Education Archives

How to Prepare for a Speech: Stage Setup, Aids, & Tips

Does public speaking come naturally to you? What is the key to delivering an effective speech? Preparation is key to delivering an effective speech. If you aren’t an experienced speaker, consider using props. Props can be especially useful if you tend to get nervous when speaking in front of an audience as they can help you jog up your memory if nerves get in the way. Here are some tips on how to prepare for a speech, set up your stage, and keep your anxiety at bay.

How to Plan a Speech: Scripting and Rehearsing

Do you have an important speech coming up? How do you plan a speech for maximum impact and effectiveness? In terms of planning, all speeches fall into one of four categories: 1) scripted and memorized, 2) scripted and read, 3) unscripted but planned out, and 4) unscripted and winged. You should never come unprepared, otherwise, you run the risk of your speech not being high-quality—and even if it is, your lack of preparation is disrespectful to the audience’s time and attention. Learn how to plan a speech based on its style, the pitfalls you should avoid, and the best way

Public Speaking: Subtle Ideas Can Be Just as Impactful

Do you have a speech coming up, but are not sure what it’s going to be about? How do you come up with a groundbreaking idea that gets people talking? When it comes to public speaking, how you deliver your idea is often more important than the idea itself. You don’t have to break any ground with your speech—subtle ideas can be just as impactful. Here’s why you shouldn’t give up on an idea just because it’s not groundbreaking or revolutionary in some way.

How to Engage an Audience When Public Speaking

What makes a great speech? What can you do to deliver your speech in the most impactful and engaging way possible? The key to keeping your audience engaged from start to finish is to, first and foremost, connect with them on a human level. In his book TED Talks, Chris Anderson provides several strategies on how to engage an audience in public speaking: Meet their eyes, drop your ego, be vulnerable, use humor, and tell them a story. Let’s explore each strategy in more detail.

The Key Elements of an Effective Speech

Do you have an important speech coming up? What are some things you need to consider when planning your speech? According to Chris Anderson, all effective speeches begin with an idea, and they come alive with a throughline. So first, you’ll need to determine what your speech will be about—your idea. Then you’ll need to decide what message you want your audience to take with them—your throughline. In this article, you’ll learn how to plan an effective speech and keep your audience on track from start to finish.

Bottom-Up Learning: Success in Small Steps

What is bottom-up learning? How does bottom-up learning breed success? Bottom-up learning is taking small steps with limited knowledge, making mistakes, and adjusting. On the other hand, a top-down approach to learning is when a small group of elites builds theories to capture the truth about something. Read more to understand why a bottom-up learning approach advances human society.

Learning From Failure Is Critical for Your Success

Why is learning from failure beneficial? How can you develop by learning from failure? Black Box Thinking shows how learning from failure can benefit you personally and society as a whole. Without making mistakes and learning from failure, the world would be a very different place. Read on to explore why human development requires learning from failure.

A Look at the Future of VR (Outside of Gaming)

How can virtual reality be useful outside of gaming? Is VR the future? Will the virtual world sever interpersonal relationships? What kind of effect will VR have on mental health? When most people think of virtual reality, they think of an expensive gaming headset with mediocre graphics and limited games. However, VR is for a lot more than just video games. VR technology is becoming more prominent in healthcare, education, and even in the workplace. Learn why VR may just be the future of technology.

Public Speaking: Strategies for Success

What makes a great speech? What are some things you need to consider to plan an effective speech? To make an impactful and memorable speech, it’s essential to have a strategy in place. The first step in planning your strategy is to identify what type of speech you’re giving: explanatory—when you teach your audience something new, persuasive—when you try to change your audience’s mind, or “revelatory” or imaginative—when you aim to delight or inspire. Let’s explore how public speaking strategies differ depending on the type of speech.

How to Give an Explanatory Speech: Tips & Strategies

What’s an explanatory speech? What are some things you should consider when explaining a difficult concept or idea to an uninitiated audience? An explanatory speech is one where you’re teaching your audience something new or explaining a difficult concept. The key to delivering an effective explanatory speech is to be mindful of your audience’s level of knowledge on the matter in question. To that end, beware of the curse of knowledge: just because something is basic knowledge for you, it doesn’t mean it is so for everyone. Here are some things to keep me in mind when giving an explanatory