11 Appendix A

Impromptu Speaking

Here is a step-by-step guide that may be useful if you are called upon to give an impromptu speech in public:

• Take a moment to collect your thoughts and plan the main point that you want to make (like a mini thesis statement).
• Thank the person for inviting you to speak. Do not make comments about being unprepared, called upon at the last moment, on the spot, or uneasy. In other words, avoid being self-deprecating!
• Deliver your message, making your main point as briefly as you can while still covering it adequately and at a pace your listeners can follow.
• If you can use a structure, use numbers if possible: “Two main reasons. . .” or “Three parts of our plan. . .” or “Two side effects of this drug. . .” Past, present, and future or East Coast, Midwest, and West Coast are examples of structures.
• Thank the person again for the opportunity to speak.
• Stop talking (it is easy to “ramble on” when you do not have something prepared). If you are in front of an audience, do not keep talking as you move back to your seat.

Impromptu Speech Ideas

1. Write or type topics on small pieces of paper. Put all topics on the table face down. One student at a time chooses a topic and has one minute to prepare to speak on the chosen topic. The second person uses their one minute to prepare while the first person is speaking. The goal is for each speaker to fill the minute, and for speakers to rotate quickly.
2. Make two piles of notecards, one with names of famous people written on them, and one with places/locations written on them. Each student chooses one card from each pile. They have 1 minute to prepare a 1-minute speech that involves their chosen person and location.
3. Divide the class into groups, and have each group prepare a 1-2-minute speech with the specific purpose: “To persuade my audience that all students should take a course in public speaking.” Have one member from each group present the speech to the class.

Impromptu Speech Topics

• Celebrity you would like to meet and why
• Three things everyone should do well
• Animals are stress relievers
• Online communication can never be as good as real-life friendship
• Peer pressure is a good motivator
• Creativity cannot be taught
• Why does failure teach the greatest lessons?
• Why is humor an important life skill?
• Why do good grades matter?
• Introverts or extroverts
• Social media destroys a person’s self-esteem
• Procrastinating is beneficial for psychological health
• If I could time travel…
• What would you find in my closet?
• Strange New Year resolutions
• ‘It happened as if by magic.’
• ‘It was a dark and stormy night…’
• ‘As soon as I saw it, I knew…’
• ‘Why didn’t you tell me that…?’
• ‘It was moving slowly but steadily toward me.’
• ‘My Mother thinks that…’
• ‘Small children should never…’
• Two sure-fire ways to get rid of your boss
• How to talk your way out of having to do the dishes
• The deepest secrets of your pet cat
• Why your dog is your best friend
• If I ruled the world
• How to successfully annoy your brother, sister, mother, father
• The top three reasons for not handing in homework
• The best seller I am writing
• The top ways to get people to like you
• Three creative things to do with a brick
• If I was invisible for a day
• Strategies for avoiding people you don’t want to talk to
• Three excellent reasons to give when you want to call in sick
• Why being me is so much better than being anyone else
• Why dogs resemble their owners
• How to talk convincingly on subjects you know very little about
• You are an ant – convince an anteater to not eat you
• Explain three different ways to eat an Oreo cookie
• Convince us to vote for you as president of the USA
• Explain three uses for a pencil besides for writing
• Convince us that homework is harmful to your health
• You are a salesperson trying to sell us the shirt you have on
• Tell us how to become a millionaire
• Explain which came first: the chicken or the egg
• If everything in the world had to change to the same color, what color would you choose and why?
• You are a piece of paper – describe how we should use you before you get recycled
• Explain four uses for a drinking glass other than for holding a liquid
• Convince the university president to give students their birthdays off from classes
• Describe how you would modify a snail so it can go faster
• 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
• If I could have dinner with anyone….
• Things I will never eat
• What I have learned from cartoons
• If I could travel through time….
• The more we communicate, the less we really say
• Would you rather be blissfully happy or have a million dollars? Why?
• Would you rather have x-ray vision, bionic hearing, invisibility, or some other super power? Why?
• If you had to become an animal, which one would you pick? Why?
• What has been your favorite college class so far? Why?
• What do you most look forward to every day?
• What makes you laugh the hardest?
• If you could travel back in time and witness an event in history, what would you like to see? Why?
• If you had a whole day to spend however you would like (money is no object), what would you choose to do?
• What do you like to do in your free time?
• Name something you are good at. What’s something you don’t do well, but would like to do better?
• What’s your favorite meal at home? What’s your favorite fast food?
• What’s your favorite thing that you know how to cook yourself?
• What’s your favorite song to sing when you think no one can hear you?
• What would you do if you were president for one day?
• Name five things you couldn’t live without.
• Do you think dipping French fries in chocolate shakes or Frosties is gross or great? Explain
• The color yellow reminds me of
• Art is essential to life
• How to prevent bullying
• How to remember things
• A ghost you want to meet
• Best small business idea
• Intelligence is not enough
• The most important lesson of my life so far
• Creativity cannot be taught
• How to not lose friends
• Peer pressure is a good motivator
• Vital medicines should be free
• My biggest concern for the future is
• How to avoid financial scams