SiPGr8

A rhetorical question is a common rhetorical device where a question is asked by a speaker, but no answer is expected from the audience.

They have many uses.

Firstly they engage an audience because asking a question forces the audience to think. This works best when there is no easy answer to the question for example: "How much longer will this injustice continue?". As nobody can tell the answer to this question it is simple a way of appealing to the emotions in your audience and by stirring emotions you will have engaged them.

Some rhetorical questions will have a clear answer . An example of this is in my first speech where I ask: "Does it appear ironic that we, nurses, are suffering from poor mental health?" At first, everybody's answer to this question be "Yes" but the use in this example is to emphasise a previous point that nurses are not exempt from health problems.

Straight after the above example I use a rhetorical question for a different reason. I say "Is it our fault?". The aim of this rhetorical question is to stir emotions but it is also invoking misdirection in the audience. As a result of highlighting these divergent thoughts I invite my audience to agree with me. 

Pitch is the highness or lowness of the voice.

Changing the pitch of your voice throughout your speech can increase listener comprehension because you can use it to signal the different stages of your speech.

Tto sound authoritative some speakers will lower their pitch and increase the amount of fluctuation in the pitch. 

When the pitch is altered to convey a meaning it is the inflection.These are variations, turns and slides in pitch to achieve meaning.

The most common example of inflection would be at the end of a question. If I ask the question: Is everything ok?, I raise the pitch of my voice at the end of the question - inflection.

Tone is the quality of pitch - the colour or timbre of pitch.

Each of us has a range of tone.

The tone of your voice needs to be matched with the tone of the words you say because otherwise the listener will become confused as a result of neural dissonance.

For example if your facial expression communicates one emotion but the tone of your voice communicates a conflicting emotion then you will reduce your credibility and in turn limit your effectiveness as a persuasive speaker.

Tempo or pace is the speed of speaking.

There is a range of appropriate tempo for speaking and the variation in tempo is a way to engage an audience.

If it is too slow then the audience will be bored but if too fast, then you may compromise on diction and articulation. With both too slow and too fast, you will lose audience engagement.

Ideally, a comfortable and clear pace is needed which should then allow you to comfortably vary your pace to engage your audience better for example slightly increasing your tempo to increase tension or excitement or slightly decreasing the tempo for emphasis.

Pauses can engage an audience. A long pause can get attention from your audience before you begin speaking.

Pauses can also increase comprehension. When reading, comprehension is higher than when listening because of the ability to go back and read again. The lack of the ability to do this when listening to a speech may reduce comprehension unless the speaker delivers with pauses. These will give listeners the opportunity to

• understand the structure of the sentences and paragraphs
• digest crucial phrases.

Ultimately, this will then increase comprehension. 

One purpose of a visual aid is to highlight a key speech point. A picture tells a thousand words and indeed anything visual is often more memorable so using visual aids as a non-verbal emphasis of a point can be very effective.

Secondly, they can engage the audience. Looking at a person's face can be very boring but using a visual aid can attract the attention of an audience and stimulate interest in your speech.

Thirdly, visual aids can make the meaning of something clearer. One of the biggest problems with listerning to something in comparison to reading it is the reduced comprehension. But, if you avoid too much information on your visual aid and keep it quite simple, then you can use it as another way to increase comprehension.

Examples of visual aids are:

• Books, posters
• Illustrations, images
• Mood boards, flip charts
• Equipment, instruments, tools.

A speech with a goal of convincing the audience to agree with your point-of-view.

Persuasive speeches contain logical and emotional appeals:

• Logical appeals use fact and information to show why a conclusion must rationally be true.
• Emotional appeals seek to influence the listerner's feelings so as to accept the conclusion.

They can be engaging and bring about a change in the audience but, they must be relevant to the audience.

The effectiveness depends on factors beyond the speech itself:

• the willingness of the audience to accept a new view - for example political parties
• the body language of the speaker - neural dissonance reduces credibility

A speech with an intention to educate the audience using descriptions, demonstrations, details and definitions to explain a subject, person or place.

In comparison a persuasive speech, informative speechs rely less on pathos and more on communicating information.

To communicate the information well, it is a good idea to provide the information in multiple forms during the speech. This may mean that you use a visual aid.

These are the most common type of speech and there are a few types:

• Narratives - my most frightening experience
• Descriptions - the Himalayas
• Expositions - maintaining your car.

All of these speeches are slightly different but they will all help the audience understand the subject better and remember what they learned later.

The goal of this type of speech is to motiate the audience to take your side on an issue of public interest.

Make a strong, memorable point

• Many listeners will only take away a 'sound bite' of 8-10 seconds from your speech so get to the point fast.

Establish rapport with your audience

• Use anecdotes to illustrate the topic of show that the topic is something that can have a real effect on the audience.
• Use humour - maybe through your anecdote or a joke.
• Use conversational tones to make listeners forget they they are listening to a prepared speeech and then the audience will get onto your side and identify and sympathise with you.

Reiterate what you've said

• Repeat briefly the problem and your solution and then, because jokes are less appropriate at the end, leave with a serious thought for the audience to reflect on.

The aim of this speech is to entertain the audience while leading them on a journey to make a point.

This type of speech is very engaging when it is done properly but it is difficult to do it well and it can go disastrously wrong.

To stop this from happening you should:

• Match the topic and humour to the audience
• Practice the timing of the humour to ensure it doesn't fall flat
• Be prepared for the audience not to find a joke funny

If you get this right, the speech just needs to be meaningful and original and have a clear structure which flows to a conclusion.

And it needs to be supported by gestures, expressions, body postitioning and using the speaking area effectively so good planning of micro and macromovements is necessary.

An impromptu speech is a difficult skill to master but is very important.

To do it well you need:

• A strong beginning,
• a middle section with linked ideas
• and a strong ending to wrap everything up.

The aim of this type of speech is to address the audience with a short conclusion to the main speaker's address.

It should be positive, summarising and motivational.

A way to do this is to use the mnemonic 'THANK'.

• So first you should rephrase the original title imaginatively.
• Then, highlight a key point that you found memorable.
• Then add to your highlight something from you own experience like a small anecdote of your own that supports the speech.
• Then nicely affirm the speaker without being patronising.
• Finally, close saying that I know you will join me in extending a most sincere thank you to our speaker' followed by a personal thanks as you look at the speaker.

The final part is perhaps the most nerve-racking and that is to start the applause and hope the audience joins in!

• Once upon a time
• 5W's

• (PREP) Point, Reason, Example, Point
• (IPCC) Issue, Pros + Cons, Conclusion
• (CER) Cause, effect, remedy
• (BER) Before, the event, the result

• Local, national, international
• Past, present, future

• First, there is an intention to speak or sing which stimulates an impulse from the brain.
• Secondly, we inhale and the dome-like diaphragm contracts drawing air in through the mouth of nose and down the trachea into the lungs.
• Thirdly, we exhale and the diaphragm relaxes and abdominal muscles work to return breath up the trachea at the right level of breath force for the sound we need to use.
• Fourthly, we use our larynx which is located in the upper part of the trachea as a protective valve. We close two bands of muscular tissue (vocal cords/folds) in the larynx across the air flow.
• Fourthly, The flowing air causes the edges of the folds to vibrate very rapidly, generating sound. Depending on factors like age, gender, health, the vocal folds may open and close between 60 and 1000 times per second.

Clavicular breathing:

This means holding air in the upper lungs and so raising the shoulders when you breath. This is wrong and puts strain on your vocal chords. It is probably because you are tense so try to relax - maybe yawn.

Voice projection:

This is the strength of speaking whereby the voice is used loudly and clearly to command respect or attention. The intercostal muscles can enlarge the chest cavity whilst the diaphragm and abdominal muscles control airflow.

Improve breathing:

• Lie on your back on a flat surface. Practice filling your lungs from the bottom causing your diaphragm to rise and fall. Place a dictionary on you diaphragm to increase resistance.
• Stand erect with feet shoulder width apart and the foot farthers from the audience slightly forward.