Impromptu Public Speaking Topics

1. My biggest concern for the future is... 2. Real wealth is never measured in money or possessions. 3. Conservation is survival. 4. Real love is not the stuff of pop songs. 5. If I were an animal I'd be a... 6. Plants have feelings too. 7. Junk food's popularity relies on marketing. 8. To err is human. To forgive is divine. Discuss. 9. The world is a smaller place these days. 10.The more we communicate, the less we really say. 11.When I grow up...

12.To be grown up is a state of mind. 13.Goals are good for you. 14.The most important lesson of my life so far... 15.Intelligence is not enough. 16.If I ruled the world... 17.Color affects the way people feel. 18.Ill health begins in the mind. 19.Team sports build strong individuals. 20.Laughter is the best medicine. 21.Fools and their money are easily parted. 22.Discipline is not a dirty word. 23.Beauty is always in the eye of the beholder. 24.Children learn what they live with. 25.Poverty is a state of mind. 26.What characteristics make an ideal hero and why? 27.What and who is an average person? 28.Being young is over-rated. 29.In what situation is lying a good idea? 30.Does money make the world go round? 31.What human quality do we need more of and why? 32.Who has been the most influential person in your life and why? 33.How we look is unimportant. It's who we are on the inside that counts. 34.Fashion victims I have known. 35.Pets are for people who don't have children. 36.Summer is the best and worst of times. Why? 37.The media controls how and what we think. 38.Advertising targeting children is immoral. 39.Talking to someone and talking with someone are two different activities. 40.Real learning doesn't occur in a classroom. 41.What would you rather be - wise or intelligent?

42.True wisdom comes from experience. 43.A sense of humor is essential. 44.Uniforms stifle individuality. 45.What is normal is decided by the society we live in. 46.Manners matter. 47.Children should not watch television. 48.Art is essential to life. 49.Cities are for people not cars. 50.Peace is possible. - See more at: http://www.write-out-loud.com/impromptu-public-speakingtopics.html#sthash.sNAlsxEe.dpuf

HOW TO GIVE AN IMPROMPTU SPEECH

1. Get used to talking in front of other people. The truth is that even the most calm of speakers still shake when they get up there. Sitcom stars still get nervous on live episodes. 2. Remember your audience. Always make eye-contact with them. Not only will this help the audience not fall asleep, but it will also make you more confident. If your eyes fall upon that one teenage boy who's goofing off and totally not listening, ignore him. If you can't look at their eyes, look at their foreheads. 3. Try and get the audience involved. If you've ever had to listen to someone who mumbles through the whole thing, doesn't look up, and is just plain boring, you know how horrible that is. Try and get your audience pumped up. 4. Try and twist your topic. If you get a topic about something that you can't relate to, try and morph it into something that's only vaguely related, but still related enough to make sense. 5. Incorporate humor. Have a humor quotient! Make people laugh and they will automatically get involved . If you're not sure about your joke or if it's racist or can hurt someone's sentiments then stay away from it . 6. If you're facing a more serious impromptu speech, you have to be confident about yourself. Chest out, back straight, eyes ahead. It will give you an air of significance and make you a little intimidating, as well.

Impromptu Speaking Tips

Coming up with a presentation on the spot is no easy task; some advice to help you through it.
ARTICLE | MON, 07/18/2011 - 00:00

By Rick Sheridan, Assistant Professor of Communications, Wilberforce University

Speaking in public often is considered to be one of the worst fears people have. Impromptu speaking, where you have little time to prepare, is even more frightening for many people. Here is a summary of advice and insights from several sources to help you to quickly develop and deliver an effective and entertaining impromptu speech. 1. Take the first step. Try to make the most out of the few seconds you have between the request and when you start to speak. Before you speak, quickly organize your topic into one of the following patterns: Topic block:Break your speech into several of the most important topics, such as production, marketing, and advertising. Chronological block:Arrange information into components, such as the past, present, and future plans related to the topic you are speaking about. Controversial blocks:Think of any areas where there is a disagreement. You can move from pro to con and explain the parts of the disagreement. Hierarchical blocks:From easy to hard. You could start out with the easy-to-understand parts of the situation and eventually discuss the more difficult components of your topic.

Question blocks:Ask the audience a challenging rhetorical question and then spend time answering it for them. Q&A format:Ask the audience what they would like to know about the topic and provide your feedback. Be aware that you may get complicated questions you are not really prepared to answer (Zarefsky, D., Public Speaking: Strategies for Success, 5th Edition, Allyn & Bacon, 2007). 2. Begin to speak. Offer an introductory remark. This will give you a little more time to get organized: Thanks, Ted, I am happy to offer my perspective on the situation. I did not plan a formal presentation but would be happy to describe the situation at my department. You also could begin your impromptu speech with an anecdote, a provocative question or interesting fact, a current event that relates to the topic, or an objectives list for the lecture.

Start your talk with one of the categories, such as the chronological block: During the last year, we have introduced three new products, hired a new assistant manager, and expanded our manufacturing department. In January, we finished development on the first new product. In February, we began development of the second new product. In March, we began a national search for a new assistant manager. This will give you several sub-topics to elaborate on. You can begin to fill in the details for one sub-topic at a time, giving yourself additional time to think of ideas to elaborate on. Eventually, you can move on to the other topics, depending on how long you need to speak. 3. Other tips.

Use a slow delivery. This gives you time to think ahead, while the audience has time to absorb and react to what you are saying. Keep the focus on the subject while talking.

Personalize. This is the subject you know most about, so use personal examples to explain the material to them. The audience can relate more easily to personal topicsthey probably have similar experiences.

Remember that you are in control. Relax and make it your own. If you want to make this a funny story about your experiences working in a restaurant as a teenager, then do it. Most people will applaud your effort.

As you deliver your speech, concentrate on body language and vocal tone. Most communication is either non-verbal (body language) or the perceived tone of the speaker. If you master these two, then any mistakes with the content of the speech will be more likely forgiven.

Stand tall. Make sure you are standing on both feet about a shoulder width apart. Resist the urge to slump or fiddle or put your hands in your pockets. And remember to breathe!

Use any notes as reminders only. Do not try to remember a whole speech, especially since you only have a few seconds to prepare. Instead move through the points you noted, making clear transitions between each.

Keep it short and to the point. An audience is far more likely to listen if you stay on target and are concise. Avoid using vocabulary unfamiliar to your audience. Keep it on their level.

Remember the power of the pause. Take the time you need to gather your thoughts together. Remember, time appears slower to you. You may think youve stopped for an eternity, but the audience rarely perceives it that way. They will think you are pondering your next statement or giving them time to consider your previous point.

Avoid an adrenaline rush. Dont worry too much about precision. Trust yourself to adapt to any circumstances that may come up rather than to demand a flawless performance from yourself.

Think of your speech as an expanded parlor conversation. Think of it as a conversation with a small group of friends. This will keep your language natural and flowing. Think of stories, comparisons, examples, transitions, and illustrations to bring your talk to life.

Maintain good eye contact with the audience. Hold your gaze for at least five seconds on one member of the audience and then find another friendly face to look directly at.

Continually evaluate the audience. Watch the audience and try to determine if they seem to be more interested in one part of your lecture than the others. If so, expand on that area. If they look bored, it is time to move to another sub-topic (Gabour, C., Presentation Skills Training, ASTD Trainers Workshop, ASTD Press, 2008).

4. What if you draw a blank? Even though you have done everything else right, you may still run out of material, suddenly lose your train of thought, or draw a complete blank. There are a few you can do to keep from panicking:

Paraphrase what youve already said. This will jog your memory into providing the next point you want to make.

Pretend like youre pausing on purpose. Walk back and forth slowly, as if youre letting your last point sink in.

If you need more time to think, you may want to ask the audience a question. Even something such as, Can everyone hear me OK? will give you more time to recover your presentation.

If you still cant remember what to say, make up a reason to pause the speech. For example, you can say, Im sorry, but my throat is very dry. Can I please get a glass of water? Someone will go to get you a drink, and you will have time to think of two or three points to talk about.

If you know nothing about the topic, do not panic. Just tell what you dont know about the topic: What a great topic. I know nothing about the topic. But I will make it a point to study up on the subject just in case I ever get it again.

If these tricks dont appeal to you, think of your own. The idea is to have something ready ahead of time.

Quick brain jogger. Here is a way that you quickly can produce meaningful content. Think of your topic and view it from these perspectives:

Application: How could we use this information in___? Comparison: How is your topic similar or different from___? Validation: Why do you believe this response is best? Evaluation: Why do you think this concept is so important? Classification: What categories could you organize this into? Induction: Based on what you know, what is the big picture? Error analysis: How is this information misleading? Analyzing: What is the reasoning behind that perspective? How have others struggled with this information? What does this information have to do with real life? 5. Conclusion.Congratulations, you made it through most of your impromptu speech. Now is the time to come up with a good conclusion that puts everything into perspective:

Review the main points. Reinforce the main ideas you have talked about by briefly restating them, I have tried to give you my perspective on our manufacturing

departments progress in the last year. Besides the actual events, I tried to cover specific problems we have overcome, such as___

Conclude the presentation. Finish it with a strong, positive statement. Be brief and look for an elegant closing that links back to the opening. End by acknowledging the chairman or master of ceremonies.

References: Blake, R., and Clemens W., After-Dinner Verses: A Collection of Impulsive and Impromptu Verses, Omnigraphics, 1999. Gabour, C., Presentation Skills Training (ASTD Trainers Workshop), ASTD Press, 2008. Kleiser, G., Impromptu Speeches: How to Make Them, Thackeray Press, 2009. Wood, M., How to Present Impromptus and Take Interviews, NewInsight Publications, 2010. Wydro, K., Think on Your Feet: The Art of Thinking and Speaking Under Pressure, Prentice Hall, 1981 Zarefsky, D., Public Speaking: Strategies for Success (5th Edition), Allyn & Bacon, 2007. Rick Sheridan is an assistant professor of communications at Wilberforce University in Ohio. His articles have been published by theSt. Petersburg Times, Chicago Sun-Times, New Orleans Times-Picayune,and United Press International, along with referred journals Educauseand Academic Exchange Quarterly. For more information, visit http://RickSheridan.com.

Tips for Impromptu Speech

GENERAL DIRECTIONS: You will be given an envelope with 2 of the quotes on the other page. You pick one of them to write a speech on. You have five minutes to do so. Then you will speak on that quote for 3 minutes for the A grade. You may have to wing (make part of the speech up as you go) since you don't have lots of time to write a speech. For this reason, avoid trying to write out the speech word for word, this will only ensure you won't be able to make the time limit. It is impossible to write a 3 minute speech, word for word, in 5 minutes. So you will have to flex your outlining and mental muscle. Trust yourself. You can deliver off a topical outline that just has your ideas on them, not full sentences. This is a thinking exercise as much as it is a speaking exercise. You will find, in many instances, impromptu speaking leaves you with a few minutes to put your thoughts together. You really don't need much time to devise a speech. It is in this time that you, the trained positive minded speaker, will organize your thoughts and thrive under pressure. You are already equipped with the proper tools to do this exercise, believe it. "Just be the ball, Danny." ("Caddyshack") Impromptu Speaking Tips First, arrive on time or a little early. Relax, get your bearings. Second, relax and breathe, you need to write a speech in the next 5 minutes. Focus on your quote and what it means to you, jot down some general ideas. Remember how we outline speeches and follow that same pattern. You might want to bring in a skeleton outline to use. (already prepared) (for example):

Intro: SP: Thesis: Body I. II. Conclusion Practice a few trial outlines; pick a quote off the site and outline it Rely on your experiences as you speak about your quote. Add a few in, if you don't, you may go too short. Don't shut yourself down, be open to all information Mention the quote early in the speech so the audience understands it Remember all good delivery techniques: eye contact and good volume Make sure you mention the quote loud enough so the audience knows what you are speaking on. Have a solid short intro and conclusion (remember keys to intro/conclusion = have a strategy, i.e. humor, question, etc.) Fake enthusiasm and confidence if need be Do not run out of the room screaming, "I can't do this!" If you do run out of the room, stay in the building, we'll send someone out after you! (smile) Some are philosophical and should cause you to think about life and yourself.

Don't write out a short scripted paragraph and then deliver that. You won't make the time limit. It will always go short. Read through the quotes a few times. You may end up doing one you practiced on!