Toastmaster Speech
Uploaded by
Najmus-Sahar SiddiqiToastmaster Speech
Uploaded by
Najmus-Sahar SiddiqiYOU AND YOUR GOALS
When you took your Pathways Assessment, you were asked to identify your basic
public speaking and leadership goals—the reason you came to Toastmasters and what
you hoped to gain. It may be helpful to think back to that experience and share some of
those goals in your “Ice Breaker” speech.
You may also use this Ice Breaker Speech Outline Worksheet to help you collect and
develop your thoughts. A clear, thorough outline will assist you in crafting your speech
and sharing your communication and leadership goals with the audience within the
allotted time.
ORGANIZE YOUR SPEECH
Your Ice Breaker is a story about you. The four elements of a good story are:
Interesting topic
Opening
Body
Conclusion
Give your speech an opening, body, and conclusion to effectively communicate your
overall purpose.
Begin by introducing yourself. In the body of your speech, share information you would
like your fellow members to know about you. Conclude with a funny or interesting
anecdote that relates to your desire to become a better speaker and leader.
If you have completed an Ice Breaker before, focus on your goals for your current path.
PREPARE AND PRESENT
WRITE IT OUT
Write your speech, memorize the opening and conclusion, and rehearse everything else
until you feel comfortable. Ideally, this will give it a natural and spontaneous feel.
REMEMBER YOUR OUTLINE
Create notecards or an outline with a few bullet points from your speech on one page.
This makes it easier to remember the main points of your speech, and you can refer to it
when presenting to your club. The goal is to remember your outline and not read your
speech word for word.
CONNECT WITH THE AUDIENCE
Effective speaking requires you to look up from a written speech and connect with your
audience. Your presence and connection with the audience members increase the
possibility that your message has impact.
TECHNIQUES FOR PRACTICE
Before you give your icebreaker, set aside time for practice. There are many ways to practice. Choose
one of the following techniques or develop one of your own.
REHEARSE WITH FRIENDS OR FAMILY
Rehearse your speech in front of friends or family to get feedback. Listen to constructive feedback and
implement productive comments that could possibly work for you.
RECORD YOURSELF
Record yourself giving the speech and watch the footage. Do not be overly critical. Concentrate on
constructive responses.
USE A MIRROR
Practice in front of a mirror. The feedback is immediate and you can make adjustments as you go.
PRACTICE SECTIONS
Divide your speech into sections. First, practice your opening. Then move on to the body of your speech,
which will include the main points you want to cover. Finally, practice your conclusion. When you feel
comfortable with each section, put them all together.
TIME YOURSELF
While you practice, remember that your Ice Breaker is 4- to 6-minutes in length. Time yourself. If you
are running too close to the time limit, make sure all of your points are relevant and on-topic. If you are
running short, re-examine the content and elaborate on topics that are under-represented.
TIMING
PACING
ORGANIZATION
REVIEW
MOMENT TO MOMENT
REVIEW AND APPLY
What are some strategies you can use to balance preparation and spontaneity when
delivering your speech?
List your strongest communication and leadership skills.
What communication and leadership skills do you want to develop?
List your immediate goals for communication and leadership.
What are the elements of basic speech structure?
COMPLETE YOUR ASSIGNMENT
Now that you have read through the project, plan and
prepare your speech or report.
