16Special Occasion & Group Speaking

Speeches of Special Occasions Speeches of introduction Acceptance speeches After-dinner speeches Eulogies and Tributes and Speeches of nomination Public testimony Roasts and toasts Mediated speaking

Speeches of Introduction A short speech that introduces someone

to an audience• Prepare the audience• Be accurate and up to date• Connect with the audience

Acceptance Speeches Speech given by an individual who is being

recognized, honored, or given an award• Be thankful and humble• Be succinct• Contextualize the award

After-Dinner Speeches Usually serve as a featured part of an

organized event• Be entertaining and lighthearted• Focus on a theme• Avoid presentation media

Eulogies

Eulogies – speech of tribute presented as a retrospective about an individual who has died

• Emphasize emotion appropriately• Provide inspiration

Tribute Speech

A tribute speech gives credit, respect, admiration, gratitude and inspiration to someone who is famous and in his/her lifetime exemplifies an extraordinary character and service to humanity.

Definition of Famous

For this assignment, famous is defined as a person who is widely known and is honored for his/her achievements for the greater good of humanity.

What Is Character?

What Abraham Lincoln Said About Character…

“Our character is much more than just our reputation, what we try to display for others to see.  It is who we are even when no one is watching. Having a Good Character means doing the right thing just because it is right to do what is right.”

The Character of A Person Character is defined as personal qualities,

especially the qualities of being brave and determined when doing something difficult when serving humanity

Tribute speeches should offer the audience the opportunity to reflect and appreciate the person based on his good character.

The speech should also stimulate and strengthen the audience.

Famous Person

When selecting a person to honor, please consider the following:

The character of the person

Personal stories help to build on his/her character/achievements

His/her achievements and contributions to humanity

Writing Format

The goal is not to give away major details that the public would know about the famous person until the concluding paragraph.

In writing this speech, it is similar to your informative speech in that you have an introduction with the following:

 

Introduction Greeting Attention Getter(s) (entertain, sing, poetry, quotes,

questions, story) Your Name Thesis/Main point of why you are honoring him/her

I am here to share the deep respect and admiration I have for a man who showed exceptional courage throughout his life.

Special Note: You will not introduce the name of the honoree until the concluding paragraph

Take A Look: Introduction

A great man once said that, “There is no better than adversity. Every defeat, every heartbreak, every loss, contains its own seed, its own lesson on how to improve your performance next time.” These are easy words to say, but it takes a lot of faith and courage to live them. Who here was afraid to get up here and speak? I know I was, but we all did. That takes courage. Courage is not just something for heroes and great people. Courage is anytime when we know full well that something will be hard, that it will be difficult, and still find the strength to undertake it. Courage is when we do not shirk from adversity but stand firm against it, and this is very much the case for the man I’m here to honor today. Hello, my name is Cyle Thomas, and I am here to share the deep respect and admiration I have for a man who showed exceptional courage throughout his life.

Body of the Tribute Speech

In the body of the speech, the main point is to show illustrations of the man’s courageous character.

Stories within the speech build upon his courageous character (write about stories that are not common for your audience members to know)

First Paragraph In the Body

The first example of the honoree’s courage was his desire to seek change not only in the world, but also in himself. This is because to see our own faults requires courage to face them as well as courage to undertake the task of changing them. When the honoree was a young man, he was arrested and jailed. He entered the prison system both illiterate and without purpose. But he would not remain that way; he would in that same prison find the courage to change. He would go on to teach himself to read, and find a purpose that would determine the course of his life.

You will creatively introduce your honoree in the concluding paragraph with a toast and the following:

Toast leading into the introduction of the honoree

“Catchy” phrases for your concluding paragraphHere‘s to you..(name of honoree) I salute you…………………..To my greatest inspiration ………I honor you……………………..I celebrate you………………Here’s a toast to you………

After you introduce the first and last name of your honoree, share with your audience members additional details about him/her that are common to the listener Restate the main point/thesis

Conclusion

That is why I would like to ask everyone to bow their heads and give a moment of silence for the courageous character of El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz, also known as Malcolm X. In a time when others were asking for change, Malcolm X demanded that change, in his words, “By any means necessary.” He help to create the black power movement and in doing so, again in his own words, “Inspired many white people to listen to Dr. King, by seeing what the alternative was.”

ConclusionHe was a fire in a time when everyone was running around in the dark. Meaning that you might not like him, but he made you see where you stood. And though you may not like him, you must admit that in him was a courage any of us would be lucky to even have fraction of. I know I would, I mean I get nervous standing up here speaking and I haven’t even called one person a devil. That courage he showed has inspired me and countless others to not fear our own right to speak, and I hope that it can do the same for you. Thank you all.

Speeches of Nomination

Speech that demonstrates why a particular individual would be successful at something if given the chance

Public Testimony Factual information and opinions about

policy issues presented to government bodies or public institutions • Narrow your comments down to the basics• Contribute something original and useful to

the discussion• Organize your thoughts into key words and

phrases you want your audience to remember

Roasts and Toasts Roast – humorous and good-natured

ridicule directed toward the guest of honor at an event

Toast – brief remarks celebrating the accomplishments of a guest of honor at an event

Mediated Speaking Learn as much as possible about the

structure and format of the event Dress appropriately Write a brief presentation outline Limit your physical movement Be assertive, confident, and to the point Speak clearly, with good volume Avoid jargon and acronyms Focus on the audience, no the camera

Presenting in Small Groups Oral report Panel discussion Round table discussion Symposium Forum Videoconferencing Preparation and practice

Evaluating Small Group Presentations

Preparation as a group Coordinated presentations Effective listening Clear references to the group Goal achievement

Relevant Websites Special Occasion Speeches: How To Tips in Preparing Group Presentations