HOW TO SAY AN EFFECTIVE EXTEMPORE SPEECH ?

Extempore Speaking

Extempore Speaking: What is it?

Extempore speaking is the term used for a non-formally prepared speech. Explaining to your parents why you arrived home later than your curfew is a form of extempore speaking. When you watch a beauty pageant on television and the contestants have to draw a question and answer it for the judges, they are extempore speaking. Every time you speak you are preparing for extempore speaking. You probably prepare without even knowing it. You have to read to learn new things for this type of speaking. When doing extempore speaking, you need to use the knowledge that you have and use a strong delivery.

There comes a time in every one's life when he or she will have to give an impromptu speech. It may be for anything - a radio interview, a teacher trying to get you to speak up in class, or even in a casual debate. It happens more often than most people would think. The words we speak are chosen at the point of delivery and they flow back and forth, with communication being two-way, three-way or four-way. It is all done without any preparation.(by~ mbarendezvous)

• Topics to expect
  Generally, the extempore topics are not very tough. The topics range from something very personal like hobbies, academic background, a particular or recent incident, a common saying or proverb or an issue of current affair. So be prepared to speak on anything and everything.
  
  Last year, some of the extempore topics were Dressed to kill, Your Dream Girl, My Impression of the Panel, The color of my shirt, Properties of Sun, to name a few.


• How to go about it?
  While you get the topic, do not rush to start even if you feel that you are well versed with the topic. Take some time to gather your thoughts according to points. And then start with the first point and carry on with the flow. Since the duration of your speech will be very less, your time will end before you can actually talk on all the points which you had arranged. So it would be best to prioritize your points and say accordingly. It should not so happen that you start your introduction to the topic and as soon as you think of coming to your main points, you are interrupted by the panel informing you that the time is over.
  
  There are also possibilities that you may not be able to come up with enough points and finish in few seconds only. In that case, the panel would ask you to speak more. So even if you don't have much idea about the topic given to you, or can't gather much point in the initial few seconds, while speaking, try to think about other related points.
  
  But make sure that you follow a particular structure of introduction, main body and conclusion otherwise it will just be a haphazard collection of words. But these should be absolutely crisp and to the point. Don't drag one point for long.
  
  If you don't have much to say on your topic or can't think of many points, then arrange your introductory points in a manner which will give you a good start. If you can recollect some relevant points during your introduction, you can also say that but keep in mind that you start it in an appropriate manner.
  
  On the day of your extempore, avoid nervousness and be confident. By the time you will have to appear for extempore, you will be already done with your GD. So your initial nervousness shall be gone by that time. But in the next stage, you would be meeting the panel all by yourself; you might face nervousness but remember that you should be able to do away with that as you have to appear confident in front of the panel so that they believe in you.


• Practice speaking for a minute
  Though there can be a varied range of topic and you really cannot presume what your topic can be, but still you have to practice. The best way to practice for extempore is to practice speaking for a minute or two every day. Since you can be given any topic, you can start your practice with a simple topic and move on to a little higher level. For example, let the topic be your favorite color. Then in front of your friends or seniors, speak for a minute. Ask them to keep an eye on the watch so that you don't exceed the time limit. Continue this practice till the day of your personal assessment round.
  
  Don't forget to take feedback from your friends or seniors who are judging you. Keep a check on your body language, diction and speaking. Don't be too conscious while speaking. Utilize the first few seconds in collecting your thoughts and get going about it.
  
  In this way, you can choose a topic everyday based on your profile, the subject you studied, your interests, person who inspire you and anything you can think of which might appear in your extempore.

          Here's some advice on how to give a good impromptu speech:

• Know your direction. You've got to know how you want to deliver your speech before you actually speak. Should you go the serious, awe-inspiring route, or the hysterical, laugh-a-minute path? The best way you can make a decision is to get a quick feel for your audience. What type of people are they? What direction would they most accept? Your speech will be praised significantly more if you speak in a language that works with those listening.


• Prepare some backup. It isn't uncommon to forget what you were going to say. What separates a good speech from a disaster is how well you can catch yourself. It's good to have a backup plan for the times when your mind suddenly blanks. That way, if you're caught without something to say, you can maneuver yourself out of that situation gracefully instead of gibbering and shaking in a nervous sweat. In serious situations, you can bail yourself out with a polite way of excusing yourself. If you're going for laughs, it's okay to be candid about your mental block.


• Plot a course. Before you speak, try to make a quick mental outline of what you want to say. Some of the worst speeches came out of people who didn't take a moment to organize their thoughts before opening their mouths. Your outline doesn't even have to be in-depth; all you really need is a guide to help keep your thoughts on track.


• Keep it short and sweet. Impromptu speeches aren't expected to be long, epic narratives. In fact, the more concise you get the better. A lot of people tend to hide their nerves and their being unprepared by using a lot of words. The problem is - they tend to miss the point when they do this. Speaking clearly and with as few words as possible shows confidence in your own opinions and that makes you a much better public speaker than those who just seem to rely on their wide vocabularies.


• Watch your words. Lastly, you've got to listen to yourself. You do not want to say something you'll eventually regret. Some things might be private matters to others in the audience, or certain words can be offensive to others. Even the tone in which you speak affects the reception of your speech. Listen to the words that are coming out of your mouth to make sure you're saying what you want your audience to hear.

 The below article is of Dr Jacob Shaji

HOW TO SAY AN EFFECTIVE EXTEMPORE SPEECH?

Ok friends, I will now share my experiences with you as an effective speech maker,yes especially when it comes to delivering extempore ones.Well for many people the very thought of delivering a speech sends a shrill down their spines but what they don't realise is that it is this very thought that lets them down..I have won prizes at many events at both school and college level and I would like to share my experiences with those of you who would like to make good speeches...


Well basically its about projecting confidence and telling what you know in a short span of time..

Body Language
Firstly your body language should convey the fact that you are not shaky about coming to stage .One should feel the confidence within oneself

FACTS
Secondly you should know a few facts about the topic you are going to talk about.For this it's a good idea if you go through the daily newspapers and have a general understanding about things.Then its all about talking effectively without stuttering and good posture.Your body language should project good confidence.At the same time you also shouldn't appear smug.

Content
Well, when it comes to content,its better if you organize your points and tell them in a systematic manner.Its good if you mention most of the points without going much deep in to any of them.
Its always better to limit your speech to the time allotted for one speech,especially if its a competition.


Ok friends,now a little detail in to the body language you are going to need to get it right.

• Well, if its a competition,you will have to walk up to the stage.Now the judges are going to notice you.
• You should appear extremely confident(not smug ) as you walk up the podium.
• Adjust the mike to your setting and make eye contact with the judges and the audience.
• Now its time to start.Start slowly but confidently,that's the point.
• Now it is better if you keep your head slightly raised because this makes you feel confident.
• Its good if you use hand gestures while stressing important points but don't overdo it.

WHAT TO SAY ?

Its always good if you start your speech with a quote or by describing a scene
Select the quote which suits your topic{obviously},but some quotes go with a number of topics.
Now ,its always good if you have a couple of good quotes in your arsenal.
About describing a scene,what I mean is to describe a dramatic scene...like a running commentary.when it comes to the body,you need to first define what you are going to mainly speak about.But if its topics like terrorism which all people understand,then you don't have to.


After this you elaborate depending on your topic and based on how much time you have.
Finally you conclude by telling about how we should all try to achieve a common goal and things like that.
Now the topics that might come for a competition greatly depends upon what level of school or college you are.Competitions conducted at interschool or intercollege festivals especially in arts and humanities colleges


The more specific a topic is,the more difficult it is likely to become.For example,take a topic like "CHANDRAYAAN-INDIA'S MOON MISSION" is more likely to benefit competitors who know about the topic.This again stresses the importance of general knowledge in tackling such competitions.Whereas a topic like "INDIA IN THE 21st CENTURY" will be an easy topic on which all competitors will have points to highlight.


Well normally for most competitions a short time of up to 5 minutes would be allotted to each candidate before his/her speech.Its wise to carry a paper and pen with you to write down points during this time.
This will help you organise what you are about to say and also gives you some confidence which has a boosting effect on your performance
You just need to jot down the main points on paper,but remember never look at this paper in front of the judges even if you forget the points.

.I wish all readers the best of luck!

Gourav H Bais
Soft Skill Trainer Gondia (Maharashtra)

Facebook Link ~https://www.facebook.com/Gourav-Bais-267485877098267/

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