Public Speaking-  Top Tips for Practicing Your Speech

What to do when you are invited to do a speech?

The general rule of thumb is to begin practicing your speech at least several days before you are scheduled to deliver it.  Many expert speakers recommend practicing your speech about five times in its final form.   Given that few speeches are longer than twenty minutes, and most are shorter, this represents a maximum of two hours of practice time – time that is well spent.

Here’s a checklist for Practicing Your Speech.

1. Practice with your speaking notes.
2. Change the parts of your speech that aren’t satisfying, revise your speaking notes as you go.
3. Focus on communicating your speech ideas, not on yourself.
4. Visualize the setting where you will speak as you practice, projecting your words to different parts of the space to reach audience members.
5. Time each part of your speech – introduction, body, and conclusion
6. Practice the speech under realistic conditions, paying attention to projecting your voice and working with your speaking notes unobtrusively.
7. Some people like to audio record and/or video record the speech and review to determine your likes and dislikes.
8. If possible practice in front of at least one volunteer, and seek constructive feedback of what she likes or dislikes.
9. Schedule your practice sessions early in the process so you have adequate time to prepare.
10. Practice your speech at least five times.

Be sure to watch our English Speech Tips videos and Accent Reduction Tip videos  for more English pronunciation and accent reduction exercise.

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