaker pulls out an object that is unusual, everyone’s attention goes right to it.

It makes you wonder why that prop is being used in this particular speech.

The key word here is unusual . To grip the audience’s attention at the beginning of the speech, the prop being used should be something that the audience would never expect. Otherwise, it just becomes something that is common. And common = boring!

What Mohammed Qahtani and Darren Tay did superbly well in their talks was that they used props that nobody expected them to.

By pulling out a cigarette and lighter or a white pair of underwear, the audience can’t help but be gripped by what the speaker is about to do next. And that makes for a powerful speech opening.

6. Simon Sinek

Opening: “How do you explain when things don’t go as we assume? Or better, how do you explain when others are able to achieve things that seem to defy all of the assumptions?”

7. Julian Treasure

Opening: “The human voice. It’s the instrument we all play. It’s the most powerful sound in the world. Probably the only one that can start a war or say “I love you.” And yet many people have the experience that when they speak people don’t listen to them. Why is that? How can we speak powerfully to make change in the world?”

How to use questions to open a speech?

I use this method often. Starting off with a question is the simplest way to start your speech in a manner that immediately engages the audience.

But we should keep our questions compelling as opposed to something that is fairly obvious.

I’ve heard many speakers start their speeches with questions like “How many of us want to be successful?”

No one is going to say ‘no’ to that and frankly, I just feel silly raising my hand at such questions.

Simon Sinek and Jullian Treasure used questions in a manner that really made the audience think and make them curious to find out what the answer to that question is.

What Jullian Treasure did even better was the use of a few statements which built up to his question. This made the question even more compelling and set the theme for what the rest of his talk would be about.

So think of what question you can ask in your speech that will:

• Set the theme for the remainder of your speech
• Not be something that is fairly obvious
• Be compelling enough so that the audience will actually want to know what the answer to that question will be

8. Aaron Beverley

Opening: Long pause (after an absurdly long introduction of a 57-word speech title). “Be honest. You enjoyed that, didn’t you?”

How to use silence for speech openings?

The reason this speech opening stands out is because of the fact that the title itself is 57 words long. The audience was already hilariously intrigued by what was going to come next.

But what’s so gripping here is the way Aaron holds the crowd’s suspense by…doing nothing. For about 10 to 12 seconds he did nothing but stand and look at the audience. Everyone quietened down. He then broke this silence by a humorous remark that brought the audience laughing down again.

When going on to open your speech, besides focusing on building a killer opening sentence, how about just being silent?

It’s important to keep in mind that the point of having a strong opening is so that the audience’s attention is all on you and are intrigued enough to want to listen to the rest of your speech.

Silence is a great way to do that. When you get on the stage, just pause for a few seconds (about 3 to 5 seconds) and just look at the crowd. Let the audience and yourself settle in to the fact that the spotlight is now on you.

I can’t put my finger on it, but there is something about starting the speech off with a pure pause that just makes the beginning so much more powerful. It adds credibility to you as a speaker as well, making you look more comfortable and confident on stage. 

If you want to know more about the power of pausing in public speaking , check out this post we wrote. It will give you a deeper insight into the importance of pausing and how you can harness it for your own speeches. You can also check out this video to know more about Pausing for Public Speaking:

9. Dan Pink

Opening: “I need to make a confession at the outset here. Little over 20 years ago, I did something that I regret. Something that I’m not particularly proud of. Something that in many ways I wish no one would ever know but that here I feel kind of obliged to reveal.”

10. Kelly McGonigal

Opening: “I have a confession to make. But first I want you to make a little confession to me.”

How to use a build-up to open your speech?

When there are so many amazing ways to start a speech and grip an audience from the outset, why would you ever choose to begin your speech with a ‘Good morning?’.

That’s what I love about build-ups. They set the mood for something awesome that’s about to come in that the audience will feel like they just have to know about.

Instead of starting a speech as it is, see if you can add some build-up to your beginning itself. For instance, in Kelly McGonigal’s speech, she could have started off with the question of stress itself (which she eventually moves on to in her speech). It’s not a bad way to start the speech.

But by adding the statement of “I have a confession to make” and then not revealing the confession for a little bit, the audience is gripped to know what she’s about to do next and find out what indeed is her confession.

11. Tim Urban

Opening: “So in college, I was a government major. Which means that I had to write a lot of papers. Now when a normal student writes a paper, they might spread the work out a little like this.”

12. Scott Dinsmore

Opening: “8 years ago, I got the worst career advice of my life.”

How to use storytelling as a speech opening?

“The most powerful person in the world is the storyteller.” Steve Jobs

Storytelling is the foundation of good speeches. Starting your speech with a story is a great way to grip the audience’s attention. It makes them yearn to want to know how the rest of the story is going to pan out.

Tim Urban starts off his speech with a story dating back to his college days. His use of slides is masterful and something we all can learn from. But while his story sounds simple, it does the job of intriguing the audience to want to know more.

As soon as I heard the opening lines, I thought to myself “If normal students write their paper in a certain manner, how does Tim write his papers?”

Combine such a simple yet intriguing opening with comedic slides, and you’ve got yourself a pretty gripping speech.

Scott Dismore’s statement has a similar impact. However, just a side note, Scott Dismore actually started his speech with “Wow, what an honour.”

I would advise to not start your talk with something such as that. It’s way too common and does not do the job an opening must, which is to grip your audience and set the tone for what’s coming.

13. Larry Smith

Opening: “I want to discuss with you this afternoon why you’re going to fail to have a great career.”

14. Jane McGonigal

Opening: “You will live 7.5 minutes longer than you would have otherwise, just because you watched this talk.”

How to use provocative statements to start your speech?

Making a provocative statement creates a keen desire among the audience to want to know more about what you have to say. It immediately brings everyone into attention.

Larry Smith did just that by making his opening statement surprising, lightly humorous, and above all – fearful. These elements lead to an opening statement which creates so much curiosity among the audience that they need to know how your speech pans out.

This one time, I remember seeing a speaker start a speech with, “Last week, my best friend committed suicide.” The entire crowd was gripped. Everyone could feel the tension in the room.

They were just waiting for the speaker to continue to know where this speech will go.

That’s what a hard-hitting statement does, it intrigues your audience so much that they can’t wait to hear more! Just a tip, if you do start off with a provocative, hard-hitting statement, make sure you pause for a moment after saying it.

Silence after an impactful statement will allow your message to really sink in with the audience.

Related article: 5 Ways to Grab Your Audience’s Attention When You’re Losing it!

15. Ramona J Smith

Opening: In a boxing stance, “Life would sometimes feel like a fight. The punches, jabs and hooks will come in the form of challenges, obstacles and failures. Yet if you stay in the ring and learn from those past fights, at the end of each round, you’ll be still standing.”

How to use your full body to grip the audience at the beginning of your speech?

In a talk, the audience is expecting you to do just that – talk. But when you enter the stage and start putting your full body into use in a way that the audience does not expect, it grabs their attention.

Body language is critical when it comes to public speaking. Hand gestures, stage movement, facial expressions are all things that need to be paid attention to while you’re speaking on stage. But that’s not I’m talking about here.

Here, I’m referring to a unique use of the body that grips the audience, like how Ramona did. By using her body to get into a boxing stance, imitating punches, jabs and hooks with her arms while talking – that’s what got the audience’s attention.

The reason I say this is so powerful is because if you take Ramona’s speech and remove the body usage from her opening, the entire magic of the opening falls flat.

While the content is definitely strong, without those movements, she would not have captured the audience’s attention as beautifully as she did with the use of her body.

So if you have a speech opening that seems slightly dull, see if you can add some body movement to it.

If your speech starts with a story of someone running, actually act out the running. If your speech starts with a story of someone reading, actually act out the reading.

It will make your speech opening that much more impactful.

Related article: 5 Body Language Tips to Command the Stage

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Final Words

So there it is! 15 speech openings from some of my favourite speeches. Hopefully, these will act as a guide for you to create your own opening which is super impactful and sets you off on the path to becoming a powerful public speaker!

But remember, while a speech opening is super important, it’s just part of an overall structure.

If you’re serious about not just creating a great speech opening but to improve your public speaking at an overall level, I would highly recommend you to check out this course: Acumen Presents: Chris Anderson on Public Speaking on Udemy. Not only does it have specific lectures on starting and ending a speech, but it also offers an in-depth guide into all the nuances of public speaking. 

Being the founder of TED Talks, Chris Anderson provides numerous examples of the best TED speakers to give us a very practical way of overcoming stage fear and delivering a speech that people will remember. His course has helped me personally and I would definitely recommend it to anyone looking to learn public speaking. 

No one is ever “done” learning public speaking. It’s a continuous process and you can always get better. Keep learning, keep conquering and keep being awesome!

Lastly, if you want to know how you should NOT open your speech, we’ve got a video for you:

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How to Write a Speech - English GCSE Exam (Updated for 2019)

It’s your English GCSE exam, and you’ve been asked to write a speech. You might never have done that before. So, how do you write a speech?

First of all, don’t freak out. If you haven’t done it before, writing a speech can sound intimidating. But, with the right techniques, anyone can write a speech that will score well in a GCSE English exam.

A speech is simply an official verbal presentation that is meant to achieve a certain goal. The aim of making a speech or even writing one, is to convince your audience to buy into your idea or pay attention to your subject of discussion.

In an exam setup, an examiner might ask you to write a speech on a particular topic, or you could be asked to imagine yourself as someone else and giving a speech to a different audience. Here are a few tips to help you prepare to score top marks in your GCSE English exam.

1. Introduce yourself

The first thing to do in any speech you write, is to introduce yourself. If you’ve seen footage of historic speeches, the speaker might skip over the formality of introducing themselves, or they might be introduced by someone before they take the stage.

Put that out of your mind - for your GCSE speech, you need to make an introduction.

In fact, your introduction is an opportunity. An opportunity to show your examiners that you can adapt to introduce yourself to any audience. Here’s two examples of different audiences and how you could introduce yourself appropriately:

You’re giving a speech to your teachers Because you’re talking to your teachers, in this example, your introduction would need to be more formal. For instance; “Hello, and thank you for taking the time to listen. My name is Lawrence Smart, and I’m here today to talk to you about…” Notice how the speech writer in this example uses their full name and is very polite to his audience.

You’re making a speech to your classmates In this example, your language can be more casual. Your classmates already know who you are, so you could say; “Hi everyone. Most of you know me already know me - my name’s Shanice. I’m the one who always sits at the back of the class.” This speech writer is far less formal, but that’s perfect for her audience. She is speaking to her equals, and she can connect with them far more effectively by using the language they would usually use with each other.

Remember - your introduction is an opportunity. Be creative and introduce yourself to your audience with the tone you mean to go on with.

2. Make a great opening statement

Now the audience know who you are, it’s time to make them pay attention.

You should always begin writing your speech in a way that is catchy. You want to craft an introduction that will captivate your target audience. A good opening statement is fairly brief, but uses language techniques to make an immediate impact.

To begin your speech, try using some of the following language techniques:

A rhetorical question Rhetorical questions are questions that you don’t expect your audience to answer. So why use them? Because they make your audience think. When you ask a question that your audience wants to know the answer to, they will pay attention. If you then provide an answer to your own question, your audience will be hooked. Example: “I’m here to talk to you about what ordinary people can do to fight against climate change. Why? Because we’re running out of time to act.”

A surprising statement Surprise is a powerful tool in any speech. It makes your audience sit up and pay attention. Think of the most surprising opinion or fact you want to convey in your speech. Now, use it right at the beginning.

A famous quote Before your exam, take a look at a list of famous quotes . Don’t worry about revising famous quotes before your exam: the quote itself won’t get you marks. But, if you can remember one which is relevant to your speech topic, use it. It will demonstrate your creativity and flair. Example: “As a wiser woman than me once wrote: ‘It is our choices, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities.’”

Think about how these different techniques effectively grab your attention, and remember that you can do the same with your speech.

3. Structure your speech

To structure your speech and make it easy for your audience to understand your point, split it into three sections: Introduction, main body, and conclusion. In each section you’re trying to achieve a different aim:

In the Introduction , your aim is to tell your audience who you are and what you’re talking about. Then, you want to grab their attention.

The main body of your speech is where you make your arguments. Divide this main body into 2-3 points, and separate each point into different paragraphs.

At the end, comes the conclusion . A good conclusion takes everything you said and sums it up.

Watch Mr Bruff’s video for some helpful tips and examples of how to structure your speech.

4. Begin every paragraph with a topic sentence

Because you’re dividing your speech into separate paragraphs, it’s important to make it clear what each section is about. To do that, ensure that you have topic sentences for each paragraph.

For example: “Jellyfish are the second thing I want to put into Room 101, and for good reason.”

5. Use very good English

Good English is essential for your examiner to give you good marks.

But don’t worry, if you’re not confident, there are couple of tricks you can use to avoid making mistakes:

Avoid long sentences. Write short sentences instead. By keeping things short, you limit the amount of complex punctuation you need to use. However, bear in mind that for the top marks, examiners are looking for a range of sentence structures and punctuation.

Practice. It’s a simple tip but it’s the best one I can give you. Trying anything for the first time takes your attention away from your grammar and spelling, and that can lead to mistakes. Practice makes perfect, and it also makes you more confident.

Watch this video for examples of common mistakes you want to avoid in your English exam.

6. Express your opinion

The most common mistake students make when writing a speech is that they don’t express an opinion.

Opinions are the element that make a speech interesting. Whatever you are writing a speech about, express yourself. Don’t just write about your topic, write what you think about it .

What if you don’t have a strong opinion on the subject? Imagine you do, and write from that perspective. The examiner won’t care about your opinion, or whether they agree with it. What they will care about is that you are expressing an opinion in a persuasive, engaging way.

7. Write from the 1st person and engage your audience

When writing your speech, always ensure that you write using the 1st person. This means, use “I” as you write. By doing this, your audience will recognise that what you’re saying is your opinion.

You should also address your audience directly as if you were actually talking to them. Use “we” and “you” in your writing. For example: “I’m sure you’d all agree that...”, or “As a community, we need to…”.

Using the 3rd person makes each of your audience members sit up and listen. It makes them think about how your topic and argument applies to them.

8. Use personal details and anecdotes

Every good speech writer aims to make the audience relate to them. If your audience relates to you, they are far more likely to agree with what you’re saying.

One of the best ways to do that is to tell a short story about yourself, or provide short personal details. You don’t want to spend too much time talking about yourself and not about your argument, but small details will bring your speech to life.

Here’s some examples:

In a speech about bullying, you might say: “Like it is for so many young people, bullying is a subject that is close to my heart. When I was at primary school, I was bullied and I now know how harmful it can be.”

For a speech about music, you could say: “Ever since the day I first heard Kanye West’s Runaway , I knew I’d be a lifelong fan.”

If you were talking about sport, you might say: “I was never a good rugby player. But, football? My school’s muddy, overgrown football field is where I found my true calling.”

9. Use rhetorical questions

Use rhetorical questions throughout your speech, just like I suggested you should do in your opening. Remember: rhetorical questions grab your audience’s (and your examiner’s) attention.

But, don’t use too many questions, or you’ll begin to sound like you don’t know what you’re talking about! A good rule of thumb is to use 2-3 rhetorical questions in throughout your speech, each in different paragraphs.

10. Use emotive language

Emotive language is one of the most basic, but most effective tools a speech writer can use.

In your speech, things shouldn’t simply be described just as “good” or “bad”. They should be “fantastic” or “horrible”, “pure” or “corrupted”, “exciting” or “disappointing”. Notice how these example words express more than just “good” or “bad”, they also add other flavours to your description.

But, be careful not to over-use emotive language. If you go go over the top it can reduce the effectiveness of all of your words. Use emotive words sparingly throughout your speech.

For more emotive language examples, read this article .

11. Use figurative language

As with emotive language, this shouldn’t be over-used. But, used sparingly, figurative language creates powerful images in your audience’s mind. There are many types of figurative language, but these are the main ones you should focus on using in your speech:

Simile - Describing something to be like something else. For instance, “She has eyes like a hawk ”, “He’s thin as a twig ”, or “They’re fighting like cats and dogs ”.

Metaphor - Describing something by using a word that isn’t literally relevant. For example, “It’s raining men”, “I’m feeling blue ”, or “The weather was bitterly cold”.

Imagery - Using words to make you imagine how they would affect your senses. For example; “A sweet apple”, “A sharp pin”, or “The lion roared ”.

For more figurative language techniques and examples, read this article .

12. Use contrast

Contrast is a powerful technique. It highlights your point because of the clash of imagery it creates in the audience’s mind.

You can exploit this by using contrasting words and phrases in your sentences. For instance; “I love writing, but I hate writing essays”.

You can also bring added flavour to your figurative language, by using contrasting imagery. For example, you could describe one person as a “fiery and passionate” and another as “cold-hearted”.

13. Use repetition

Repetition is for emphasis. Repetition is memorable. Repetition is one of many persuasive techniques which will help you get a good grade.

As I’ve just done, starting consecutive sentences with the same word is a very effective technique.

Repetition can also be used for key phrases in your introduction and conclusion to bring your speech full circle. For instance, if you started your speech by saying “The pen is mightier than the sword”, repeat that phrase in the conclusion to your speech.

14. Use the list of three

We don’t know exactly why, but the human brain easily remembers things in threes. Use this to your advantage.

When you’re using a list of adjectives to describe something, use three. When you’re

A very common technique is to combine repetition with the list of three. By repeating a word three times in consecutive sentences, you can make a very compelling point.

15. Focus on the topic

When writing a speech in an English exam, always stay focused on the topic you have been asked to write about. Never derail from the subject of the speech you are writing. This will make you lose marks.

This is why it is so important to plan your speech before you begin writing it. Think through the structure you are going to use and stick to it. That way, you’ll stay on topic and your argument will be focused.

Writing a good speech is fairly simple, all you need is practice, practice and more practice before sitting for your GCSE English Exam. And if you have any questions, ask me in the comments.

The following acronym might help you remember some of the points we have discussed and help you score highly in your English exam.

P-ersonal anecdotes to bring your speech to life E-motive language to persuade your audience. R-hetorical questions to make your audience listen. F-igurative language such as metaphors and similes. E-mphasis through repetition and the rule of three. C-omparison and contrast to make your points clear. T-one of voice that is relevant and persuasive for your specific audience.

We’ve also created a study group on Facebook to learn together, answer questions as well as to conduct live sessions with various innovative and creative individuals from all walks of life, get a sneak peek into their lives and what drives them!

Lacking study motivation? The problem isn’t you, the problem is your routine. With the right routine, you can re-wire your brain, up your energy and make it far easier for you to stay motivated while revising.

Approaching your exam there is an overwhelming feeling of regret, disappointment and anger. The following are some tips to help you in planning independent work so that you can feel confident when that deadline or exam finally comes around.

Did you know that you can “trick” your brain into remembering information? Here are Love Learning Tutors’ favoured methods of revision, perfect for keeping key ideas in your noggin during exam season, whether you're doing your GCSE, A Levels or IB exams!

Compulsory Sex, Relationship and Health Education for 2020

How to make revision notes for gcse, a level and ib (8 top tips).

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How to Write a Student Council Speech

Last Updated: September 6, 2024 Approved

This article was co-authored by Patrick Muñoz . Patrick is an internationally recognized Voice & Speech Coach, focusing on public speaking, vocal power, accent and dialects, accent reduction, voiceover, acting and speech therapy. He has worked with clients such as Penelope Cruz, Eva Longoria, and Roselyn Sanchez. He was voted LA's Favorite Voice and Dialect Coach by BACKSTAGE, is the voice and speech coach for Disney and Turner Classic Movies, and is a member of Voice and Speech Trainers Association. wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. This article has 127 testimonials from our readers, earning it our reader-approved status. This article has been viewed 2,089,708 times.

Being a member of the student council can help you help your school. However, it takes hard work to get into the student council . You need to craft a good speech that gives your classmates incentives to vote for you.

Your Student Council Speech

Use a strong, attention-grabbing opening. Discuss your qualifications briefly, then move on. Focus your speech on your passion and present a blueprint to achieve your goals. Close with a strong summary and call to vote for you.

Sample Speeches

Writing the Introduction

• Do not merely start by saying, "My name is ___ and I'm running for student council." Your classmates will already know as much and this is not really a unique statement. There will be time to state the basic information after you've got the class's attention. [1] X Research source
• You can open with a question. Something like, "If there was one thing you could change about this school, what would it be?" Or a question that adds some humor , like, "I know what you're thinking. Why should I listen to this person?" and then proceed to lay out your credentials. Quotes on leadership, power, and guidance would also make good openings. However, make sure to double-check your sources and especially if you're finding quotes online. Many online quote databases, like Quote Garden or Brainy Quote, sometimes attribute quotes to the wrong sources. [2] X Research source
• If you're stuck, look up and read famous speeches. You can find many speeches from presidents, world leaders, civil rights activists, and others online. Pay attention to how they opened their speeches and ask yourself, "Was this interesting? Do I want to keep reading/listening? Why?" [3] X Research source

• State your name and grade in school. This may feel somewhat unnecessary if you go to a small school, but it's considered a formality. If you're missing this part of the speech, you may end up looking sloppy in comparison to other students. [5] X Research source
• State what you want. That is, what you're running for. Do you want to be the president , vice president , treasurer, secretary? Even if you think most students are aware of what position you're running for, make sure you state it here to remind them. [6] X Research source
• Try to keep this section brief as it's not as important as your qualifications and plans to improve the school . Even one sentence would suffice. For example, "My name is Ramona Hart, I'm in the 11th grade, and I'm running for treasurer of the student council."

• Any accomplishments relevant to the position warrant mentioning here. If you're running for secretary, for example, talk about your summer job filing papers in your uncle's law firm. If you're running for student council president, talk about your leadership experience being captain of the swim team. [7] X Research source
• While this section is important, try to keep it minimal. A couple of sentences laying out your qualifications is enough as the body of your speech is where you should spend the most time. For example, let's go back to the above example. From there, we could say, "I am currently enrolled in advanced placement algebra and I have been an honor roll student for three years. This knowledge of numbers and diligence qualifies me to have responsibility for finances for our student council." [8] X Research source

Writing the Body of the Speech

• You should list your ideas and then expand on them later in the body. It might take a bit of research to figure out what you want to change. Ask around the school, talking to students and teachers, and see where there's room for improvement. What are the concerns of the students? What are people happy with regarding the school? What would they like to see change? Asking these questions can help you get a sense of your audience and community.
• Remember, you should not make promises you cannot keep. Do not say anything just to get elected. While many students might want gum-chewing policies eliminated or for the lunch period to run twice as long, this is probably not necessary or possible. Try to focus on areas that seem important to keep your school running safely and efficiently. Concerns about things like bullying , academic standards, and extracurricular activities should be your concern over fun and games. [10] X Research source
• A good opening statement for your body would state the causes important to you and what you plan to do about them. For example, if you were running for president, you could say something like, "I understand we need to improve how we handle bullying, increase interest in extracurricular activities, and expand access to AP courses throughout the school. As your president, I would work to bring in speakers to talk about sensitivity in the classroom, increase advertising for basketball games and quiz bowl tournaments, and start a tutoring program to help students struggling with certain subjects." [11] X Research source

• Using the school library or computers, figure out the best means to tackle certain problems many schools face. How have other schools dealt with bullying? Poor test scores? Low interest in extracurricular activities? What can you reasonably do as a student council member to address these problems? [12] X Research source
• You do not have to have a point-by-point plan laid out, but a few sentences on some preliminary ideas can help you stand out from your peers. People are more inclined to vote for someone who's thought about how to solve problems in addition to identifying problems. [13] X Research source

Ending with a Strong Conclusion

• Do summarize, briefly, your qualifications but do not put the main focus on them. This is where you should sincerely state your passion. Students should not just vote for you because you'd do a good job but because you genuinely care about the school. State your passion for your community and how much you want to see other students succeed. Lots of students have high qualifications. You can set yourself apart by being a candidate who really cares. [16] X Research source

• Research what other student council speeches are like on video websites. This could help give you ideas.

Expert Q&A

• Only promise to do things that you really can do. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
• Practice reading your speech a few times, as you'll likely be nervous before giving it. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

• Even if you write a great speech, understand you may lose. Be prepared to lose graciously and sincerely congratulate the winning candidate. Thanks Helpful 113 Not Helpful 18
• Unlike in a governmental election, student council candidates should not attack each other, previous leaders, or other students. Otherwise, you could get into trouble and leave a bad impression on voters. Thanks Helpful 86 Not Helpful 16

You Might Also Like

• ↑ http://www.studentcouncilpro.com/student-council-speeches.html
• ↑ http://www.write-out-loud.com/student-council-speeches.html
• ↑ Patrick Muñoz. Voice & Speech Coach. Expert Interview. 12 November 2019.

About This Article

To write a student council speech, start with an attention-grabbing statement such as a question or a powerful quote about leadership. Next, briefly explain who you are, what position you are running for, and why you are running. Then list any relevant qualifications, such as a summer job. In the body of the speech, discuss at least 3 ways to improve the school. For this section, make sure not to make any promises you can’t keep. Finally, end by briefly reiterating your main points and asking for the students’ vote. To learn more about how to support your ideas and research for your speech, keep reading! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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Year 5 Creative Writing Pack. Zara's Magical Revelation

Subject: English

Age range: 7-11

Resource type: Worksheet/Activity

Last updated

4 September 2024

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Year 5 Creative Writing Pack.

The pack is revolved around a picture that is used as a writing stimulus.

This pack includes:

• Creative Writing Success Criteria.
• Creative Writing WAGOLL.
• Comprehension Questions.
• ‘Fix the Punctuation’ activity.
• Sentence Challenge.
• Magpie Map.

This resource is perfect for Year 5 writing interventions with either encouraging children to achieve Expected or Greater Depth. This resource would have to be adapted accordingly for Expected as the Success Criteria is for Greater Depth.

This could also be used as part of a writing assessment, or as part of a weeks’ worth of morning activities/meaningful time fillers. It could also be used as a stimulus for writing newspaper reports, letter, setting description etc which could then go towards the pupil’s writing moderation folders.

If you found this resource useful and would like more, please leave a review. All feedback is greatly received. [email protected]

All my English resources roughly contain the same format.

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50 Persuasive Speech Topics for High School Students

September 9, 2024

Throughout high school, students will be asked to write about topics and make compelling arguments for certain positions. These persuasive speeches and other writing assignments train a student's communication skills. Creating a compelling, persuasive speech is a powerful skill that will help students in all aspects of their careers, not just in writing courses. The ability to write persuasively will especially have a huge effect on your admissions results when writing your personal statements and essays for college. 

With a powerful speech, students can express their opinions, influence others, and develop critical communication skills for school and the workplace. Choosing the right topic for a speech is often as important as how well it's written. To help you find the right topics for your audience, here are 50 persuasive speech topics you can use to help you get started with your writing. 

Want an expert's opinion on your college applications? Book a free strategy call and begin your admissions journey today! 

What Makes a Good Persuasive Speech Topic?

Compelling persuasive speech topics are relatable, debatable, and relevant. Students should investigate a topic they're passionate about and will intrigue an audience. Don't just take an easy position everyone can agree with—audiences are interested in ideas they may have never heard before, expressed enthusiastically by a passionate speaker. 

When ideating a topic, find something with clear, opposing viewpoints. Research the available arguments and present your speech in a way that promotes a meaningful discussion. For example, topics regarding the use of social media, the right to freedom of speech, and the Supreme Court are general and can engage a wide audience. 

Topics that everyone agrees with, have no opposing viewpoints, and require no research will not make for interesting speeches. Choose a topic that will challenge you and your audience, but avoid being offensive or controversial for its own sake. A topic you're genuinely interested in—like renewable energy for engineering students or social media platforms for communications students will make writing a compelling speech much more natural. With additional research and effective writing techniques, you can craft a speech to captivate an audience. 

How to Choose the Right Persuasive Speech Topic for Your Audience

Choosing the right topic starts with knowing your target audience. While ideating, consider:

• Who are you targeting? 
• What do you want to convince them? 
• What counter-arguments may they have? 

Think about those who would agree with you, be on the fence with you, and who would directly oppose your viewpoint. Writing persuasively is not just about presenting facts and hoping others agree. It's about making an emotional connection with your audience and using that impression to shift their thinking. 

Once you've given careful thought to those you'd be presenting to, brainstorm persuasive speech topic ideas that may resonate with them. Make a list of potential ideas and interrogate their merit. Consider current events, personal experiences, and issues others may relate to. Then, narrow down your list to the persuasive topics you would be most interested in—as an audience member and a researcher. 

Once you've landed on a few interesting topics, don't rest on them. Ask for feedback and get insights from family, friends, and teachers. Outside perspectives are important; others may have experiences that could provide you with valuable knowledge to use when refining your topic. 

50 Persuasive Speech Topic Ideas

School topics.

• The Benefits and Drawbacks of Mandatory School Uniforms
• How Effective is the School Grading System?
• How Students can Shape their Curriculum
• Is Homework Beneficial or Harmful?
• How Would Schools Handle a Four-Day Week?

Art and Humanities Topics

• Art or Vandalism: The History of Graffiti
• Art vs STEM: What Should Schools Prioritize?
• AI-Generated Media: How Do Humans Value Art?
• The Correlation Between Art and Mental Health
• Are Video Games the Ultimate Artform?

Social Issues Topics

• The Right to Protest: Traditional Movements vs Digital Activism
• Why do Wealthy Countries have Declining Birth Rates?
• Should For-Profit Prisons be Permanently Abolished?
• Is Healthcare a Human Right?

Environmental Issues

• Why Corporations Need Stricter Plastics Regulation
• Environmental Ethics: Human Development vs Species Preservation
• The Benefits and Drawbacks of Fully Electric Vehicles
• History of Geo-Engineering: Can Society Reverse Climate Change?
• What is Dark Oxygen? The Effect of Deep Sea Mining

Technology and Media Topics

• Should the Government Regulate the Coming AI revolution?
• Where Does Online Misinformation Come From?
• Why Does Social Media Affect Self-Image?
• The Right to Privacy: How Online anonymity affects people's behavior
• Why All Messaging Apps Should Have End-to-End Encryption
• Should Artificial Intelligence be Used in Creative Works?
• Should Social Media Platforms be Accountable for their Users?

Politics and Government

• Should Voting be Compulsory?
• How Public and Private Funding Affect Political Campaigns
• What is gerrymandering? 
• Why Do Some Countries Have Mandatory Military Service?
• The benefits and drawbacks of term limits for elected officials

Sports Topics

• Should esports be officially recognized as part of the Olympic Games?
• MMA and Boxing: The Ethics of Broadcasting Violence
• Has Football Become More Dangerous?
• Should Men and Women compete in the same Leagues? 
• Restrictor Plates: Why Did NASCAR Make Racing Slower?

Economy and Finance

• Should Cryptocurrency be Regulated?
• Does a minimum wage help or hurt the economy?
• Employees vs contractors: How freelance work Affects commerce
• Is Universal Basic Income a Viable Option?
• When should the Government regulate the Market?

STEM Topics

• What are the Benefits of Mars Colonization?
• City Planning: How US Infrastructure Affects the Environment
• Why Nuclear Energy is the Cleanest, Safest, and Cheapest Option
• Why the US Hasn't Returned to the Moon Yet
• Where will Technological Implants take Human Evolution?

Culture and Entertainment Industry Topics

• How Binge-Culture Has Affected Our Attention Spans
• How Streaming Services Caused the 2023 Writers Strike
• Why are actors paid so highly? Hollywood's income inequality
• Should IP Copyright be abolished? 

Enhance Your Academic Profile With InGenius Prep

Crafting a persuasive speech isn’t just about presenting facts—it’s about connecting with your audience, understanding their perspectives, and sparking meaningful conversations. These skills are especially important in the college admissions process, where every aspect of your college application is trying to convince an Admissions Officer you're worthy of acceptance. 

For more on college applications, InGenius Prep's counseling services are designed to guide high school students through every step of the admissions process. With a focus on story-telling, candidacy building, and highlighting the most impactful aspect of your student profile, we’ll help you capture the attention of your admissions officers. 

Ready to take the next step? Book a free strategy call with an advisor today to start your admissions journey.

Tags : candidacy-building , Writing , application counseling , English

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