FIRST, THINK: Who is this person and why are they significant? Make a list of people you might like to talk about and list some adjectives to describe them. Consider how comfortable and capable you are discussing someone if they are no longer alive.
- My dad – hard working, self-made, resilient, smart, kind, loving, brave, supportive
- My sister (Brittany) – hard working, brilliant, powerful, smart, loving
- Ms. Willette (AP Bio teacher) – caring, smart, inspiring
- My best friend – loving, caring, kind, resilient, hardworking, thoughtful, wise
NEXT: BRAINSTORM: What other stories or anecdotes can you think of? Continue to add depth to your outline and speech. (Writing a draft of a toast for your “person,” even if you are not composing a toast, might help shape your speech.)
NEXT: NARROW: Pick one person and focus on what you think your audience should know about this person.
NEXT: STRUCTURE: Lay out 3 clear parts on paper: Intro, Body, Conclusion and start to budget the time your will spend delivering each part.NEXT: IN MOTION: Draft, add, subtract, practice, revise, repeat. This speech, like all the others, is meant to evolve as you keep working with it throughout the week.
Working Online – Introduction (who I’m talking about, why I chose my dad)
- tell his story about how he grew up
- tell the qualities/skills I’ve learned from him
- why he deserves to have a toast
- conclusion (reiterate points I’ve already made) closing lines
