everyone can learn by following the Toastmasters’ proven techniques:

Know your material. Pick a topic you’re interested in. Know more about it than you include in your speech. Use humor, personal stories, and conversational language—that way, you won’t easily forget what to say.
Practice, practice, practice! Rehearse out loud with all the equipment you plan on using. Revise as necessary. Work to control filler words; practice, pause, and breathe. Practice with a timer and allow time for the unexpected.
Know the audience. Greet some of the audience members as they arrive. It’s easier to speak to a group of friends than it is to speak to strangers.
Know the room. Arrive early, walk around the speaking area, and practice using the microphone and any visual aids.
Relax. Begin by addressing the audience. It buys you time and calms your nerves. Pause, smile, and count to three before saying anything. (One one thousand, two one thousand, three one thousand. Pause. Begin.) Transform nervous energy into enthusiasm.
Visualize yourself giving your speech. Imagine yourself speaking, your voice loud, clear, and confident. Visualize the audience clapping—it will boost your confidence.
Realize that people want you to succeed. Audiences want you to be interesting, stimulating, informative, and entertaining. They’re rooting for you.
Don’t apologize for any nervousness or problem—the audience probably never noticed it.
Concentrate on the message, not the medium. Focus your attention away from your own anxieties and concentrate on your message and your audience.

Aside from Toastmasters, the late writer-lecturer Dale Carnegie is another longtime, trusted resource in the public-speaking arena. A few of his more popular books on the art include The Art of Public Speaking and The Quick and Easy Way to Effective Speaking.

Unwind Your Mind
Even when you believe you’ve thoroughly prepared yourself for a public-speaking engagement, it never hurts to tap into your mind-body connection for extra courage. From a medical perspective, Livestrong.com suggests massage, yoga, and meditation to calm frayed nerves before heading into a stressful situation.

* Get a massage. Getting a massage (especially with lavender essential oil)can help improve your focus and reduce anxiety.

* Practice savasana (corpse pose). Lie flat on your back, extend your arms away from your body with your palms facing upward, and separate and extend your legs. Breathe. Stay in this position for at least five to ten minutes.

* Meditate. Sit in a quiet place and focus only on your breath. Practicing meditation will reduce anxiety and give you the ability to think more clearly and articulate your thoughts better.

Speak Up
Just as it can be distressing to watch someone struggle through a presentation, it can also be positively inspiring to watch someone nail one. No discussion of effective public speaking would be complete without mentioning Barack Obama. Arguably one the most impactful speakers of our day, Obama not only possesses exceptional linguistic skills but also knows how to present himself and get people’s attention—and can leave an audience of thousands wondering what hit them. (Granted, he has an entire team of speech writers working for him, but still …) So the next time you find yourself standing beleaguered and besieged in front of a merciless crowd, remember that the words you use can be effective and meaningful, but the real strength lies in their delivery.

What is the goal of professional speaking?

The goals of professional speaking are to entertain, inform, inspire, and to get the audience to take action.

The truth is, in order for your presentation or speech to have its greatest effect you need to be able to entertain and wow your audience.

I’m going to give you 8 ways that I use in my speeches to keep my audience on the edge of their seats until the end of my talk.

1) Say Something Right Off The Bat That Connects To The Audience

Let me give you an example of how I open a talk, and you know I’ve given over 5,000 talks and seminars. I almost always open with the same words.

I say, “Congratulations for being here. This means that you are in the top ten percent of adults in our society today.”

I say this in Russia, I say it in China, Finland, Canada, and I say it in Atlanta.

“You are among the top ten percent of adults in our society today.”

“Why is that?”

“It’s because you’re here.”

“You see, only the top ten percent of people in any society ever come to a seminar like this to learn how to be better in some way. The other 90 percent always have a reason for not being here.”

Then I’ll ask, “How many of you know people who could have been here but had an excuse for not coming?”

Everybody in the audience nods and visualizes and thinks of the person who’s not here, who is usually not a very successful person.

Then I tell them that the fact they are here means that they are in the top ten percent.

And by the way, how can you tell who a person really is?

How can you tell what they believe in, what their goals are, and what their hopes, dreams and values are? Can you tell by what they say? Is it what they hope or wish?

No.

It’s only what they do. The fact is that you are here. You’ve taken the actions to be here, and that means you’re in the top ten percent.

Then I’ll say, “Many of you are thinking that if he knew how much money I’m making, he wouldn’t say I was in the top ten percent.”

“Maybe not, but remember that it doesn’t matter where you’re coming from. All that really matters is where you’re going.”

“And where you are going is determined by what you are doing in the moment. And the fact that you are here means that you intend to have a great future. Remember that future intention determines present action.”

That’s how I start off.

I’ll even say that I’m going to share some ideas with them, that are practiced by the top ten percent of people in this field. I’ll tell them that these ideas can help them to move ahead faster than they ever imagined possible. Then I launch into my talk.

Listen to how Steve Jobs connects to his audience almost immediately in his 2005 Stanford Commencement address.

2) Connect With Emotion

Sometimes when I’m talking to my audiences I will say, “Tell me, what percentage of people’s thinking is emotional, and what percentage is rational or logical?”

And people will guess for a while, and then they’ll finally say, “Oh, well it’s ten percent logical and 80 or 90 percent emotional.”

I tell them no.

People’s thinking is 100 percent emotional.

What does this mean?

This means that people think emotionally, and justify logically.

The subconscious mind, and our emotions actually function at several thousand times the speed of logic.

For example, you may meet a person and instantly like them. You may find later that there are a lot of reasons for you to instantly like that person. Your emotions acted like a switchblade, instantaneously, but your logic followed after and you figured out the reasons.

3) Tell The Audience How Good They Are

Throughout the talk I will loop back and say.

“Because you’re in the top ten percent, you know this…”

“People in the top ten percent like yourself do this…”

“People who aspire to be in the top ten percent set goals or manage their time this way.”

So I’m always linking back and telling them that they are in the top ten percent and that’s how good they are. Now that’s one way to make it entertaining and enjoyable, because people will all smile and feel happy.

They’re thinking…

“Boy, this guy’s really smart. I didn’t even realize I was in the top ten percent until he told me.”

4) Link Back To Your Opening During Your Speech

Starting with a strong opening line or a really good story that you can link and hook your whole talk back into, is very, very powerful.

And I’ve done this year after year.

5) Relate To The Audience’s Self-Interests

What motivates people to be really interested in your talk, aside from the subject, which many of them may have to be there for?

Many people have told me that they were forced to come to my seminar. They didn’t want to come, because they didn’t think they would learn anything.

So they weren’t there because I was such a wonderful person. They were there because they had to be.

The question you have to ask is, what are the motivations that you need to appeal to so that they will really listen?

Truthfully, I’ve found is that one of the great motivations is self-interest.

That’s why I ask how many people would like to double their income.

They all raise their hands spontaneously.

Then I say, “Well, in the time we spend together I’m going to give you several ways that you can double your income. These are ways that have been tested and proven by people all over the world. They’ve done these things over and over, and I’ve used them myself to go from from rags to non-rags. I’ll give you those same ideas. Would that be a good use of our time together today?”

And they all say yes, yes.

I have their total interest.

If you’re speaking on golf for example, you ask if they would like to reduce their score by five strokes, every single game consistently.

“Well I’m going to show you how to do that using psychological and physical techniques.”

6) Entertain Your Audience With Stories

The key to entertaining an audience is stories. Stories are the most important part of a good presentation.

You can tell very short stories, and they can be your stories or someone else’s stories.

If it’s your personal story, that’s even better.

But if it’s someone else’s story that is just fine.

Start by saying, “I heard a story just the other day.”

And then you tell the story.

Or, “Let me tell you a story,” or “This is something I heard recently that really moved me.”

Whenever you start to tell a story, the whole audience pays 100 percent attention.

When you’re giving facts and figures and details and strategies, methods and techniques, they will pay a certain amount of attention.

But when you tell a story they will listen intently.

And if you can design your talk around three stories, you’ll be amazed at the response.

Design Your Talk Around 3 Stories

When you think about your talk, remember that “Less is more.”

This should be the basic structure of your talk:

Your opening.
Your 3 key points.
Your close

You have a strong opening, first key point, and then a story.

Transition, second key point, and a story.

Transition, third key point, and a story.

Summarize, and then a close.

The stories link it all together. And you can tell stories that are inspiring, or emotional; that make people feel very strongly. You can tell stories that are motivational; that have to do with greater success and achievement as the result of persisting.

7) Appeal To Patriotism, Loyalty Or Personal Gain

You can appeal to certain motivations to gain the attention of your audience.

For example:

“Our country is going through great difficulties today and I’m going to give you five things that we have to do to make America once again the land of the free, the home of the brave, and full of opportunity for you, and me, and for our kids.”

So you have to ask yourself what are the motivations of the people in your audience.

8) Tell The Audience EXACTLY What They Are Going To Gain

The great motivation is a desire for gain.

If you can convey to them that they’re going to gain things from your talk, like time, money, or greater success or prestige in any area, then they will be listening and they’ll want to know how they can do that.

A wonderful way you can open a talk, by the way, is you can say “There are three things you need to do if you want to double your income in the next 12 months.”

Then you pause.

The Power Of The Pause

When you pause, do you know what happens?

Before you keep reading, watch this video on the power of the pause:

People lean forward and say to themselves, “I wonder what it is. They wonder what the three things are.”

Then you say, “The three things are these. You have to be able to do this, and this, and this.”

And then the question they ask in their mind is “I wonder how to do that.”

Now it’s almost like fishing…

You just reel them in.

Using any of these tips can help you entertain an audience throughout your entire presentation, no matter how long it is.

What do you think?

Tips on Speech Writing

Writing a speech does not need to be a terribly exhausting task: With tips at hand, you will find that this task is simple. You want to write a speech in a way that makes you an effective, clear, and composed speaker in front of other people. Before beginning, gather together information about your audience, and tailor your speech to the needs of your audience. Read on for more tips that can help you capture your audience’s attention.

Key Speech Writing Tips

Use easy to understand phrases – You will realize that some phrasing styles are more effective than others – and some phrasing styles are simply easier to understand while you are talking.
Watch for clutter in your speech – You want to consider how your speech patterns, verbal fillers, and stuttering over difficult to pronounce words might affect how clearly your speech and information come across.
Be confident – If your aim is to motivate people to build teamwork and networking skills, be sure that you can do so with a confident attitude and a friendly demeanor.
Respect your audience – It is critical to learn how to make your audience feel that they are being invited to help make positive change, and not that you are talking down to them and disrespecting them.
Practice – Practice your speech as much as possible. Get the glitches out of your speech.

Be Politically Correct: Use Speech Etiquette

Being politically correct is often an important aspect of writing an effective speech – you do not want to alienate your listeners, and you want everyone to feel welcomed as a member of the audience.

Speak clearly, respectfully, and politely to take control of the crowd’s attention and not worry about offending your listeners.
Be honest about politics, opinions, and other themes that you have to discuss.

Be sure you give your listeners and their beliefs the respect which they deserve.

Proper Format for Speeches

Speeches vary in content, purpose, and type – this is exactly why it is important to consider your audience when deciding the right format for your speech.

Think about the message of your speech:

Do you want to persuade them to agree with your opinion?
Do you want them to understand the historical importance of an event?
Maybe you just want to welcome everyone, introduce an individual, or set the stage for a particular event.

Be sure to thank your audience for their attention, both before and after your speech.

If you are interested in building an argument, do so carefully. Pick important points and explain them in a respectful, friendly way.

Background information throughout your speech can make your audience feel guided through the discussion and will prevent them from getting lost as you make your argument.

Final Thoughts for a Successful Speech

A positive attitude is a critical element of keeping your audience’s attention.

Keep your speech short – nobody likes to listen to long, boring speeches.

Only discuss a few key points in detail instead of covering a lot of ideas and elements on a more vague level.
Your purpose should be to be comprehensible, to be respectful, and to be courteous to your listeners.

Once all is said and done, you will make an impact on people by sharing your ideas and opinions. Enjoy your opportunity to speak in front of others, and write a speech that will work well for your audience by following these tips.

PUBLIC SPEAKING TIPS FOR STUDENTS

A fear of public speaking is common for people of all ages. During high school, giving presentations and talking in front of groups becomes a regular activity. And it happens even more when you get to college.

If you’re a student struggling with anxiety about public speaking, here are a few things you can do to overcoming those fears and rock your next presentation:

Know Your Audience
A big part of public speaking is connecting with your audience, and you can’t really connect with your audience if you don’t know something about the people in it. Are you presenting in front of other students, teachers, etc. Spend some time thinking about the people in your audience and what they may want to hear.
Get Comfortable With Your Environment
Take a few minutes to scope out the room you’re speaking in. It will help you feel more comfortable. Even if it’s a classroom you’ve spent countless hours in, you still may not be used to being in the teacher’s spot. Stand at the front or at the podium and get a sense of the room’s acoustics, as well as the layout, from this new view.
Know Your Purpose
There’s always a reason for giving a speech, a purpose for wanting to communicate. It’s important to reflect on the purpose for your presentation so that you can tailor your message and taking points accordingly. Talk to your teacher if you need some advice.
Practice…and Practice More
Knowing your material well will make it easier to remember and stay on point. Practice is essential so that you get used to delivering the speech in a low-pressure situation before you have to give it to your audience.

And, if you can manage it, don’t read from your talk word-for-word from a paper. This gets pretty boring for listeners. It’s okay if it’s your first time speaking in public and you need some practice. But you want to get out of this habit.

Learn from the Pros
A great way to practice is to watch other people give speeches and figure out what works and what doesn’t. Adopt these examples into your own style.

A great place to start: TED Talks. You can watch these high-quality presentations online and get some great advice. Read about why TED Talks are so popular.

Encourage Yourself
Much of the anxiety of public speaking comes from a fear that you might say something wrong or disappoint the audience. Without meaning to, you could be engaging in negative self-talk that increases your anxiety.

Instead of putting yourself down, try telling yourself that you are capable and you will do a good job. It’s amazing how much anxiety can disappear when you think positively.

Show Confidence — Even If You Don’t Feel It
When you’re actually giving the speech, you may feel anxious. But the best thing you can do is project confidence, whether you feel it or not. Even if you make a mistake or lose your train of thought, recover and keep on going. The truth is, what you may see as a major mistake in your delivery may only come across as a momentary pause or may go completely unnoticed. Don’t stress.
Share Your Personality
When you’re worried, it’s natural to be a little bit awkward and wooden, but with practice, you should be able to loosen up and be more natural. Let some personality show through when you’re talking. Smile. Make eye contact. People are naturally drawn to someone who is genuine and can be himself/herself, even if it means being a little less technically perfect.
Let Mistakes Go
Despite following all these great tips, you may still forget an important point or make a blunder. Instead of beating yourself up about it, let it go and just tell yourself that each presentation is a new opportunity, a blank canvas.

For many people, standing up in public and doing a speech is one of their greatest fears. For many language students in particular, this is the ultimate challenge.

In this article we will look at some ways we can help intermediate level students to overcome the difficulties involved and explore some techniques for making their speeches as impressive as possible.

What is public speaking?
Why is public speaking useful for students?
What techniques can we teach our students?
Common problems and solutions
Giving and encouraging feedback
Conclusion

What is public speaking?
Public speaking involves talking in front of a group of people, usually with some preparation. It can be in front of people that you know (e.g. at a family celebration) or a crowd of strangers. Unlike a presentation there normally isn’t a lot of opportunity for interaction between the audience and the speaker – the speaker speaks, and the audience (hopefully) listens.

Speeches have different functions. These include being persuasive (e.g. trying to convince the audience to vote for you), informative (e.g. speaking about the dangers of climate change), entertaining (e.g. a best man’s speech at a wedding) or celebratory (e.g. to introduce the winner of an award). Some speeches may have more than one of these aims.

Why is public speaking useful for students?
Most people, at some point in their life, will need to stand up and speak in front of a group of people. Teaching students the necessary skills for doing this will therefore help them to do this more successfully. As a result of the practice, students often report an increase in general confidence as well as a marked sense of achievement. Many students get incredibly nervous the first time they have to do a speech in front of their classmates but with practice the nerves subside and they usually begin to enjoy the whole process.

Working on public speaking also helps to develop students’ overall fluency and requires them to consider how they speak as well as what they say. This is useful for speaking in any situation, public or otherwise.

What techniques can we teach our students?
a) Ideas / content generation

Lots of students find getting started quite difficult. It’s a good idea to give students either a type of public speech that you would like them to do, or a particular topic. It’s often useful to get students working in groups at the planning stage, helping each other to come up with ideas.

Showing students a variety of ways of making notes of ideas works well as not everyone likes the same methods. These could include mind-mapping, making lists or writing ideas on post-it notes and then arranging them on a piece of paper into groups.

b) Structure
Stress the importance of having a beginning, middle and end and keep reminding them of this. You might then like to give them a standard introduction to use for their first speech. For example, “Good evening. My name is x and today I am going to talk about y. I will talk about three main areas, x, y and z’. This then gives them a focus for the structure of the rest of the speech. It can seem a little dry, however, so once they get the idea it’s worth experimenting with different styles of beginning – e.g. using jokes and anecdotes.

Many students are so relieved to have got to their end of their speech that they rush the conclusion or sometimes completely forget to do one. Again, a suggested format may help them to summarise what they have said.

c) Body language
There are various statistics for how much of our communication is done through our body language – they seem to hover around 70%, which is a massive chunk, so some work in this area is a very good idea.

Posture:Doing an activity where you get everyone to stand up and then suddenly ‘freeze’ works well. You then ask everyone to stay still but look around at how everyone is standing. Then try getting everyone to stand straight and well-centred, behind the podium if you have one to use. You’ll be surprised how many people rock from side to side or slouch. Sounds pretty basic but it can make a big difference to how confident and in control someone appears to be.
Gestures:One way to practise these is to give out some sentences with key words in them, such as “I caught a fish and it was this big!” or “there are three important reasons why you should vote for me”. Ask the students to practise saying these sentences while standing up and work out what gestures might be the most appropriate. Stress the importance of keeping gestures controlled.
Eye contact:It’s very important that speakers make eye contact with all areas of the room, ideally with every person but with large audiences that isn’t possible. Many students tend to look at one spot or at the teacher. One way to practise this is to ask each student to do a short 30 second introduction and then at the end get any student who feels the speaker did not look in his/her direction to raise their hand.

d) Chunking (pauses and stress)
This is a technique which can help speakers to sound much more confident and increase the overall effectiveness of their speech. The theory is that when we do this type of speaking we stress the key words in a sentence which carry the meaning, e.g. “I DON’T want you to just SIT there and DO NOTHING” We also pause after many of these key words, and at the end of a sentence.

To practise this, try playing your students an example of a speech – Earl Spencer’s eulogy speech

for Diana is a good one for this, or Martin Luther King’s ‘I have a dream’. Ask them to listen and identify the stressed words and pauses from a small section of the speech and then practise delivering it in the same manner. They can then mark the stress and pauses on their own speeches and practise incorporating the idea into their own work. It really makes a difference!

Common problems and solutions
Lack of confidence
This is very common and one that only practice, practice and more practice will help to overcome. You could also try getting the students to first speak in front of three or four others, then adding to the number as they become more confident.

Reminding students to breath properly while they’re speaking as well as thinking positively about their ability to speak well will also help, along with lots of encouragement!

Speaking too fast
This is another common one, usually caused by nerves. Try getting them to do the introduction of the speech in an exaggeratedly slow manner. Once they have done this a few times they may find it easier to find a middle ground.

Appropriacy of body language
If this is a problem, try videoing the speaker and asking them to watch themselves. They will usually be able to identify where the problems lie and then work on improving these areas. Raising awareness is the most important thing here.

Boring speeches!

It’s really important to get the students to think carefully about their audience when planning their speech. For example, if they want to do a speech about the dangers of smoking, but no one in the class smokes, this probably won’t be very interesting.

Encourage the students to think of creative ideas for their speeches – do the planning stage in class so that you and the other students can monitor and give advice on topics that look like they might get a few yawns.

Appropriacy of style
Here again it is important that the students think about their audience. You might like to play them several different examples of famous speeches and ask them to comment on the style and discuss the purpose of the speech and the audience, before reflecting on their own.

Plagiarism of material
Unfortunately this is a very common problem. One way to tackle this is to ask the students not to write out their speeches in full but to use only notes or key words to help them deliver their speech. This then increases the chances of them being more original with the delivery. Another option is to collect in the speeches and run whole sentences through an internet search engine to see if it comes up with anything. And of course, impress upon your students the importance of doing their own work!

Giving and encouraging feedback
This is a very important part of the process and can take three general forms:

1. Peer

From the teacher
3. Video-taping and playback

For feedback from peers and from the teacher it’s best to choose particular areas to give feedback on for each speech, rather than trying to cover everything. This might be based on the techniques you have recently been looking at in class (e.g. using gestures, chunking, structure, etc.) or as a result of feedback on a previous speech.
It’s a good idea to go through what you expect of the students when giving peer feedback as sometimes students can be very vague. Make up a sheet with a (short) list of the areas to look at to help them focus their comments and encourage them to say positive as well as constructive things.
Video-taping is an invaluable method of helping students to see where their strengths and weaknesses lie. The only drawback, apart from the technical side of using the camera, is the time it takes to do and playback. This can be partially overcome by videoing sections of speeches, rather than the whole thing for each student.

Conclusion
In this article we have looked at a variety of techniques that can be used to help students develop the necessary skills for delivering public speeches. Practice in these areas can help to increase your students’ overall confidence and fluency and provide an interesting and useful diversion from regular language work.

Amy Lightfoot, British Council, India

Informative Speech Samples:

Global Warming Speech

Persuasive Speech Samples on:

A Persuasive Speech & Outline

Banning Secondhand Smoke

Mandatory School Uniform Policy

Bullying

Activism

Using Cell Phones Whilst Driving

School Speech Samples:

High School Graduation Speech (1)

High School Graduation Speech (2)

University/College Graduation Sample Speech

Sample Speech by a Graduate from Teacher Training College

Valedictorian Sample Speech

Sample Graduation Speech

Start practicing with this list:

My three favorite animals.
What you would find in my closet. Make something up.
What you’d find under my bed. A spider named Fred and his cousin who can’t find a job.
The best letter of the alphabet.
Why your mom/dad is special.

A day that stands out.
The best surprise ever.
I lost it!
If I had a million dollars to give away.
If cats/dogs ruled the world.
A trip to remember.
My favorite day of the year.
If I could only eat three foods forever.
If I could design a school.
Why books are important.
Three surprising facts about me.
How to impress your parents.
How to plan a party.
A job I’d love to have.
A day in my life.
If I could have dinner with anyone.
If I could travel through time.
My favorite book.
An important lesson I’ve learned.
What I’ve learned from cartoons.
The smartest cartoon character.
Three things I’d change if I ruled the world.
Why sports are important. I’m no good, so I’ll tell you how bad I am.
The worst chores at home.
Why I deserve an allowance.
If I were in charge of school lunches.
If I had invented school.
The best theme park rides.
Whom do you admire most?
What is your favorite animal?
How to achieve your dreams.
Why you need a baby brother.
How to annoy an older sister.
How to save money.
Three things that scare me.
Great things about snow days.
Things you can make out of snow.
How to spend a rainy day.
How to walk a dog.
Great things about the ocean.
Things I’ll never eat.
How to be a slacker.
Why I like my town.
The best parts of a parade.

Interesting things you see in the sky.
Things to remember when you’re camping.
An experience with a bully.

List of 100 Persuasive Speech Topics

Mandatory reporting in healthcare. Adverse events to be accurately reported.
Food additives and unhealthiness.
Overreaction to cholesterol.
The dangers of asbestos removal.
The glut of paper products.
Meat consumption and health.
The hazards of Ill-fitting shoes.
Legalization of m*******a.
Underground gasoline tanks leaks.
Pension plans going broke.
The dangers of disposable diapers.
TV violence.
Plastic surgery for cosmetic reasons (cosmetic surgery). Is it rising to a level that exceeds good sense?
Is the Fast-Food Industry Accountable Legally for Obesity? (The McLawsuit)
Intelligence depends more on the environment than genetic factors.
Should there be stronger limits on immigration?
Importance of safety harnesses.
Juvenile sentence is right.
Mandatory drug tests for students.
Traditional books or eBooks?
Organ donation after death should be encouraged.
Freedom of press gone too far.
Private space travel should not be encouraged.
Teenage pregnancy affects the future of both the child and the mother.
Special privileges for working women.
Health insurance, a must for all citizens.
Dangers of s*****d use.
Financial education is important in today’s world.
The use of surveillance cameras in public places, such as parking lots. Good idea or violation of privacy?
The right to search students’ personal property, like lockers and backpacks as part of the war on drugs.
Grocery store shelves filled with foods made with genetically modified ingredients without GMO labels. GMO labels are essential to help you make a decision.
Designer children.
Tell people to vote! Individual votes matter.
Does Internet mean the death of newspapers?
Reasons for increase in kidnapping by parents.
How effective is Alcoholics Anonymous?
Should death penalty be abolished?
The importance of home schooling for mentally and physically enabled children.
Does home-schooling result in children missing the social interaction and growth necessary at that age?
Should surrogate motherhood be allowed?
Make recycling mandatory to help the environment.
Is nuclear power the answer to the energy crisis?
Social networks and our young generation.
Subliminal messages in movies and TV ads.
Juvenile delinquents should be sentenced to bootcamp.
Why breakfast is the most important meal of the day?
The importance of newspapers in our daily life.
Parents should not spank their children.
Single parents should not be allowed to adopt children.
Men and women speak a different language of love.
The dangers of using a cell phone while driving.
The importance of blood donation.
How CMC (Computer Mediated Communication) affects the workplace.
Why we will rely on robots.
Weaving digital information into physical space. The ability to reach out into the computer and manipulate digital objects.
Reducing poverty by fixing the living environment and housing.
The possibility of cars sharing data with other cars to avoid accidents. Does that encroach on privacy?
Texting undermines vocabulary and the mental effort that intelligent writing necessitates.
Nonprofits rewarded for how little they spend – not for what they get done. We should start rewarding charities for their big goals and accomplishments even if it means bigger expenses.
Will the Internet crash at some point and do we need a plan B?
Female genital mutiliation should be stopped.
A school in the cloud for children to learn from one another.
Mono-tasking more important than multi-tasking?
Stem cells to aid in the development of personalized treatments by creating models of human biology/physiology in the lab.
Mind wandering into the past and future makes us unhappy. Bringing the mind back to the present moment produces positive feelings.
Crowd sourcing the world’s goals. (United Nations goals of reducing poverty and disease)
Should women represent women in media because they can tell women’s stories better?
There are 20,000 street gangs in the US. What should be done to stop/control them?
Should elders over the age of 65 be allowed to drive?
Are the current food preservation technologies safe?
New research touts the benefits of video games, but are they safe?
How air purifiers can be harmful and aggravate health conditions.
The importance of patents on ideas.
The theory of intelligent design as opposed to evolution and creationism.
How a cult is different from a religion and why it is dangerous.
Driving over the speed limit.
Living together before marriage.
Tougher enforcement of laws to protect victims of domestic abuse.
The federal government should impose a complete ban on all cigarettes and tobacco products.
Tackle the problem of heart attacks by getting trained in CPR.
Alternatives of fossil fuel, to avoid the energy crisis.
Nuclear power is better than solar power.
Don’t abolish casino gambling as nobody is hurt by it and it helps with tourism.
Online teaching should be given equal importance as the regular form of teaching.
Does luck play an important part in success?
Does the paparazzi help or hinder the purpose of free press.
Should people have a green burial?
Automobile drivers should be required to take a test every three years.
Americans should be given a three-day weekend.
Drug addicts should be sent for treatment in hospitals instead of prisons.
Waiting period should be made compulsory for buying firearms.
IQ tests are valid measurements of human intelligence.
There should be a cap on sports salaries.
Juveniles should be sentenced as adults.
Protect endangered species by outlawing hunting.
Teachers can befriend students on Facebook.
School cafeterias contribute to obesity in children and they should only offer healthy food options
Outsourcing is good for us.
Bloggers should be treated as journalists and punished for indiscretions.
Intelligent design or creationism. About 55% of people in the US believe that God created man and not evolution. Should this be taught in schools?

A Christian Speech from a Homeschool Graduate

Student Council Speech (1)

Student Council Speech (2)

Persuasive Speech about Bullying

Demonstration Speech Samples and Outlines

Outline of Scrapbooking Demonstration Speech

Demonstrative Speech Outline of Dog Grooming

Video of a Good Demonstration Speech

Controversial Speech Samples on:

Attorney-Client Privilege

Children and Cell Phone

Animals

The role of cats throughout history.
Caring for hermit crabs.
What are the best pets?
The lives of ants.
The different types of tropical fish.
The different exotic breeds of cats.
How to raise rabbits.
The beauty of wolves.
How to adopt a dog.
Raising pet snakes.
The life of deep sea fish.
How to train your dog.
Why are monkeys so good at climbing trees?
The breeding of elephants and hippopotamuses.
Do penguins have long legs?

Automotive

Is it better to buy or lease a car?
How to choose the right tires for your car.
How to make your car run better.
What to look for in a new car.
How to change your car’s oil.
Dirt bike riding safety tips.
How to drive a stick shift.
The history of motorcycles.
How to change a flat tire.
The best muscle cars.

Business

Taking your brand to the next level with three easy steps: promoting, advertising and marketing.
How business owners’ personal characteristics impact their business.
What is the impact of training and development on employee job performance?
Leadership styles and their effects on employee productivity.
Engaged employees result in high retention.
Developing personal power in an organization.
Impacts of incentives on employee performance.
Psychological tactics in marketing.
How to create a successful brand.
The importance of accounting research.
The benefits of enterprise resource planning.
The benefits of multilevel marketing.
The best sales tactics.

Communication

How deaf people talk with emotion.
The differences between male and female communication.
How to be a persuasive speaker.
How to improve your conversation skills.
Some simple conversation tips.
What is neural linguistic programming (NLP)?
Why smiles are contagious.
How to manage communicative disorders.

Current Events

America’s fastest growing cities.
The Occupy Wall Street movement.
Poverty in New York City.
What is the national happiness rate?

Economy

The history of taxes on carbon dioxide emissions.
What would be the impact on economic growth if everyone produced their own food?
The impact of progressive taxation on the provision of social services.
Economic growth of the People’s Republic of China.
The effects of price and demand of agricultural products.
The importance of education for the economy.

Education

How EFL teachers can use the internet as a classroom aid.
Should teachers and students be friends on social networks?
Why is our education system only based on theory and not practical knowledge?
Should students be permitted to eat during classes?
The importance of formal education for building a successful career.
The pros and cons of teaching students three languages in school.
What materials work best in a sandbag for blocking floodwaters?
Hypnosis: its misconceptions and common uses.
Learning disabilities and their effects on learning in college.
Are test scores a good indication of a school’s competency?
It would help ESL students to take state tests in their native language.
Human resources management in colleges.
What to know about transferring colleges.
The responsibility of parents and students regarding education.
The history of special education over the past 30 years.
The mental effort that intelligent writing necessitates.
How visual, auditory, and kinesthetic learners are different.
Cooperative learning in education in the Philippines.
The benefits of personality development camps for students.
The importance of arts and languages in education.
The uses of dioramas for geography instruction.
Moving out of the dorm to an apartment off campus.
Education is the best weapon against poverty.
Improving the active learning curve in education.
Why classes in school should be 45 minutes long.
How school does not prepare you for the real world.
The benefits of online learning.
The effects of studying while listening to music.
Computers benefit students in school.
How to bring back the passion for education.
The benefits of making college free.
The benefits of field trips for students.
The most important factors that affect student performance.
Why travel is beneficial to education.
How to earn income as a student.
How to unleash your inner geek.
The importance of high school service learning programs.
The importance of higher education.
The importance of maintaining order on campus.
How to find student discounts.
Teachers should be paid more money.
Education is the master key to all.
The importance of higher education.
The negative effects of the privatization of higher education.
How to write an informative essay.
The benefits of having free textbooks.
How to get a student job on campus.
The importance of not taking education for granted.
The best way to spend your senior year.
The basics of getting a fellowship.
The importance of mathematics.
The rising cost of education.
How to survive freshman year.
Technology in the classroom.
The effects of discrimination in education.
The qualities of a good student.
The different learning styles students have.
The education system in Pakistan.
How to ace the GRE.
How to spot a diploma mill.
Overcoming your fear of public speaking.
The importance of financial education.

Know a great topic?

LET US KNOW!

Environment

Should politicians bring more pollution to our country?
What would happen if finite resources were not used wisely?
Four main reasons for generating genetically modified crops.
The effect of organic and inorganic fertilizer on maize.
Are we going to lose the rainforest?
The best ways to protect the environment.
Commercial crops and their effect on the water table.
The environmental impact of a meat based diet.
Recycling helps mitigate the greenhouse effect.
Why we should stop global warming.
We need a healthy environment.
The effects of global warming.
Why conserving energy is important.
The negative aspects of a polluted environment.
The great Pacific garbage patch.
The ways that water pollution is harmful.
The effects of industrial and household waste.
What is global warming?
The benefits of organic farming.
Why drought is a serious problem.
The pollution of today’s world.
The importance of reducing, reusing, and recycling.
The effects of environmental degradation.
Why should we save birds.
Why we should save the Ganges.
How to recycle different materials.

Ethics

Is it sometimes better to tell a lie than to tell the truth?
Is tolerance the same as love?
Is hunting morally acceptable?

Family

Adopted children should always have the option to see their biological parents.
The impact of single parenting and its effects on children.
The appropriate penalties for parental negligence.
What it is like being the youngest of a family of 19 kids.
The importance of the parent-child relationship.
My father is my hero.
How to pick a name for your children.
Cases of domestic violence against men.
The importance of family.
The history of foster care.
The impact of divorce on children.
Picking a name for your children.
When do babies start talking?

Financial

How banks are getting paid twice for your mortgage.
How to save money in college.
How to build credit.
How to save money on your income taxes.
How to apply for a credit card.
The basics of financial aid.
The importance of saving money.
How to recognize stock market trends.
The process of buying a house.
The basics of internet banking safety.
The best investment strategies.
How to live on $5 a day/ Eating well on $5 a day.

Food and Drink

The difference between Gatorade and Powerade.
How to cook a delicious dinner.
How to grow your own food.
The different types of coffee.
How to cook vegetarian.
How to make a cocktail.
The best types of cheese.
The best exotic fruits.
How to make Chinese food.

Government

The role of accounting in the control of public expenditures in Nigeria.
What factors affect community participation in public meetings?
How difficult is it to run a country of 1.2 billion people?
Speeding cameras are meant to provide the government money.
Should the President be paid while being in office?
The Federal government’s separation of powers.
Journalism is our weapon against corruption.
How a bill passes in state government.
The best city planning practices.

Health

Steroids, antibiotics, sprays: are these things hurting us?
The effects of dissociative identity disorder or multiple personality disorder.
Bigger isn’t always better: the effect fast food has on America.
The importance of proper stretching before a workout.
How to keep your skin looking young and wrinkle free.
The different types of insomnia.
The causes and effects of Alzheimer’s disease.
The psychosocial aspects of organ transplantation.
Controversial ideas about whooping cough vaccines.
The reasons why stress and depression should be taken seriously.
Why taking a vacation is good for your health.
The effects of eating disorders.
What is Down syndrome?
Animal to human transplants could save lives.
The body’s coping mechanisms when in a state of shock.
Managing and controlling type 2 diabetes.
How our culture affects organ donation.
Simple AIDS prevention tips.
How celiac disease affects our world.
The benefits of walking without shoes.
How smoking is harmful to your health.
The benefits of being an organ donor.
The dangers of texting while driving.
The importance of vitamins and minerals.
The nutritional value of pickles.
The importance of wearing your seatbelt.
The effects of caffeine on the body.
The history of Psychology.
Exercise combats health problems.
High risk pregnancy complications.
What is narcissistic personality disorder?
The effects of fast food on the body.
How Monsanto affects our food.
How the American diet has changed.
The health benefits of dark chocolate.
Plastic surgery is bad for your skin.
The importance of anxiety and depression awareness.
The benefits of regular exercise.
How the circulatory system works.
How to have a healthy pregnancy.
How to get a really good sleep.
Why the brain is so important.
The effects of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
The benefits of stem cell research.
The benefits of mindfulness.
How to cure and prevent hangovers.
Strategies for healthy eating.
The benefits of being vegetarian.
What is spinocerebellar degeneration?
How to reduce asthma attacks.
The health benefits of ginger.
The Alice in Wonderland syndrome.
Why we should wash our hands.
The health benefits of friendship.
The importance of eye donation.
Why Americans are so obese.
The importance of childhood cancer awareness.
The role of the Center for Disease Control.
The health problems of children born drug addicted.
Eat healthy to live healthy.
How does a headache happen?
The effect of radiation.
What are the effects of self-harm?
The benefits of magnesium.
Anxiety and its effects.
The importance of sleep.
How to avoid pesticides in vegetables.
How to prevent elder abuse.
How to avoid toxic chemicals in food.
Autism and its effects.
The different types of birth control.
The reason humans itch.
The benefits of tea.
The best natural medicines.
How drinking too much can affect your health.
How to stop the obesity epidemic.
How to manage mental illness.
How to prevent teen pregnancy.
How to stop memory loss.
The best health care plans.
Xenophobia as a global situation.

History

The beauty of ancient Egyptian art.
The most beautiful paintings in history.
The history of fashion.
The history of high heels.
The history of cosmetic makeup.
The history of Tibetan burial practices.
What Olympic events did ancient Greece have?
The history of swear words and their impact on society.
Words and their meanings that have changed with time.
Dinosaurs and how they left the face of the earth.
The role of Jawaharlal Nehru in India’s independence.
John F. Kennedy’s scandals and assassination.
The importance of the Great Wall of China.
The patterns of U.S. immigration.
The fire at Yellowstone National Park in 1988.
The history of immigrants in the American workforce.
The real origin of the fortune cookie.
The history of Native American tribes.
The history of the use of human cadavers.
The history of American comic books.
The history of witchcraft and wicca.
The history of antibiotics.
The history of English rule in South Africa.
How World War Two started and ended.
The evolution of the English language.
Gold rushes outside of California.
The life and works of Mahatma Gandhi.
The life and works of Mother Teresa.
The effects of U.S. colonialism.
The history of Valentine’s day.
The seven wonders of the world.
Leaders that changed the world.
The history of fringe political parties.
The history of early 20th century filmmaking.
The history of the Dominican Republic.
People who have changed the world.
The lighthouse of Alexandria.
The history of feminism.
The great escape of Alcatraz.
The history of chalk.
The Assyrian genocide.
The history of tobacco use.
The black arts of 13th century.
The history of the Selma civil rights march.
The best accidental inventions.
The origins of nursery rhymes.
How the Civil War started.
The history of Halloween.
The industrial revolution.
What was the poor law act?
The origins of superstitions.
The evolution of voting laws.
The history of the British royal family.
The origin of alphabets.
The history of medicine.
The history of nomadic people in Libya.
How the Cold War began.
The history of women in the military.
Censorship throughout history.
The history of the Great Depression.
The life of Helen Keller.
The heroes of World War II.
The most famous Civil War generals.
The origin of holidays.
How the Columbine massacre happened.
The history of the Supreme Court.
The history of model trains.
The most famous diplomats in history.
The funniest inventions in history.
The most famous robberies in history.
The most famous speeches in history.
The history of honor killings.
The history of organized crime.
Life during the middle ages.
The causes of the Afghanistan war.
The history of the national park system.
The history of Indian culture.
The history of labor unions.
The history of street gangs.
The most famous riots in history.
The history of batteries.
The craziest laws and their history.

International Relations

Economic development and the role of the private sector in reducing poverty in Lesotho.
Tourism and remittances are the solution for Tonga’s economic growth.
The military of the Philippines.
Is South Africa ready for a female president?
Can democracy bring stability to Pakistan?
South Africa is an amazing country.
The impact of U.S drone strikes.
The discovery of oil in Equatorial Guinea.
How to help refugees.
Why everyone should live in China.
The status of trade relations in East Africa.
The effects of the Dowry system in India.
Sri Lanka after thirty years of war.
Why Africa is underdeveloped.
The political system of India.
The purpose of the United Nations.

Language

English is a link language for many parts of the world.
The origins of cliches.

Literature

Inside the mind of Edgar Allen Poe.
How to write a book.
The three trials of Oscar Wilde.
The meaning of The House on Mango Street.
The history of vampires in literature.
The different types of poetry.

Media

What steps are involved in creating a movie or television show?
How Spotify hurts new artists.
The benefits of watching less TV.
How the media has hurt our body image.
Books that were turned into terrible movies.
The benefits of reading a newspaper.
The basics of photography.
The history of the Titanic movie.
Some famous advertising campaigns.
The effects of misleading advertisements.
Some important women in the media.
The best foreign TV shows.
The benefits of satellite radio.
The best TV sitcoms.

Music

The different types of marching bands.
The history of french horns.
The history of house music.
The evolution of rock and roll.
The beauty of reggae music.
Music as a “lifestyle”.
The best electronic dance music.
How to play the kazoo.
The beauty of Haitian music.

National Security

How illegal things are smuggled into the country.
The United States military branches.
The importance of the Air Force.
The branches of the military.

Politics

Should the U.S. restrict immigration?
The benefits of communism.
The most important women in politics.

Psychology

The benefits of greeting people.
Positive thinking is the key to peaceful living.
The meaning of dreams.
How to explain child geniuses.

Relationships

How marriages today differ from marriages from the 60’s.
The secrets of happy and successful relationships.
How to choose the right relationship.
How to get along with your roommate.
The guidelines for military marriages.
How to make long distance relationships work.
The average age to get married.

Religion

A comparison of Genesis and Revelation in the Bible.
Modern values are violating religious values.
How Christ is present in our world.
What percentage of the world’s population are Christians?
Why worshipping Satan isn’t a bad thing.
Why the bunny symbolizes Easter.
God helps those who help themselves.
A comparison of different religions.
The history of the Christian church.
The main principles of Christianity.
The history of the Bible.
Interesting details about Noah’s ark.
The history of Rastafarians in Jamaica.
The origin of Christmas.
The principles of Mormonism.

Science

The difference between an alligator and a crocodile.
Why whales should not be hunted for food.
Transhumanism and the evolution of the human race.
How we can create geniuses.
Falabella horses are the smallest in the world.
Why is the colonization of Mars important?
Albert Einstein’s contributions to science.
The isolation of nicotinic acid from tobacco.
The journey to becoming a nuclear physicist.
Some interesting facts about the human brain.
The reason we don’t grow hair on our toenails.
The effects of music on the brain.
How does our brain work?
Mars was the same as Earth in the past.
How much of our brain do we actually use?
How Charles Darwin changed the world.
The latest discoveries in astronomy.
Where did dogs come from?
The history of greyhound dogs.
The craziest scientists in history.
How to survive a shark attack.
How bottled water is purified.
The incredible power of the mind.
A cheetah’s hunting skills.
The best butterfly collecting methods.
The intelligence of dolphins.
The need to preserve forests.
The important 18th century Swiss chemists.
The history of genetically mutated animals.
The latest astronomical technology.
How light emitting diode lamps work.
The endangerment of tigers.
Why oxygen is so important.
Are humans still evolving?
The benefits of wind resistant technology.
Why bats hang upside down.
How the Earth was formed.
How galaxies are formed.
The best types of houseplants.
How chocolate is made.
How the the Great Lakes formed.
How DNA evidence is used.
Your body language reveals your deepest secrets.
How earthquakes can be predicted.
Why polar bears are going extinct.

Know a great topic?

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Self-Help

The difference between boundaries and limits.
The benefits of affirmation.
Three goals to strive for in life.
How to present yourself with confidence.
Why it’s important to be yourself.
How to manage your anger.
How to make a good first impression.
How to prepare for a job interview.
Your actions determine your future.
How to improve your conversation skills.
How to set goals and achieve them.
How to enhance your public speaking skills.
How to increase your motivation.
What makes a life meaningful?
How to take your next big step in life.
How to construct an argument.
How to boost your self-esteem.
How to be happy being single.
How to avoid procrastination.
How to improve your manners.
How to be a good leader.
The importance of a good attitude.
How to be more romantic.
How to break bad habits.
How to overcome conflict.

Society

Why it is bad to judge people by their appearance.
The lives of isolated indigenous people.
How to tell someone they are annoying you without being rude.
How human behavior affects society.
Left handed people: the underrepresented minority group.
Is the military a fulfilling career choice for women?
The effects of discrimination.
The importance of newspapers in our daily life.
Do actors and athletes make too much money?
Why I’m optimistic about our nation’s future.
Why are dogs known as man’s best friend?
Is happiness a good measure of social progress?
The day to day duties of a police officer.
The benefits of teamwork.
Some inexpensive places to take your date.
The benefits of male paternity leave.
The importance of providing shelter to homeless veterans.
Aggression is a real presence in society.
What rights consumers have.
What is the correct tipping etiquette?
The different types of personalities.
How fashion ruins the kids of today.
Wealth is not measured with money.
The negative aspects of living in an era of apathy.
Silence against violence is harmful.
Feminism and it’s misconceptions.
The reasons shops should be closed on Sunday.
Is being good looking important?
How to make the U.S. a better country.
How LGBT youth are protected.
The state of the rich and the poor.
The history of hello kitty.
The most interesting world records.
The invention of pop rocks.
What life will be like in the future.
How to cope with natural disasters.

Sport

Should female students be allowed to play on male sports teams?
How to do a walking handstand or a cartwheel into the splits.
Is netball or hockey more dangerous?
The benefits of sports for all ages.
Why the spelling bee shouldn’t be on ESPN.
The worst professional sports teams.
The importance of sports and games.
What you should have in your golf bag.
The history of professional fighting.
The worst trades in sports history.
How to build a pinewood derby car.
The best sports players of all time.
The best professional baseball stadiums.
The sport of “cheese rolling”.
Some common ice hockey injuries.
The history of the Chicago Bulls.
The excitement of competitive horseback riding.
The origins of soccer.
How baseball bats are made.
How to make fishing lures.
Why sports are so popular.
The history of field hockey.
What winners do to win.
How Larry Bird became a NBA legend.
The sport of curling.
The world’s most famous golf courses.
How to make a turkey call.
How Canadian football is played.

Supernatural

The mystery of the Bermuda triangle.
The evidence that bigfoot exists.
The existence of telepathy.

Technology

How roads are built.
Is wind energy cheap, effective, and practical?
Why college students should be careful about what they put on social media.
The uses for artificial intelligence computer networks.
The danger of putting too much personal information on social networks.
Modes of communication are constantly changing.
How has social media impacted our daily lives?
The line between the human brain and a computer.
Why technology is a bad thing for growing minds.
How technology has destroyed human interaction.
How is text messaging affecting teen literacy?
The advantages and disadvantages of social media.
The effects of violent video games on children.
The decline of interpersonal communication due to technology.
The difference between hardware and software.
The history of programming languages.
What would we do without electricity?
The benefits of 3D printing.
The major technological changes since 1990.
The negative effects of cellphones.
How to avoid computer viruses.
The evolution of the internet.
Computers through the decades.
How airport biometrics systems work.
Robots now and in the future.
How satellites help communication.
How a water plant operates.
How watches work.
The evolution of video games.
How cellular phones work.
The evolution of the iPhone.
How to build a computer.
How nuclear power works.
How search engines work.
How air pressure works.
The best new technologies.
The future of electric cars.
How to practice cyber safety.
A guide to different social media sites.

Travel

How students can find great vacation bargains.
The best cruise vacations.

Workplace

The benefits of break time for nursing mothers in the workplace.
The prevalence of dangerous chemicals in the workplace.
How to survive working in a restaurant.
Why underwater welding is dangerous.
How it is to work in the fast food industry.
How to get a great internship.
How to become a comedian.
The most dangerous jobs.
What are the fastest growing careers?

CONTROVERSIAL TOPICS TO WRITE ABOUT

Abortion – Under what circumstances should it be legal? You may want to consider age and health issues.

Affordable Care Act – Is an individual’s access to healthcare a legitimate concern of the federal government?

Adoption – Should citizens from wealthy countries be able to adopt children from Third World countries? Should gay couples adopt?

Age Discrimination – Should the government create policies to ensure that employers don’t discriminate based on age?

Airport Security Measures – How much privacy are we willing to sacrifice in the name of flight safety?

Animal Rights – When we promote animal rights, do we restrict human rights? What is the proper balance?

Arms Control – Who’s responsible for controlling arms trades around the world?

Arms Trading – What are the ethical implications?

Birth Control – What concerns do you have about age? Access? Affordability?

Border Control – What measures are ethical?

Bullying – Are we all guilty in some way? How can we reduce bullying?

Crimes on College Campuses – How can students stay safe?

Censorship – When is it necessary for public safety?

Chemical Weapons – When are they ethical? Are they ever?

Child Labor – Where in the world is this a problem today? Is it your problem?

Child Abuse – When is it OK to step in?

Child Pornography – Is individual privacy more important than child safety?

Cloning – Is cloning ethical?

Common Core – What is the truth? Is it dumbing down our students?

Conservation – Should the government promote conservation?

Cutting and Self-Harm – When should you say something if you suspect cutting is happening?

Cyber Bullying – When are we guilty?

Date Rape – Are we doing all that we can? Do we blame victims?

Death Penalty – Is it ever okay to kill someone? When is it okay in your opinion?

Disaster Relief – Which measures really work?

Domestic Violence – When should we speak up?

Drinking and Driving – Do you know someone who pushes the boundaries?

Drug Trade – Is the government doing enough? What should change?

Eating Disorders – What if you suspect a friend has a problem?

Equal Pay – Are we making progress?

Euthanasia / Assisted Suicide – Where are the ethical boundaries? What if a loved one was facing this choice?

Fast Food – Should the government have a say about fast food menus?

Food Shortages – Do we have an ethical obligation?

Foreign Aid – How much of a role should your nation play?

Fracking – What about your own backyard?

Free Speech – Is this more important than public safety?

Gang Violence – How can it be reduced? What are the causes?

Gay Rights – Are we making progress or are we regressing?

Gerrymandering – How much should we control when it comes to drawing lines?

GMO Foods – How do you feel about labeling? Should we label all modified foods?

Global Warming – Where is science? What do you think?

Government Surveillance – Is it OK for the government to spy in the name of public safety?

Gun Laws – What does that amendment really mean?

Habitat Destruction – Should the government protect animals from human encroachment?

Hate Crimes – Should hate crimes result in stiffer penalties?

Hazing – When does fun and tradition become dangerous behavior? Who decides this?

Homelessness – How much should we do for the homeless?

Hostage Release/Trade – Should the government ever negotiate?

Human Population – Should it ever be controlled? Are there too many people for the planet?

Human Trafficking – Are governments doing enough to protect the innocent? Should they do more?

Internet and Gaming Addiction – Are teens at risk? Should there be limits to teen access?

Juvenile Delinquency – When should teen criminals be treated as adults?

Illegal Immigration – What is the most ethical response? Where should we draw lines?

Legalization of Marijuana – What is the impact?

Mass Shootings – Is this a mental health problem or a gun control problem?

Media Bias – Is the media fair and balanced? How has the internet made things better or worse?

Medical Records and Privacy – Who should have access to your medical information?

Meth Use – How do we educate young people about the hazards?

Military Spending – Do we spend too much? Too little? Is this a safety issue?

Minimum Wage Increase – What should be the minimum?

Modern Slavery – How do we end it?

National Rifle Association – Are they too powerful? Not powerful enough?

Obesity in Children – Should this be a government concern?

Outsourcing Jobs – When do we dictate to businesses about outsourcing, and when do we be “hands off?”

Photobombing – Is this a privacy concern? Are there legal issues to consider?

Poaching – How do we protect endangered animals? What penalties should be in place?

Prayer in Schools – Whose business is this? Does the government have a say?

Prescription Drug Use – Are teens over-drugged? What about younger children?

Racial Profiling – Have you been a victim?

Racism – Is it getting worse or better?

Rape Trials – Are victims treated fairly? Are the accused?

Recycling and Conservation – Do we do enough? Is it anybody’s business what you do?

Same-Sex Marriage – Is this a problem or a non-issue?

Selfies and Social Media Images – Is self-image becoming a mental health issue?

Sex Trade – How can we stop this?

Sexual Promiscuity – When is it dangerous? What should we do?

Sexting – How is this dangerous and destructive?

School Vouchers – Should they exist?

Social Networking and Privacy – Who has rights to your image? Your reputation?

Stand Your Ground Laws – How much is too much when it comes to self-defense?

Standardized Tests – Are they fair?

Stem Cell Research – What is ethical?

Teen Depression – Who is in danger?

Teen Pregnancy – Is education effective enough?

Teens and Self-Image – What is harmful?

Terrorism – How do we fight it?

Texting While Driving – Should it be illegal?

Violence in Movies – Is it harmful?

Violence in Music – Is this art?

Violence in Schools – Are you safe? Where do we draw the line between freedom and safety?

Violence in Video Games – What are the effects?

Water Shortages – Who has rights to water?

World Hunger – Is it our obligation to feed others?

Speech Techniques

2) Connect With Emotion

3) Tell The Audience How Good They Are

4) Link Back To Your Opening During Your Speech

5) Relate To The Audience’s Self-Interests

6) Entertain Your Audience With Stories

Design Your Talk Around 3 Stories

7) Appeal To Patriotism, Loyalty Or Personal Gain

8) Tell The Audience EXACTLY What They Are Going To Gain

The Power Of The Pause

Tips on Speech Writing

PUBLIC SPEAKING TIPS FOR STUDENTS

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