SPOKEN PRODUCTION

COURSE OBJECTIVES
1. To understand the main ideas of both concrete and abstract topics;
2. To include technical discussions in his/her field of specialization;
3. To interact with a degree of fluency and spontaneity that makes regular
interaction with native speakers quite possible without strain for either party; and
4. To produce clear, detailed text on a wide range of subjects and explain viewpoint
on a topical issue giving the advantages and disadvantages of various options.

TOPIC LEARNING OUTCOME

 To produce effective speakers
 DISCUSSION

I. What is Speaking?
Speaking is the delivery of
language through the mouth. To
speak, we create sounds using many
parts of our body, including the
lungs, vocal tract, vocal chords,
tongue, teeth and lips.
This vocalized form of
language usually requires at least
one listener. When two or more
people speak or talk to each other,
the conversation is called a "dialogue". Speech can flow naturally from one person to
another in the form of dialogue. It can also be planned and rehearsed, as in the delivery of
a speech or presentation. Of course, some people talk to themselves! In fact, some English
learners practice speaking standing alone in front of a mirror.

Speaking can be formal or informal:

 Informal speaking is typically used with family and friends, or people you know well.
 Formal speaking occurs in business or academic situations, or when meeting people for
the first time.

Speaking is probably the language skill that most language learners wish to perfect
as soon as possible. It used to be the only language skill that was difficult to practice online.
This is no longer the case. English learners can practice speaking online using voice or
video chat and services like Skype. They can also record and upload their voice for other
people to listen to.

II. The Importance of Speaking Skills

So why would you need to practice speaking skills? The fact is, such skills will come
in handy not only at your workplace but also in your personal life. Here’s how:
 Getting Them to Say ‘Yes’
One of the objectives of speaking effectively is the ability to persuade: when you
need your manager to back your idea, when you want your team to work longer hours or
when your spouse needs convincing to watch your favorite movie. These are all instances
that require effective speaking.
 The whole point of speaking skills is to be able to sway people’s opinions. It’s to
get them to act in alignment with your goals.
 Developing A Career Edge
Being an effective speaker separates you from the corporate herd and pitches you
as a valuable resource for your company. It, of course, gives you an edge over your
colleagues.
Effective communicators get special treatment because they are often asked to
represent the company. They’re the ones meeting the important clients, negotiating and
closing deals, and building a reputation for the company.
For example: When you need to impress a new client, you send your best salesperson.
You won’t send in someone new or inexperienced. The best salesperson is almost always
your best speaker.
 Holistic Communications Development
Speaking skills hold a special place of value. Good speakers are also good writers
for they would have written several drafts of each speech.
Good speakers are also those who can connect and empathize with people. This
makes them approachable and authentic. Often, people gravitate towards them for support
and advice.
They are also readers, as reading helps expand the vocabulary and develop the flair
for using suitable words for different situations.
Thus, practicing speaking skills leads to the development of writing, listening, and reading
skills too.
 Becoming an Expert
Effective speaking signals subject matter expertise because of the research that the
making of a good speech would involve. That is why a good speaker is also regarded as a
leader and influencer.
Popular intellectuals such as Barack Obama and Richard Dawkins are all good
speakers. When they talk, we believe them. We trust them to know what they’re talking
about. To rise to a position of fame and influence, having effective speaking skills is a
must.
 Feel Like a Boss
Establishing a genuine connection with the audience gives a sense of
accomplishment. Listening to the audience’s applause is a great boost for self-esteem.
Being appreciated by the audience is like receiving a gift for all the hard work that a speaker
puts in.
III. THREE MAIN ASPECTS OF EFFECTIVE SPEAKING
 Vocabulary
Language is an integral part of speaking skills. The words you use must suit the
occasion and the audience. For example, the language you use when speaking to a friend
is different from the one you use for a formal presentation.
Effective speakers customize their message to suit their audience. The audience is
familiar with certain types of words. It’s important to use such words to get them to
respond. For example, using industry terms in a client meeting can evoke desired
responses.
As a general rule, shorter and simpler sentences work well. They are easier to
process and understand, and they create a sense of urgency. For example, in the Avengers
series of movies, when Captain America says, “Avengers, assemble!”, and not “Avengers,
gather around me”, the message becomes memorable and impactful.
Similarly, the memorable line in Jawaharlal Nehru’s Independence Day speech in
August 1947, “At the stroke of the midnight hour”, conveyed the gravity of the occasion,
which a line like “At 12.00 am…” may not have.
 Voice
Another aspect of speaking skills in communication that is often ignored is your
voice. It includes pitch, tone, and strength. How you speak signals your emotional state.
A low voice and too many pauses could denote hesitation. Clarity and volume could
denote confidence. A strong and confident tone portrays conviction. People believe what
you say when you deliver it in a strong voice.
Public speaking requires practice. You might be quite comfortable talking to small
groups or in informal settings. But that is not the same as addressing a large crowd, which
is why practice and rehearsals matter.
 Nonverbal
The final aspect of speaking skills is not about speaking at all. Non-verbal
Communication consists of body language. It includes facial expression, posture, eye
contact, and hand gestures. Your body language must match your words for your address
to be effective.
Your body language signals to the audience how invested you are into what you are
speaking about. It shows the passion behind your words and helps draw the audience
emotionally to your message and make them feel involved.
IV. TYPES OF SPEAKING SKILLS AND FRAMEWORKS
 While speaking effectively is rewarding, it is also challenging. Various speaking
skills and frameworks can help overcome the challenges.
1. Aristotle’s Appeals
One of the most useful frameworks speakers use is Aristotle’s Appeals. They help
you find various ways to appeal to the audience. Your appeal can be based on logic,
authority, and emotion.
The audience might listen to you because your argument makes sense. They might
listen because you’ve appealed to their anger or sadness or some other emotion. They could
also listen to you because you’re an expert.
These different types of appeals are also known as Logos, Ethos, and Pathos.
ETHOS PATHOS LOGOS

Ethos is the Appealing to the The logical appeal

characteristic spirit of a emotions of an audience. It uses facts, figures and
culture, era, or community can be in the form of a story information to support the
as seen in its beliefs. The with a moral, an premise that is being
qualification to speak on a illustration, metaphor, presented.
subject is accepted by the simile, parable, or even an
audience based on those emotional claim that
beliefs. something is unjust.

2. The PAM Framework

Another useful framework is PAM (Purpose, Audience, and Message). You
convey the purpose or objective of your speech to the audience through a verbal message.
The PAM framework requires you to know your audience, their triggers, likes, and
dislikes.
3. The Three Ws
You can also use an introspective framework. This is where The Three Ws of
speaking will come to your aid.
The first ‘W’ is ‘Why are you delivering this speech?’ The second is ‘Who is
listening?’ And the third ‘What are you talking about?’ Together these questions help
you define your purpose and your audience. The third question helps you structure your
speech.
The importance of speaking effectively lies in its tremendous potential to induce
change. Their words may fade over time, but the feeling they leave us will never
diminishes. In the words of American poet Maya Angelou, “I’ve learned that people will
 forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you
made them feel.”

V. TYPES OF SPEECH
A speech refers to an
informal or formal talk given to
an audience. Giving a speech
allows you to address a group of
people to express your thoughts
and oftentimes, your opinion.
You can find speeches in many
different environments and with
many different purposes. For
example, while you can give a
quick speech before introducing
someone, you can also give a
speech to persuade others to see
your point of view.
Since speeches occur in a variety of settings and for different purposes, they fall into
different categories. Knowing the various types of speeches can help you determine which
best suits your needs the next time you speak publicly. Consider the following types of
speeches:
1. INFORMATIVE SPEECH
An informative speech is one that provides information and is intended to
educate the audience. It helps the audience learn, understand, and remember the
information that you are presenting.
The main purpose of an informative speech is to provide information
regarding a specific topic that the audience knows nothing about. These
speeches require facts and figures that support the idea of the speech. These
facts and figures are collected from reliable sources to enhance the credibility
of the topic.

 Types of Informative Speech

There are many ways to inform the audience about a particular topic. The
informative speech is one of those several ways. This speech can be about an
object, an event, a concept, or a process.
There are four different types of informative speeches:

 Descriptive speech: It creates a vivid picture in the audience’s mind regarding

a person, place, event, or any other thing. The goal of descriptive public
 speaking is to narrate about an object, event or phenomenon in a way the
audience is able to visualize the image that is portrayed by the public speaker.

Example:
Let’s say you want to create a descriptive speech topic about a tall
building you have visited, for example the Menara Kuala Lumpur Tower in
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The first things that pop up talking about that mega
structure are:
 The height of the building in yards or meters;
 The ingenious type of construction;
he almost unlimited number of levels and elevators;
 What you see, what you hear and feel when you approach the mighty
building:
 The magnificent colors;
 The lights at night;
 The general noises;
 The environment;
 How you experienced the guiding tour, and so on.

 Exploratory speech: It focuses on explaining the “how” and “why” aspect of

the topic.
It is meant to simply explore subject – not to give an opinion or draw
any form of conclusion. For example, the topic is, “What is the prime age to
start a family?” one should simply look at the subject. Explore different age
brackets, find suitable data and information for each. You would not
specifically state what age you thought was suitable.

 Definition speech: It explains what a concept or a word actually means.

A definition speech is written to inform the audience by describing and
explaining an object or concept. You might be called upon to deliver such a
speech at your place of employment, for example, in order to describe a new
business strategy. Or, you may be required to define a new initiative to help a
worthy cause in your community.

 Demonstrative speech: It is a kind of step by step guide that describes how to

perform something.
Demonstrative speeches teach an audience how to do a specific thing.
Even if you’re an expert at your topic, the process of writing a speech which
assures the audience has learned something new, can be challenging.
Example topics:
Here are some speech topic options that might help you:
 How to perform yoga to help you in your life & career
 How to edit your photographs online
  A ‘how-to’ guide on copy-writing
 How to negotiate your salary
 How to be less nervous at parties
 How to speak on stage with more confidence

2. MOTIVATIONAL SPEECH
A motivational speech is a highly emotional speech that serves to urge and
stimulate a group to pursue significant goals, choose proper strategy, correct
mistakes, etc. Additionally, a motivational speech arms the audience with tools
and awareness they should possess to succeed in their personal lives and in the
modern world.
Example/s:
The speeches of football coaches to their teams, for example, may involve
a motivating dimension capable of changing the way the squad looks at itself
and ultimately leading it to overcome. So it was with Martin Luther King or
Nelson Mandela they inspired and simultaneously motivated the audience to
think or act differently.

3. PERSUASIVE SPEECH
It is a speech that is given with the intention of convincing the audience to
believe or do something. This could be virtually anything - voting, organ donation,
recycling, and so on.
A successful persuasive speech effectively convinces the audience to your point
of view, providing you come across as trustworthy and knowledgeable about the
topic you’re discussing.
Tips for delivering your persuasive speech:
 Practice, practice, and
practice some more. Record
yourself speaking and listen
for any nervous habits you
have such as a nervous laugh,
excessive use of filler words,
or speaking too quickly.
 Show confident body
language. Stand with your
legs hip width apart with your
shoulders centrally aligned.
Ground your feet to the floor and
place your hands beside your body so that hand gestures come freely. Your
 audience won’t be convinced about your argument if you don’t sound confident in
it.
 Don’t memorize your speech word-for-word or read off a script. If you memorize
your persuasive speech, you’ll sound less authentic and panic if you lose your place.
Similarly, if you read off a script you won’t sound genuine and you won’t be able
to connect with the audience by making eye contact. In turn, you’ll come across as
less trustworthy and knowledgeable. You could simply remember your key points
instead, or learn your opening and closing sentences.
 Remember to use facial expressions when storytelling - they make you more
relatable. By sharing a personal story you’ll more likely be speaking your truth
which will help you build a connection with the audience too. Facial expressions
help bring your story to life and transport the audience into your situation.
 Keep your speech as concise as possible. When practicing the delivery, see if you
can edit it to have the same meaning but in a more succinct way. This will keep the
audience engaged.

4. ARGUMENTATIVE SPEECH
An argumentative essay is a piece of writing that takes a stance on an issue. The
main purpose of an argumentative essay is to persuade the reader to agree with the writer’s
point of view. This is done by presenting a strong argument, which is supported by
evidence.
An argumentative text requires
thorough research and analysis of all relevant
sources. Unlike persuasive writing, this
one shouldn’t rely on the emotional
aspect when trying to convince the
audience. What makes argument papers
unique is that you are only to substantiate
your position — no more, no less.

 Making Claims in Argumentative Speaking

In developing a good argumentative speech, it is crucial to have solid claims
and basis for your arguments. Taken from Speech Communication, Raymond S.
Ross clarifies the following definitions present in an argumentative speech:
Claim: The whole reason for your arguing in the first place. This is based on your
opinion.
Grounds: This is purely based on research. Facts, tables, statistical data, proof of
evidence. If you have no grounds to support your claims whatsoever, you will be
seen as an ignorant blabbermouth just stating random things without proof. You may
also see speech examples.
Argumentative speeches can be based on the following: a claim of fact, a claim of
value, or a claim of policy.
A claim of fact starts with an incident or a reality that is based on evidence.
A claim of value is a belief that something is good or bad, right or wrong.
A claim of policy is a claim that recommends the course of action.
Argumentation requires a firm stand on the positive or a negative side of the
said issue. After all, the goal is not to win over your audience, but to dominate the
argument as it requires the speakers to not only present their side of the issue, but
to also present it with substantial evidence in making the said claim. Argumentative
speaking can be carried out in debates.
 Essential components of an Argumentative speech:
With the dominating over the argument as the main goal of an argumentative
speech in the first place, it is important to understand the components that
encompass the said speech in the first place. Listed below are four essential parts
of an argumentative speech:
1. Find for a debatable topic
Although it can really be just any topic, make sure that it clearly has
both the affirmative and negative side to remain impartial and unbiased to just
a single viewpoint. For example, do pineapples really go on pizza?
2. Pick a side
If you have the option to pick a side, that is great as you have picked
with a side that is most suited to your beliefs and perceptions about that certain
issue. But if not, you will just have to stick with what is given to you and make
the most of it. Once you stick with that certain side, make sure to provide all
related information surrounding that issue, otherwise, it would confuse the
audience on what side you truly belong to.
3. Give some supportable arguments
Research, research, research! And afterwards, conduct more research
and verify the gathered data. It cannot be simply your opinions alone, you have
to try to include the opinions of other people as well, what other people have
to say about it, by providing figures and data that is relevant. Nobody likes an
unsupported argument with baseless hearsay.
4. Refute alternate positions
 When an argument is being thrown at you, you learn to throw one back.
Are you just going to let the opposing party trample over your side of the
argument like a powerless ant? Or, are you going to put up a fight by throwing
in arguments of your own? In doing so, you have to provide supporting facts
that support your argument.

 Tips for delivering an argumentative speech:

 Search for a concrete and controversial argument to use as your base.
 Arrange your points properly from the first to the last. If it’s in a debate setting,
you normally would be assigned to teams of four (first speaker to third speaker,
and the person who summarizes everything). Try to coordinate with your
members on what points each person would like to throw to the opposition.
 Sacrifice most of your time and effort for research. All that preparation will have
been for nothing, if it is baseless.

 Sample Outline of Argumentative Speech

I. Introduction
A. Hook
This is the part where you start catching the readers’ attention.
Argumentative speeches start with researched data, facts, quotes, statements,
figures, etc… Be sure that the introduction is interesting enough for the
audience to get hooked on what you are trying to say. After writing the first
sentence, you want to try and connect that information to what you want to
try and prove, leading to your thesis statement.
For example: According to a report in the Department of Health (DOH),
over X number of people are pregnant since they are not using condoms.
B. Thesis
A thesis statement is a one-liner that elaborates on what you are
trying to prove and provides an insight of the arguments that will be
presented in your body paragraphs. The thesis statement acts as a roadmap
for the rest of the speech. It is important not to worry too much on what
the presented arguments are going to be, but instead, focus on writing a
clear and concise statement that hints the topics that you are planning to
discuss.
For example: Therefore, it is important that these teenagers will not only
have the proper sex education applied into their curriculum, but also the
 DOH will be in charge of distributing free condoms to the teens of public
and private schools to avoid miscarriage, abortion and abandoning babies
in the middle of the streets due to the unpreparedness of having a child.
II. Background Information
Though it is not necessarily important in an argumentative essay, but in
order to let your audience understand the context of the issue better, background
information should at least consist have a paragraph or two in order to avoid
confusion among the audience members.
III. Body Paragraphs
The body paragraphs are the potion of the speech where you will elaborate
the evidence you have acquired to support the thesis statement that is provided.
Body paragraphs should commence with a topic sentence hat is written in your own
words followed by placing a bit of rhetoric in the middle of your speech (e.g. fact,
stats, an emotional anecdote or a doctrine) that provides background for your topic
sentence. Finally, body paragraphs should contain a sentence how the evidence you
have provided gives justice to your overall point.
Whether you are going to be assigned to participate in a debate for a class
activity or voicing out your opinions in social media, remember that it always
common courtesy not to let it get personal as the sole purpose of the speech is to
try and change their mindset and not condemn them for their beliefs.

Prepared by:
Fe Marie L. Matias, MAEd
Dyan Michelle B. Alluso
References:

CONSTEC English: A Telecourse for Teachers of English. Teacher Support Materials.

Speaking Segment. Volume 3
Alcantara, Rebecca D. et.al., Teaching Strategies 1 For Teaching of the Communication
Arts: Listening, Speaking, Reading & Writing. Revised Edition. Quezon City:
KATHA Publishing Co., Inc. 1996
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