16Special Occasion & Group Speaking

Speeches of Special Occasions

Speeches of introduction Acceptance speeches After-dinner speeches Tributes and eulogies Speeches of nomination Public testimony Roasts and toasts Mediated speaking

Speeches of Introduction

A short speech that introduces someone to an audience• Prepare the audience• Be accurate and up to date• Connect with the audience

Acceptance Speeches

Speech given by an individual who is being recognized, honored, or given an award• Be thankful and humble• Be succinct• Contextualize the award

After-Dinner Speeches

Usually serve as a featured part of an organized event• Be entertaining and lighthearted• Focus on a theme• Avoid presentation media

Tributes and Eulogies

Tributes – gives credit, respect, admiration, gratitude, or inspiration to someone

Eulogies – speech of tribute presented as a retrospective about an individual who has died• Emphasize emotion appropriately• Provide inspiration

Your Assignment Your final speech is to deliver a tribute speech on a famous person who

inspires you to become a better person!

A tribute speech gives credit, respect, admiration, gratitude and inspiration to someone who is famous and in his/her lifetime exemplifies an extraordinary character and service to humanity.

For this assignment, famous is defined as a person who is widely known and is honored for his/her achievements for the greater good of humanity.

Tribute speeches should offer the audience the opportunity to reflect and appreciate the person.

The speech should also stimulate and strengthen the audience.

Famous Person

When selecting a person to honor, please consider the following:

1. The character of the person

2. Personal stories help to build on his/her

character/achievements

3. His/her achievements and contributions to humanity

Writing Format The goal is not to give away major details that the public would know about

the famous person until the concluding paragraph.

  In writing this speech, it is similar to your informative speech in that you

have an introduction with the following:

Introduction Greeting Attention Getter(s) (entertain, sing, poetry, quotes, questions, story) Your Name Thesis/Main point of why you are honoring him/her Example of main point: Today, I am honoring an outstanding woman

because of her selfless character. Note: You will not introduce the name of the honoree until the

concluding paragraph

Body of the Tribute Speech

In the body of the speech, the main point is to show illustrations of the woman’s selfless character.

Stories that build upon her selflessness character (stories that are not common)

Each topic sentence in your body needs to reflect selfless contributions to humankind. Your required to start the topic sentences with selfless.

You will creatively introduce your honoree in the concluding paragraph with a toast and the following:

Toast leading into the introduction of the honoree

“Catchy” phrases for your concluding paragraphHere‘s to you..(name of honoree) I salute you…………………..To my greatest inspiration ………I honor you……………………..I celebrate you………………Here’s a toast to you………

After you introduce the first and last name of your honoree, share with your audience members additional details about him/her that are common to the listener Restate the main point/thesis

Speeches of Nomination

Speech that demonstrates why a particular individual would be successful at something if given the chance

Public Testimony

Factual information and opinions about policy issues presented to government bodies or public institutions • Narrow your comments down to the basics• Contribute something original and useful to

the discussion• Organize your thoughts into key words and

phrases you want your audience to remember

Roasts and Toasts

Roast – humorous and good-natured ridicule directed toward the guest of honor at an event

Toast – brief remarks celebrating the accomplishments of a guest of honor at an event

Mediated Speaking

Learn as much as possible about the structure and format of the event

Dress appropriately Write a brief presentation outline Limit your physical movement Be assertive, confident, and to the point Speak clearly, with good volume Avoid jargon and acronyms Focus on the audience, no the camera

Presenting in Small Groups

Oral report Panel discussion Round table discussion Symposium Forum Videoconferencing Preparation and practice

Evaluating Small Group Presentations

Preparation as a group Coordinated presentations Effective listening Clear references to the group Goal achievement

Relevant Websites

Special Occasion Speeches: How To Tips in Preparing Group Presentations