Public speaking 2 – English Speaking Union Chile

PUBLIC SPEAKING COMPETITION

Public Speaking develops effective communication skills which is the backbone of any society. It improves confidence, helps form connections, and can influence decisions and motivate change.

Ages 16-20 yrs

Eligibility

One participant per school is eligible to enter the PSC 2022.
Participants must be students from an ESU member school.
Participants must be aged between 16 and 20 at the time of the competition.
Participants must be passport holders or permanent residents of Chile.

This year’s theme for ESU Chile and all other country’s national competition is “We expect too much from our heroes”

All participants will be required to deliver a prepared 5-minute speech on the theme on video, which is sent to esu@esu.cl for judges to view. Video must be received by 18 March for judges to begin their viewing.

Note, this year’s IPSC National Competition does not include impromptu speech.

IPSC theme for ESU Chile winner to prepare a new speech for the IPSC competition is “Our real choices are made without us realising it”

Suggested Lesson Plans and Activities

“Public speaking taught me that if you speak effectively, people will listen. That’s intoxicating”

RORY BREMNER

Comedian and winner of the Public Speaking Competition 1979

It’s widely acknowledged that, for many of us, public speaking is right at the top of the list of things we fear most. But it doesn’t need to be like this. Above, you can watch impressionist, comedian and former ESU Public Speaking Competition winner Rory Bremner share his top tips; while we add a few of our own, below.

Be prepared
Researching your subject will give your speech a real boost. Be sure though, that your research supports and helps your ideas and arguments, rather than replacing your thoughts with ‘what the internet says’.
Use notes
A few notes are hugely helpful, but nothing is more boring than someone reading a script. Just jot down key words, quotes, statistics and reminders for your planned style of delivery. Remember to write large enough to see easily.
Move about – but not too much
Less is often more when it comes to movement. Gestures can be every effective in reinforcing your points, but avoid walking about or moving too much as this can be distracting.
Make eye contact
Eye contact is crucial, as it makes your audience feel that you are talking directly to them and helps hold their attention. Try to look at every person individually at some point, particularly if there is tiered seating
Practice makes perfect
Once you’re happy with your material, practice delivering it in different ways to see which works best. Don’t overdo it though, if you rehearse too much, you may lose some spontaneity or it may sound over-polished
Be yourself
Let your own interests, expertise and personality shine through. Whatever your subject, this is your chance to express yourself, and an authentic performance is always the most compelling.
Nerves are natural
Don’t worry if you feel a bit nervous in the lead-up to or during your speech. Everybody feels nerves and you can’t eliminate them completely, instead, you can learn to use the emotion to your advantage. Take lots of deep breaths, trust your preparation and use the extra energy to deliver your words – you’ll be great!