Topics For A Speech Competition
Topics For A Speech Competition
For speech competitions, participants choose a topic that falls into one of three main categories: informative, demonstrative or persuasive. Your speech topic should follow the guidelines for the category that you choose. When choosing a speech topic, consider the demographics of your audience, including age and background. Topics for speech competitions are limitless, but you want to pick a topic that will interest your audience to improve your chances of winning.
Joan of Arc
The purpose of informative speeches is to give the audience unbiased information about a specific topic, such as a person, object, event or concepts. For speech ideas about a person, talk about a historical or famous person such as Joan of Arc, a Catholic saint and heroine in France. For your speech about Joan of Arc, present the audience with an interesting introduction that grasps their attention, describing Joan or Arc's heroics in the Hundred Years War. Provide background information on her, including facts about her family and her early life. Describe Joan of Arc's leadership roles in the Hundred Years War, her capture and eventual execution. In the final part of your speech, describe the legacy Joan of Arc left and her canonization as a saint.
In addition to an informative speech about a person, you can also present a speech on an event, whether past, present or future. Deliver a speech on the 2010 Haiti earthquake that devastated the country and shocked the world. Before discussing the specific event, give your audience background information on Haiti and the science behind how earthquakes occur. Give the audience facts about the earthquake, including how many people were killed and injured and the amount of destruction it caused. Also provide information about the disaster relief aid provided by Haiti and other countries and what is currently being done to help the earthquake victims.
When delivering a demonstrative or "how-to" speech, clearly describe the steps of performing an activity while using visual aids such as posters, pictures and props. Show the audience how to do something useful, such as changing a car tire, childproofing a home, repairing a broken appliance or performing self-defense. To execute a speech on how to perform self-defense, use a volunteer or audience member to help you with a live demonstration. Design a series of diagrams printed on poster boards to demonstrate each step in a defense move.
Ocean Dumping
Persuasive speeches allow you to present the audience one point of view, supported with facts, on a subject and challenge the audience's attitudes, beliefs and behaviors. To persuade the audience, your topic should appeal to their experiences, thoughts and feelings. Ocean dumping is a controversial topic that will allow you to argue for or against the dumping of materials such as garbage in the ocean. For whichever stance you take on the topic, include facts supported by experts on the subject. If you are trying to persuade your audience that ocean dumping should be supported, describe advantages such as its convenience and low cost. If you are arguing against ocean dumping, describe the disadvantages, including pollution and public health risks.
Instructions
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Present your speech to some friends and family. Once you have your speech topic and outline put together, invite four or five people over to critique your presentation. Make sure you have people that will give you honest feedback so you can make adjustments and amendments to your speech for the better.
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Ask for feedback concerning different aspects of the speech. Get feedback from everyone concerning your voice inflection, hand gestures, body movements and eye contact. Make sure you have the right voice inflection at the right time. You should not speak in a monotone voice throughout the speech. During the speech, you want to use your hands but you dont want to overdo it. Your body
movements should be smooth and natural and make you look relaxed and not uptight. Your eye contact should flow across the room. At some point, you should make sure you make eye contact with everyone. Try not to stare at anyone.
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Go to the speech site and practice. It helps if you can practice at the site where the contest will actually take place. Practicing at the site helps you warm up and get used to the venue. The closer you come to replicating the exact contest conditions, the more comfortable and prepared you will be. Your confidence will increase significantly from this process.
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Continue to practice on a regular basis until the day of the competition. You can never practice enough. Go through your entire speech from start to finish at least 40 or 50 times, if not more. Continue practicing until you are relaxed and confident during the presentation. Get a good night's sleep the night before the competition. See if you can deliver your speech in the order that makes you the most comfortable. Some people like to give their speech first and some like to be the last participant to present their speech. Try to select the order that makes you feel the most comfortable.
Instructions
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Begin with an idea you plan to develop for the speech. It can be personal experiences or thoughts. Examples are: "My Experiences on the Football Team," "What Freedom Means to Me," "High School Worries," "Verbal Abuse," "Leaving School," "My Favorite Book"or "Music." Use these in a public-speaking class, for a report in an English class or any other place for which you are asked to write a speech.
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Write out a first draft of the speech. Use a computer if you prefer. Use colorful language whenever possible. Consider an opening, development and ending just as you would for an essay. Add contrasts and comparisons. An example would be, "In some countries, freedom is a far-fetched dream, but in America, it is a reality." Try to keep the material in a conversational tone. "Why I Joined the Orchestra" is an example. Be emotional if the topic lends itself to that type of mood. You might say, "We all love our country. There is nothing we wouldn't do to preserve it."
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Read the material aloud. Decide if it sounds like you want it to sound. Improve the wording wherever possible and make it more descriptive and meaningful. Check for grammatical errors. Clarify anything that may be confusing.
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Listen to a famous speech such as Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream" speech. Ask yourself if there is anything in that speech that would help you improve yours. If so, make adjustments to your written copy.
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Go over the speech as many times as necessary until you have memorized it. Practice speaking loudly with variations in your voice. Emphasize the appropriate words. Pretend that you have an audience and look around as though you are making eye contact. Gesture if it comes naturally and is not distracting. If you must use a mike, pretend it isn't there. If there is no mike, take a few steps away from the dais after different sections if you feel comfortable doing it.
Speech contests may be informal, friendly affairs or high-profile events with carefully choreographed proceedings and a detailed rulebook. The organization Toastmasters International, for example, runs an extensive program of events from club to international level. Many contests take place over several rounds, with the highest-scoring competitors going through to a knockout final. Subjects that are easier to talk about appear in the early rounds, with more challenging topics reserved for the end of the contest.
Personal Experience
Topics based on the speaker's personal experience tend to be good for the early rounds of a contest. Speakers generally have no shortage of things to say, and the subject-matter serves to introduce a speaker to the audience. Possible topics include my pet, my earliest memories, my first car or any topic that completes the phrase "My Favorite ..."
Humor
Topics that encourage a speaker to take a humorous approach often rely on observational insights. You might challenge the speakers to complete the traditional opening phrase of the stand-up comedian, "Have You Ever Noticed? ..." or set titles such as: "What Makes Me Really Mad," "You Know You're In Big Trouble When ... " or "Three Things You Should Never Do in Texas."
Specialisms
Topics that allow speakers to demonstrate their particular specialism can be both informative and entertaining for an audience. Such topics might complete the following phrases: "An Expert's Guide to ...," "The Key to Understanding the Subject of ...," "An Explanation of ..." and "How To Succeed At ..." This kind of speech lends itself to an event or competition where the speakers are given time to research, prepare and practice what they are going to say, rather than an event where they perform an impromptu speech. Some competitions have separate rounds for prepared and impromptu speeches.
Current Issues
More serious and heavyweight competitions often require the speaker to address a current issue in the news. The Alice M. House Speech Contest at the University of Cincinnati, for example, offered set topics such as: "Should the U.S. Boycott the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics?" Good sources of topics on current issues are "The New York Times", "Newsweek" and "Time Magazine." One approach to phrasing such a topic is to take a current headline and simply add the word "Discuss." Another approach is to rephrase a headline as a question. For example, if the headline was: "High School Budgets Cut", a re-phrasing might be: "Should High School Budgets Be Cut?"
Abstract Terms
Very demanding topics, suitable for the closing rounds of a knock-out contest, might use a single abstract noun, or personal quality. This challenges speakers to make use of all their experience and ability in choosing relevant subject-matter and structuring their speeches in attractive or persuasive ways. Topics might include courage, strength, wisdom, humanity and love.
An important topic to talk about in a speech class is the attention span of an audience. Talk about the listening patterns of an average audience, how long you have to grab and hold your group's attention, and how even a minor distraction (such as a loud bird chirping outside) can steal away the audience's attention temporarily or permanently. Discuss solutions for how you can avoid losing the audience and how to get the focus back on your words if the participants are distracted.
When you get a laugh out of your audience you (1) know that they are listening in and (2) give them a positive feeling about what you have to say. They will likely be more willing to receive your message if you put them in a good mood. So discuss a list of topics that tend to make people chuckle, such as relatable stories about family, dogs and cats, and weird occurrences, with your class. Talk about how you can incorporate these elements into your speech to hold your audience's interest.
One great topic to discuss is whether there is a significant difference between speaking to a room full of women as opposed to a group of men. According to professional speaker Tom Antion, there most certainly is a difference. Women are
more likely to laugh and have less reservations during the speech. Men tend to be more aloof and unfriendly during a speech---many seek validation from their peers before displaying a reaction to your words. A female speaker will sometimes have to work harder to gain approval from an all-male audience, while a male speaker will likely have an easier time of it with an all-female audience. This makes for interesting discussion. Discuss these differing responses with your class. Your students will need to be prepared for cases where they will have to speak in front of an all-male or allfemale audience.
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Consider those continually controversial topics, such as abortion and capital punishment, and avoid them. Someone else in your class is probably already talking about it, and you can be certain that everyone in your class has heard the debate before.
Don't be Cool
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Sometimes students choose topics such as legalization of marijuana to get their classmates stirred up and to push the envelope with the teacher. Again, someone else is probably doing it. In addition, you should choose a topic because you feel strongly about it rather than because you think it will cause conflict.
Often, teachers will give a list of possible topics when assigning a persuasive speech. If you really want to have an uncommon topic, don't choose one of those. Pick something that isn't on the list, and speak to the teacher privately for permission to cover your creative topic.
Be Relevant
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Think about issues that are current to your life or your school. For example, if your school is considering implementing new rules for what types of dancing are allowed at school functions, you can research other schools and create a true call to action that could bring about a change in your school.
A Few Suggestions
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You could try to persuade your listeners to give up fast food, to join a community service organization, to perform a random act of kindness each day or to give up technology for a day.
Cross-Cultural Issues Customer Service / Loyalty Disability Diversity Ecology Ecommerce Economics Education Emcee / Master of Ceremonies Employee Relations Empowerment
IT Security Journalism Law / Legal Leadership Life Balance Magicians Management Marketing / Market Planning Media / Broadcast / Print Meeting Management
Social Issues Spirituality Strategic Planning Stress Management Success Team Building Technology Time Management Training Variety Acts Women's Issues YWCA Speakers
Accelerated learning Accidents Adult training Aids Alcoholics Anonymous Alternative Education Alzheimers Answers Athletics for students Athletics in our schools Attitude Audience Automobiles Awards & recognition Bad Habits Basic Camping Skills Basic Survival Skills Beauty Believe in You Blue collar vs. white collar status Board of directors Body clock Body language / gestures Books Braces Bulletin Board Burn Out Cable television Canada/ your country Canada's industrial strategy Capitalism Carefree Carvings Censorship Chairman Charter a Club Children Christmas Classroom training
Clothing Club executive Club guide Club specialists Coaching Coins / money Colors Committee members Common cold Communication style Compliment Composting Computer literacy Computer Users Computers Conferences Conscience Consultant Conversation Cooking Cooperation Courage Crafts Creativity Credibility Crime & Law Critic of recent book, movie, or play Culture Customers Cycling Dancing Daredevils Dating Decisions Decisions and consequences Defense policy Delegation Delegation Dentist / Doctor Desert Island Desktop publishing Diet programs Difficult audience Difficult people Discipline Discovering one's self Diversity Dreams Dress for Success Drugs Dynamic clubs Dynamic members Effective communication Electronic communication Embarrassing moments Empathy Employment opportunities
Empowerment Endangered Species Engagements Enthusiasm Entrepreneurship Environment (pollution) Evaluations Exercise Expectations Extracurricular activities Eye Contact Facilitating Family success Family tree Fashion Federal Government and education Financial Assistance for students Fitness Folk arts Foreign aid Free Trade Agreement Freedom of speech Friends(or enemies) Friendship Funnies Gambling Garage Sales Garbage Gardening Glasses & contact lenses Goals Grades and grading Hand writing Health Help others History History (Oral Traditions) History of a particular science Hockey Horse racing Housecleaning How technology has changed / will change our lives Human Rights Humor Ideal society Illiteracy (Innumeracy) Imagination Immigration policies Inflation Internet Interviews Introductions Invocation Jewelry Job search Judging workshop Jury duty
Kissing Language Laugh Line Law Leadership Learning Problems Life cycle Listening Literature Logic & emotions Management of change Managers Managing Managing stress Manners Marriage Massage Master of Ceremonies / Toastmaster Member to International President Membership / public relations Memory recall Microphones Military service Mistakes happen Motivation Music Mutual trust My family Nature Negotiate Nervous / fear Network New club prospect Niche Marketing Nutrition Officer elections Officer induction Organ donation Painting Paperless society Parliamentary procedures Parties Past President Pensions People/workplace Perfect Performance Appraisals Personal efficiency Personal growth Personality Pets/ animals Philosophy Photography Playoffs Policy aims of foreign country Policy operations Positive thinking
Postal service Potential Prayer in the classrooms Presentation skills President Problem solving skills Procrastination Productivity Professional Propaganda abroad and at home Proper aims of education Protocol Publicity Publishing Pure vs. Applied research Quality meetings Questions & Answers Quotes/ famous sayings Radio, television and film Reasons Recent advances in sciences Recycling Red Cross Relations between mgmt & unions Renew yourself Romance Running a business Safety - home School Sculpture Secretary Secrets of power presentations Self concern Self confidence Self esteem Self image Self managed teams Self talk Selling Sergeant At Arms Set goals Share ideas Short stories Signs & symbols Smile Songs Speaker to trainer Speech construction Speech contest Speech opportunities Speech Preparation Spirituality versus Religion Sports Spring fever Star Trek Stars Story telling
Storytelling Success Table topics Taxation Team building Teams Teamwork Technical presentations Technical vs. Product Thank you The environment The press The role of religion The secret of happiness The United Nations Theater, cinema, dance Thinking power Thought Time management Toastmaster demo meeting Toastmasters Toasts Total Quality management Tracing Family Tree Train the trainer Training Training for business Transcending differences Travel Treasurer Trivia Truth Turning weakness to strength Understanding Unemployment Unions Vacation Violence in our schools Violence on television Vision / mission statement Visuals Voice & Vocabulary Volunteers VP Education VP Membership VP Public Relations Weak clubs Wealth Wealth creation Wild animals Wine tasting Work World Bank Writing Yachts & boating Yoga Zodiac
Zoology
Debate speech topics list of more than 20 ideas for persuasive public speaking and debating purposes. Some explanation before you read the list of issues below: the words should, could, why, do or does, is or are indicate that it regards speech topics for a high school debate or any other debating session wher the use of persuasion techniques is required. 1. Should school students face a mandatory drug test? 2. Should the African Union copy the European Union cooperation model? 3. Should students be required to wear a school uniform? 4. Are the Olympic Games a waste of money? Or other debate speech topics on huge sports events. 5. Should all African conflicts be handled by African countries themselves, and not by third parties? 6. Is our nation still unprepared for disasters? Or other debate topic themes about safety. 7. Should school prayer be prohibited? 8. Should skateboards be prohibited on sidewalks? 9. Should minorities be treated differentially? 10. Should the age to vote be reduced to 16? 11. Should 16 year old people be allowed to get a tattoo? Or other speech ideas on for example ear and body part piercings? 12. Should the Double Jeopardy Rule - nobody can be tried twice for the same offence - be abolished? 13. Could a President serve for more than two terms? 14. Should the use of animals in sports and entertainment be banned? 15. Should there be a curfew for people under 18 years to reduce crime? 16. Does Hollywood movies have a bad influence on the world? 17. Should homework assignments be limited to a maximum of three nights a week?
18. Do school autorities have the right to search students lockers? Or other education related debate topic issues. 19. Do adopted children have the right to know who their biological parents are? 20. Should there be a green tax on aviation fuel? 21. Should factory farming of chickens be banned? 22. Are certain persuasive issues not appropriate for debate speech topics?
Problem solution speech topics, 75 ideas and guidelines to help you selecting, defining and organizing your public speaking speech topics. Persuade your audience that there is a problem and that you have the solution. Convince them to agree with your solution and motivate them to change their opinions, policies or regulations. Before you choose one of the problem solution topics in my list of examples you have to know the elements you have to develop. These four elements for problem solutions speech topics are extracted from the very famous Monroe's Motivational Sequence for persuasive speeches:
1. Problem - State the problem or that some conditions are not quite optimal, and why it's important. Let them realize the scope and effects. Appeal to reason and to the needs and emotions of the audience to persuade them. 2. Solution - Advocate a solution for the problem and causes, or a plan to satisfact the needs. 3. Visualization - Visualize the practicality of your solution. Show how the solutions will improve the situation, show their effectiveness and practicality. Prove that the alternatives are impractical and cause more problems in order to overrule the objections against your solution. 4. Action - Convince them to agree, to change an existing policy or attitude, or move them to action in the way you propose in your problem solution speech topics.
How to Select Your Problem Solution Speech Topics
If you are invited as public speaker because of your personal knowlegde or experience, then find out what the problems, interests and needs of your audience are. Problem solution speech topics deal with questions, opinions or controversies of change or policy. However, there are public speaking situations in which you can answer questions of facts and values. For example if you are a keynote speaker:
Are you the only keynote speaker or one of many? If you are not the only one: do you have to argue with another speaker about your solution? Has your audience heard you before? What is their impression of you or your organization?
What exactly are the rules of the assigment? How long will your talk last?
Now let's have a look at the list of 75+ problem solution speech topics below. Read the list of speech topics carefully and brainstorm a bit about possible causes, problems, effects and solutions. These questions may help you to brainstorm and develop a short list of possible problem solution speech topics:
What do you like to talk about? How long will your talk last? What are your personal concerns and convictions? Which of the speech topics are you interested in or you do know something about? What are global, national, state, community or school related problems, issues or controversies, and causes, effects and solutions related to the text to speech? Is there a connection between some problem solution speech topics and any of your personal experiences, expertises or personal goals?
Be inspired, use your fantasy and come up with new problem solution speech topics.
By now, you have a short list of candidate problem solution speech topics. Let's move forward and develop them further. Examine the dimensions of the problems or potential problems. Use this easy information checklist: What has been done till now or why not?
How could the problems or obstacles be defined or described? What are the duration and costs? Will it become worse if nothing will be done? Is immediate action required?
If your listeners understand there's a need or problem, they are more willing to accept the solutions and recommendations in your problem solution speech topics. For instance think about the social, physical, health, happiness, security, concerns, value and needs in the audiences' community. Examine and make a speech preparation outline with the dimensions of the problems or potential problems in your problem solution speech topics. Have your audience or other people been affected by the problem and in what way? What could be your evidence, which facts and figures can prove the proper dimensions for them and that you're right? What information can help them to understand the problem?
What Is The Solution? List all the various potential solutions and alternatives. Imagine the features, aspects and merits that might persuade the audience by researching illustrations, facts, figures, expert testimonies and examples. Do it step by step, in each problem solution speech topic: Select your best possible solution for the problem. Demonstrate the workability of your plan by citing experts and refering to a successful implementation elsewhere in your problem solution speech topics. Recommendate procedures for implementing the solution. What are the effects, costs and required actions? Who should take action, and when and where? What else is necessary?
NOTES: If the audience is devided, not sure or unaware of the problem, then pay more attention to the urgency and the needs of your audience. If they know the problem exist, then pay more attention in your problem solution speech topics to the reasonablity and workability of your plan. In case you want to oppose to a change in policy, because another solution causes problems, then emphazise the limitations and the dislikes. How to Outline Your Problem And Solution Speech Topics These are the most used methods of developing and outlining problem solution speech topics: Problem Solution Method Recommended if you have to argue that there is a social and current problem and you have convince the listeners that you have the best solution. Introduce and provide background information to show the problem. List the best and ideal conditions and situations. Show the options. Analize the proper criteria. And present your plan to solve the problem. Problem Cause Solution Method Use this pattern for developing problem cause solution speech topics. Identify the problem and its causes. Analyze the causes and propose solutions to the causes. Problem Cause Effect Method Use this method to outline the effects of a problem cause speech topic. Prove the connection between financial, political, social causes and their effects.
Comparative Advantage Method Use this organizational pattern for so-called compare contrast problem solution speech topics. Recommended in case everyone knows of the problem and the different solutions and agrees that something has to be done. Compare the features and the differences of possible solutions and procedures. And explain why your solution is the most preferable one.
The Purpose And Central Idea Of Problem Solution Speech Topics Summarize the bottomline of your persuasive public speaking speech in one powerful and clear sentence: that will be your problem solution speech topic statement. In that statement you have to bring together the problem and the solution. Examples of a statements for problem solution speech topics: Severe Safety Rules Can Stop Decreasing Car Accidents Sexeducation In Schools Will Prevent Teenage Pregnancy A Better Railroadpassenger Service Will Attract More Clients By now you have studied the main ideas for writing a public speaking speech on problem solution speech topics.
This historical Martin Luther King speech was delivered at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C. on August 28, 1963.On the right you see my simple analysis of the speech topics in the I Have a Dream Speech. Jump to other pages of Speech topics Help to see them explained.
Speech Topics Analysis Part I of the I have a dream speech: identification and uniting Part II of the I have a dream speech: historical background
Part III of the I have a dream speech: repetition of the situation now and what ought to be corrected
the Declaration of Independence, they were signing a promissory note to which every American was to fall heir. This note was a promise that all men, yes, black men as well as white men, would be guaranteed the unalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. It is obvious today that America has defaulted on this promissory note insofar as her citizens of color are concerned. Instead of honoring this sacred obligation, America has given the Negro people a bad check, a check which has come back marked "insufficient funds." But we refuse to believe that the bank of justice is bankrupt. We refuse to believe that there are insufficient funds in the great vaults of opportunity of this nation. So we have come to cash this check -- a check that will give us upon demand the riches of freedom and the security of justice. We have also come to this hallowed spot to remind America of the fierce urgency of now. This is no time to engage in the luxury of cooling off or to take the tranquilizing drug of gradualism. Now is the time to make real the promises of democracy. Now is the time to rise from the dark and desolate valley of segregation to the sunlit path of racial justice. Now is the time to lift our nation from the quick sands of racial injustice to the solid rock of brotherhood. Now is the time to make justice a reality for all of God's children. It would be fatal for the nation to overlook the urgency of the moment. This sweltering summer of the Negro's legitimate discontent will not pass until there is an invigorating autumn of freedom and equality. Nineteen sixty-three is not an end, but a beginning. Those who hope that the Negro needed to blow off steam and will now be content will have a rude awakening if the nation returns to business as usual. There will be neither rest nor tranquility in America until the Negro is granted his citizenship rights. The whirlwinds of revolt will continue to shake the foundations of our nation until the bright day of justice emerges. But there is something that I must say to my people who stand on the warm threshold which leads into the palace of justice. In the process of gaining our rightful place we must not be guilty of wrongful deeds. Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred. We must forever conduct our struggle on the high plane of dignity and discipline. We must not allow our creative protest to degenerate into physical violence. Again and again we must rise to the majestic heights of meeting physical force with soul force. The marvelous new militancy which has engulfed the Negro community must not lead us to distrust of all white people, for many of our white brothers, as evidenced by their presence here today, have come to realize that their destiny is tied up with our destiny and their freedom is inextricably bound to our freedom. We cannot walk alone. As we walk, we must make the pledge that we shall march ahead. We cannot turn back. There are those who are asking the devotees of civil rights, "When will you be satisfied?" We can never be satisfied as long as the Negro is the victim of the unspeakable horrors of police brutality. We can never be satisfied, as long as our bodies, heavy with the fatigue of travel, cannot gain lodging in the motels of the highways and the hotels of the cities. We can never be satisfied as long as a Negro in Mississippi cannot vote and a Negro in New York believes he has nothing for which to vote. No, no, we are not satisfied, and we will not be satisfied until justice rolls down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream. I am not unmindful that some of you have come here out of great trials and tribulations. Some of you have come fresh from narrow jail cells. Some of you have come from areas where your quest for freedom left you battered by the storms of persecution and staggered by the winds of police brutality. You have been the veterans of creative suffering. Continue to work with the faith that unearned suffering is redemptive. Go back to Mississippi, go back to Alabama, go back to South Carolina, go back to Georgia, go back to Louisiana, go back to the slums and ghettos of our northern cities, knowing that somehow this situation can and will be
Part IV of the I have a dream speech: why this situation should be corrected, by the classical appeals to emotion, facts and values
Part V of the I have a dream speech: explaining the goals, the solution
Part VI of the I have a dream speech: prove that the alternatives cause more problems
Part VII of the I have a dream speech: how to change it, proposing, demanding, persuading. This part also has elements of problem solutions speech topics visualize the practicality of your solution, how they will improve the situation, show their effectiveness and practicality
changed. Let us not wallow in the valley of despair. I say to you today, my friends, so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream. I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal." I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood. I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice. I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. I have a dream today. I have a dream that one day, down in Alabama, with its vicious racists, with its governor having his lips dripping with the words of interposition and nullification; one day right there in Alabama, little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers. I have a dream today. I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight, and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together. This is our hope. This is the faith that I go back to the South with. With this faith we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. With this faith we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. With this faith we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day. This will be the day when all of God's children will be able to sing with a new meaning, "My country, 'tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing. Land where my fathers died, land of the pilgrim's pride, from every mountainside, let freedom ring." And if America is to be a great nation this must become true. So let freedom ring from the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire. Let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of New York. Let freedom ring from the heightening Alleghenies of Pennsylvania! Let freedom ring from the snowcapped Rockies of Colorado! Let freedom ring from the curvaceous slopes of California! But not only that; let freedom ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia! Let freedom ring from Lookout Mountain of Tennessee!
Part IX of the I have a dream speech: vizualising the main goals by use of repetition and metaphors
Part X of the I have a dream speech: concluding the main goals by use of repetition and metaphors
Let freedom ring from every hill and molehill of Mississippi. From every mountainside, let freedom ring. And when this happens, When we allow freedom to ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual, "Free at last! free at last! thank God Almighty, we are free at last!"
Part XI of the I have a dream speech: concluding the thesis statement I Have A Dream - Free At Last
You can apply this pattern of arrangement also when you write a speech for student council president or for student council secretary. The fundamental question voters will have is: Is this person ready and eligible for the job? Answer those questions in my following student council speech idea top 10. 1. A simple welcome to all student voters is the start of your student council speech. It is fine to say: Hello all, Goodmorning, or Goodafternoon or Goodevening!
2. Introduce yourself briefly. I'm ... from class ... . Not more for now. Blend more about you naturally in the flow of the speech presentation. 3. Then immediately focus their attention on the main goal you are standing for. Use an understatement everybody will recognize, a situation suitable for improvement. 4. And make a pay-off: That's why I'm running for ... fill in the position you want to achieve. So, be clear, take position: I want to become student council president / vice president / secretary / student council treasurer. How to work out these student council speech ideas? Well: If it is your first student council election campaign, use an easy-to-remember oneline message to tell what your thoughts and views are on the position you want. If you go for a re-election, then the major student council speech idea has to be: state in one catchy phrase what your mission statement has been the past years and how you will continue your work. 6. Now tell your audience what you think are common needs at campus that ought to be fulfilled right away. 7. Present the solution, draw the contours of the positive outcomes of the strides you want to take for them. Keep in mind that this is a brief and triggering summary of your objectives, most wanted achievements, plans, views and solutions in relation to to the needs of the voters. Consider them as the most important student council speech ideas you can think of. 8. Offer evidence why you are the best choice for the position. Avoid exageration of course. All have to be true. Do list your: a. b. c. d. Educational qualifications. Outstanding personal qualities. Main accomplishments or special activities in high school, college or university. And the specific qualifications you can think of related to the position you strive for. E.g. Proven leadership in community volunteering is the right ticket to become student council president.
9. Conclude with this student council statement: invite all to communicate ideas the coming years. Just like you say: My door is always open. I will be in office to fight for your needs. I am always open to suggestions. Mail me or look me up on Facebook. I am looking forward to meeting you! Encourage the voters to visit your webpage - if you have one - and further inform theirselves as to why they should vote for you.
10. Refer to your introduction statement, conclude that you are suitable, just in one teasing slogan. Of course in such a way that they will remember your core student council speech idea. And: look and listen how your competitors are doing. Copy their success parts in your own words, improve them. That is my secret bonus student council speech idea!
I'll show you how to find them. The key questions below work almost always. They generate lots good topics. Perhaps you're struck by new public speaking speech topics, stumbling ideas or educative questions.
Easy General Checklists For Good Speech Topics
First answer these questions. Think about subjects, events, people, places, problems, causes and effects, and values in your community, school, college, university, city, state, country or region. GOOD SPEECH TOPICS ABOUT YOUR INTERESTS
What are your values in life and career? What are your hobbies? What special or unusual experiences have you had? What beliefs or strong opinions do you hold? What are your pet peeves? What would you like to know more about?
Who are your listeners? What are their needs? What is their socioeconomic status? Are they representing an organization? Which one? What do they want to learn? Why do they want to listen to you? What is popular? What do they think is a good topic for a speech? What questions would they have, what answers are they looking for? What special or unusual experiences did they have? What beliefs or strong opinions do they hold? What values do they have?
OCCASION
Why are you invited as public speaker? Are there speech assignment rules? Do you have to present good extemporaneous speech topics in a minimum of preparation time? Where? When?
Narrowing
Now narrow your ideas into the best angles of approach for good speech topics. If you do not like the outcome, do try some other ideas. Only answer questions that are appropriate to your ideas and select the main points for a text to speech. If you are in a hurry, try my quick speech topic steps immediately! GOOD SPEECH TOPICS ABOUT OBJECTS
What is it? Give a short description. The definition? Other names? What are the main features and functions? What does it do? How does it work? Color? Shape? Size? Can it operate stand alone? Different types? Can it be divided into parts? How? Are there accessoires? How is it produced? What can you do with it? How can it be used? In what steps? How? Why? When? Where? That sequence always work for creating good speech topics. What does it mean for you / us? What did it mean in the past? What is it similar to? What are the differences in comparison with other kinds? Is it better or not? Why? What do you like about it? Dislike? What do other people say about your good speech topic?
What is going to happen/happened? When? How? Where? What is / was it about? Is it historical? Is it current? Is it in the future? What is / was the value or impact? Why? What are the major parts/steps/facts? Why is / was it important? What is / was the goal of the event? Is/was there a mission statement? In what is/was the event different to other years? What are the comparisons/differences with other events?
What do you like about the event? Don't like? What do other people say about the event? Who are invited? Who is/are the speaker/speakers? Are there special circumstances?
What is a good description of her*? What is her character? What are/were her goals? What does her biography write about her? Does / did she belong to a movement or group? What are the differences with other people that do/did/aim the same? What are the main achievements in her life? Examples? What are the most important facts of her life? What are or were her values or motivational goals? How does/did she do it/invented/publish/act on it? What do you think of her? Why? What do other people think of her? Why? Can you cite her?
*) Of course She/Her can also be read as He/Him - as you will understand :-)
Where? What is it called? What does it look like? What is a good description? Size? Architecture? People? What are very special facts? Historical value? Why do you like the place? What do other people think of the place? Why? Why is it important to you/us? Why is it useful? How can it benefit your audience? Can you compare it to other places? What are the differences? Beter/worse? Stories, poems to honor the place?
What values do you hold? Any indictment? Why do you stand for it? How do you practice your value(s)? Why should we think, feel or do the same? Is there a legal component? Which one? Can you give examples? Is there any opposition against your value? Why? How? What are the pros and cons? Can it causes changes?
Can you characterize the current situation in some lines? Do other people consider it also as a problem? Why or why not? Hot facts and figures? Are there legal arguments or objections? Any special or interesting circumstances? Can you solve the problem? How, what are your solutions? Can you put it in a particular context? Is there any similarity to other problems? What are the possible causes? What are the effects or consequences?
Bottomline: Always choose a topic you are interested in - you have some feel with, in other words: know a lot about or something you can easily research with little effort. Learn to find for example good persuasion topics everywhere you go. Keep our eyes and ears wide open, like my friend Jonathan has done also. He has listed good speech topics sources. They are very helpful in combination with the checklists above. Beacause they help you at unexpected occasions when you quickly have to come up with good speech topics for (for example) an impromptu. And by now, after trying my checklists, are you still asking yourself: What are good speech topics? :-) Cool speech topics for speech class or for any other public speaking occasion you need a cool speech idea or controversial debating statement. Alter them if you like till they fit your goal. 1. Your bank account is the biggest threat to your right to privacy. 2. Not all medical and scientific research improves public health.
3. Discuss with your relatives what you want about life support matters in case of terminal illness. 4. Some minorities in our society have not the same career opportunities as white people. 5. The oil companies are to blame for the rising energy prices. 6. In most countries the economy is in the mighty hands of just a few multinational corporations. 7. We have the right to end our own life if we suffer from great pains. 8. People who say they do not need or want to use the world wide web are insane. 9. Protecting our citizens and interests should be the corner stone of the foreign policy of our nation. 10. Government mismanagement and corruption have caused the problems in Social Security's. 11. Take a test to see if you are at risk for any dangerous disease or virus. 12. The government should offer free smallpox vaccine to all citizens who are at risk. 13. The Iraq War has turned the chances to peace and stability in the Middle East to zero. 14. We are a nation of immigrants and that is what makes us strong. 15. Welfare encourages women to have more children. Yes, these are just 15 speech ideas - not my personal points of view - hop to my other pages for more and other cool speech topics.