The ABCs of Planning a Speech – Mastering Your Script!

For most young communicators, the main fear stems from the actual speech or presentation on stage. However, learners often neglect another key aspect of the communication setting – the script-crafting process. Planning a speech is not simply a moment of inspiration or built-in talent. Instead, speech planning requires a careful, precise, and dedicated process, from speech content to the delivery elements (e.g., body language).

Learning how to plan and craft a speech is the strong start one needs to set off on a confident presentation. For young speakers especially, nurturing this habit at a young age sets the foundation for effective habit-building. From this, young communicators often find it easier to manage other aspects of the communication settings, such as memorising/internalising or delivering the speech itself.

Your child need not go through this process alone! To help you be that supportive figure in helping your child plan their speech, here are three tips to help you out!

Aim for a Big Goal

The common mistake is to ‘force’ the speech out word-by-word until a full draft is complete. Like creative writing or composition, the starting point is to set a skeleton or an overarching objective. Starting with the big goal is key – identifying the broad goal is a preamble to having a focused and coherent speech structure. This also ensures that your child has a speech or presentation that is logical and sound.

The key question we often start with is: “what do you want to achieve with your audience?” While this question is unlikely to get you your entire speech draft, it will help your child brainstorm for the sub-ideas that form the rest of the speech. Continue guiding your child with direct, open-ended questions that unpack details such as the number of ideas, any experiences that can be shared, or a learning point to be delivered.

Be Specific, Detailed, Precise

Once the broad goal or direction is set, you can guide your child with a clear framework for the specific details in the script. The challenge is to be specific with details and precise in description. While every speech structure depends on the speech objective (e.g., a persuasive structure compared to an informative structure), there are general principles that your child can apply when planning their speech or presentation.

When it comes to details, the main tools that add flavour to the speech would include elaborations, experiences, or exhortations. Going from the broad goal, our young speakers need to map out terms, points, or messages that require explanation for clarity. Beyond that, experiences are strong tools of engagement – this helps keep the audience engaged and boost the individuality of the speech. Finally, any strong learning point or message requires an exhortation (e.g., “I believe that everyone should …”). The script can make this clear by stating the eventual goal of the speech.

Change, Revise, Improve

We have all heard the saying that practice makes perfect – this adage applies even before your child starts speaking on stage. A full draft of a speech is just that – a draft. It can be improved, upgraded, or revised to ensure that the content remains relevant to the audience. Beyond that, your child would also want some time to internalise the script critically (instead of just direct memorisation).

For this final part of the presentation, your child can pick out specific aspects to improve on. First, they can start with a broad structure, going by the keywords or terms. Next, they can consider elements of accuracy or engagement (e.g., is a case study accurate? Will it engage?). Finally, the planning can be rounded off by looking for gaps in description or explanation before the eventual presentation.

Create that Beautiful Script!

Planning a speech can be a barrier that prevents a young communicator or public speaker from taking the stage. However, the speech can be arrived at with a steady and methodical approach when done through a guided process. We hope that the three tips above can help you and your child with their next speech planning!

If you want to take your speaking skills to the next level…

If you are keen to take your public speaking skills & presentation skills (either business/corporate presentation / kids in-class presentation) to the next level so that you may communicate and deliver speeches with greater flair and charisma, feel free to check out our public speaking/ presentation skills course for adults and public speaking course for children below!

For more about our (weekly group classes) Public Speaking/ Presentation Skills Course for Adults :

https://publicspeakingacademy.com.sg/courses-and-programs/group-classes-for-adults/

If you are looking for a 2-day intensive public speaking/ presentation skills course for adults instead (for our adult learners who can’t do weekends), learn more about our presentation skills training course here: https://publicspeakingacademy.com.sg/presentation-skills-training-course-by-world-champion/

If you are looking for Public Speaking/ Presentation Courses for Kids / Children:

https://publicspeakingacademy.com.sg/group-classes-students-age-9-18/

If you are a human resources manager/ business owner in your company…

We want to help you bring out the best in your team, organization, and company. Public speaking and communication skills for the workplace, such as persuasion, remain a priority for most corporate training out there. We believe in staying ahead of the curve in sharing the contemporary communication skills to help you and your team remain relevant, competitive and nimble. Through our customized corporate training programmes, your team will benefit from an in-depth, hands-on, and potential-maximising public speaking & presentation skills training programme!

Feel free to reach out to us to curate your own public speaking corporate training programme for your team, company, or organization! Let us help you develop them into highly effective public speakers at work, empowered with effective presentation skills & storytelling skills – them giving speeches with charisma, influence and impact is something you can look forward to!