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ORAL COMMUNICATION IN CONTEXT

SECOND QUARTER: WEEK 6
PRINCIPLES OF SPEECH DELIVERY

Name of the Learner: _____________________________________________

Section: _________________________ Date: ______________________

Background Information:
Previously, the class focused on vocal techniques and stage-related components that
would make a speaker audible and visible to one’s audience. This time, the focus would be
on how a speaker can appear relevant and engaging as much as possible when delivering
one’s speech in front of an audience.

Successful speakers across the globe all agree that the secret to a successfully
delivered speech is projecting the so-called, persona (Nikitina, 2011). It is a Latin term that
originally referred to as a “theatrical mask,” and it is a term often ascribed to stage actors.
The term “persona” may also indicate an adopted voice or personality of a writer or a poet.

However, in the realm of public speaking, one’s persona would include personality,
and generally, it is the image that a speaker wants to convey. If done successfully, our
perception of the speaker’s image would match his/her planned, projected image.

Example:

If you have seen Ellen DeGeneres on her talk show, you know that she projects a
friendly, down-to-earth, almost naïve persona. She dresses informally, she jokes with her
audience, and she seems friendly. Her nonverbal communication tends to be highly informal
and relaxed at the same time. She makes direct eye contact with her audience and the TV
camera, and she even slouches in the chair and even does a little “dance” at the beginning
of every show. These elements together make up her public persona.

Now that we’ve established the definition of a persona, let’s jump right in to the two
remaining components of speech delivery and how one’s persona can be a great factor in
acing these components.

From our facial expressions to our body movements, the things we don't say can still
convey volumes of information. When we try to interpret or portray an ideal body language,
the first set of components is a package.
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A. Facial Expressions, Gestures and Movements

Facial Expressions Gestures Movements

•The feelings expressed •Movements of a part or •Acts involving changes on
a person's face parts of the body, in physical location or
especially a hand or the position head,
to express an idea or meaning

On Facial Expressions

M.G. Frank (2001) explains that facial expressions, being universal, are one
of the more important aspects of human communication. The face is responsible for
communicating not only thoughts or ideas, but also emotions.

Figure 1. Facial Expressions

Retrieved from: https://www.verywellmind.com/understand-body-language-and-
facialexpressions-4147228

What makes the communication of emotions interesting is that it appears as if

some of the expressions of emotion above may be hardwired to each speaker
already and they have been experienced by all people from different walks of life.

Having a highly animated face, for instance, can be quite distracting and
annoying for a certain group of audience. A subtle smile expressing happiness will
always be the most reassuring facial expression that a speaker can show to all types
of audience, in different types of occasions.
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Research even suggests that we make judgments about people's intelligence

based on their faces and expressions. One study by Kleisner (2014) found that
individuals who had narrower faces and more prominent noses were more likely to
be perceived as intelligent.

In addition, a speaker should be mindful of the message of the speech. The

speaker must make sure that the meaning is reflected in his/her facial expressions.
For instance, the speaker will mention an anecdote involving a painful experience like
reminiscing a loved one who has died. We do not want our audience to think that the
speaker is rejoicing about the death by seeing him/her smiling from ear to ear. Again,
there should be a good match between the content or message of the speech with
the speaker’s portrayed facial expressions.

On Gestures and Movements

Gesturing and moving should also be parts of a speaker’s persona. A

speaker’s target is to constantly look as natural as possible through his/her gestures
and movements. If these components of body language appear too rehearsed or
strange, they tend to distract the audience. Instead of them having to focus on the
message of the speech, the audience would focus on the speaker’s body language
instead.

Remember: You should always consider the persona you wish to project even
before you begin to speak.

While waiting for your turn to speak, nonverbal behaviors like chewing your
gum, yawning, rolling your eyes, worse being late may influence how your audience
perceives you even before you hit the stage. Hence, it is suggested by successful
speakers to newbies in public speaking to assume that they should are already on
stage the moment they walk into a room or encounter a possible audience until the
moment they leave the speaking venue.

Other Tips:

1) Use precise movements to emphasize points in your speech.

2) Avoid distracting mannerisms like the ones listed below may signal unwanted
feelings or dispositions:

• Crossing one’s arms while talking

(speaker may appear defensive, self-protective, or closed-off)

• Swaying back and forth (uneasiness)

• Leaning on the podium (bored or partially confident)

• Licking or biting your lips (tensed or nervous)

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• Playing with one’s wristwatch or jewelry (bored, impatient)

• Scratching parts of your body (frustrated or irritated)

Overall, a speaker’s body language is a great factor that can help check and assert
if an audience believes what the speaker is trying to convey in his/her speech.

B. Rapport with the audience

Rapport forms the basis of a close and harmonious relationship between or

among people–in public speaking, a connection between a speaker who is trying to
get a message across and his/her audience who are most likely trusting the
speaker’s perspective due to comprehensibility and appreciation.

According to Tickle-Degnen and Rosenthal (1990), two of the prominent

manifestations when you have a rapport with an audience, you share:

• Mutual attentiveness – where you're both focused on, and interested in, what
the other person is saying or doing

• Coordination – where you feel "in sync" with one another, so you share a
common understanding
The peak anxiety time for most speakers is the first moment of confronting the
audience (Behnke & Sawyer, 1999, 2004). Receiving positive reinforcement early on
is an excellent way to get over this initial anxiety. When you spot that one person
who looks friendly or nods in agreement, keep your eyes on her or him until you feel
relaxed.
Once you are in front of your real audience, the initial signal to build rapport is
to give a warm and genuine smile. As you go through your speech, establish and
sustain eye contact not just with one person from the audience to keep everyone
invested and involved.

Cover as many people in terms of eye contact by creating a mental map as if

you’re slowly tracing big letters “M” and “T” in the audience to create an illusion that
you’re taking time in gazing or paying equal attention to everyone in the room.

In addition, you can employ pauses when you attempt to emphasize the
significant words, phrases, or sentences. Your pauses should not last for three
seconds. Otherwise, it will result in dead air or a moment of awkward silence.

Other Tips:
1) Use a conversational style more often. This is the style that is more natural.
2) Keep your words short and simple. Your speech is meant to be heard by
your audience, not read.

3) Avoid jargon, acronyms, or technical words because they can confuse your
audience.
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4) One way to elevate your speaking style is to incorporate stylistic devices

like metaphors or hyperbole in your speech.

Example:

In a 1961 speech delivered to the Joint Convention of the General

Court of Massachusetts, Kennedy used the metaphor “city upon a hill” to
emphasize the importance of the role played by Massachusetts’ politicians
in the national leadership:

“Today the eyes of all people are truly upon us—and our governments,
in
every branch, at every level, national, state and local, must be as a city
upon a hill*—constructed and inhabited by men aware of their great
trust and their great responsibilities” (Kennedy, 1961).

*It is a phrase derived from the parable of Salt and Light in Jesus's
Sermon on the Mount. In a modern context, it is used in United States
politics to refer to America acting as a "beacon of hope" for the world.

5) Use active verbs and contractions because they add to the personal and
conversational tone of your speech.

6) Be sensitive of your audience. Be very careful with your language, jokes, and
nonverbal cues.

7) Most importantly, if you make a mistake, don’t be afraid to acknowledge it.

Learning Competency with code:

Use principles of effective speech delivery focusing on facial expressions, gestures

and movements, and rapport with the audience (First Semester/ Quarter 2/ Week 5/
EN11/12OC-IIcj-26.4 to EN11/12OC-IIcj-26.5)

Exercise 1

Directions: Identify the concept described in each sentence. Write your answer on the space
provided before the number.

___________________ 1. This principle is popularly known as the adopted voice or personality

of a writer, an artist, or a speaker.
___________________ 2. These acts include changes in a physical location or bodily
position.
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___________________ 3. This mannerism expresses an idea of a speaker's

defensiveness, self-protectiveness, or being closed-off to his or
her audience.

___________________ 4. This well-known display or manifestation of rapport with an

audience emphasizes the audience's feeling of being in sync
with their speaker.

___________________ 5. This form of nonverbal communication involves one or more

motions or positions of the muscles beneath the skin of the face
that conveys the emotional state of an individual to observers.

___________________ 6. This mental map encourages the creation of an illusion where

the speaker engages and pays attention to everyone in a venue
while sharing his/her ideas.

___________________ 7. This element pertains to a close and harmonious relationship

in which the people or groups concerned understand each
other's feelings or ideas and communicate well.

___________________ 8. This form of non-verbal communication or non-vocal

communication involves visible bodily actions like movement of
the hands, face, or other parts of the body that communicate or
express a particular idea, message or meaning, either in place
of, or in conjunction with, speech.

___________________ 9. This mannerism signals the tense, nervousness, or

uneasiness felt by a speaker.

___________________ 10. This stylistic device often uses a word or phrase and
compares it to an existing object or action to which it is not
literally applicable.

___________________ 11. This principle clearly emphasizes the importance of

pronouncing the words with accuracy and speaking with clear
diction to effectively transmit the message of the speaker.

___________________ 12. This guideline in effectively presenting a public speech

involves remembering key phrases or all the sentences of a
speech in verbatim.

___________________ 13. This principle is the speaker's capability to adjust or

manipulate the resonance and timbre of vocal tone.

___________________ 14. These clothes are worn when addressing an audience in a formal
context (e.g. conference, seminar-workshops, etc.)
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___________________ 15. This principle highlights a speaker's ability to own the stage, to
fill the space and project his/her personality to the audience.

Exercise 2

Directions: Determine a strategy or solution that applies to each situation below by writing
an essay-like response for each communication situation. Indicate your answer in the space
provided.

SITUATION STRATEGY / SOLUTION

You are in a webinar with 10

participants, and you think some
participants find your speech boring.

While you are elaborating on good

points on your speech, you saw one
participant with her camera on who fell
asleep.

The other webinar participants tried

waking up the said participant but to no
avail. What should you do as a speaker?

You are asked to facilitate a focal

group discussion among your peers on
their quarantine experience.

As you were trying to lead the group in

the discussion, you noticed that one of your
peers is trying to head to the restroom
every time he notices you look at his
direction.

What do you think is your peer

thinking? How would you respond to his
behavior?

You are hosting a Moving Up

Ceremony. In the middle of the awarding, a
voice from the audience stirred the
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crowd as the voice kept yelling and making

fun of the guests on stage.

How will you react and address the

incident in the program?

At the beginning of your

conference talk, you noticed a participant
who has been raising her brows ever since
you walked towards the podium.

You were giving your all throughout

the speech, but the participant kept on
whispering to her fellow participants as if
she is badmouthing you.

How will you still ensure engagement

and/or rapport between you and that
participant?

In the middle of your speech, a

random person from the audience climbed
the stage and pushed you.

Seconds after the unanticipated

incident, the person stole the mic from you
and took over your speech.

You’re still half-way your speech, and

none of the organizers were there in the
event area. How will you deal with the
intruder professionally?

Rubric for Scoring Exercise 2

Needs
Inadequate Improvement Proficient Exemplary
CRITERIA Score
(1pt) (2pts) (3pts) (4-5pts)

Focus/Main • The essay • The essay is • The essay • The essay is

Point poorly focused on is focused focused,
addresses the topic and on the purposeful,
topic and includes few topic and and reflects
includes loosely includes clear insight
related ideas. and ideas.
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irrelevant relevant
ideas. ideas.

Support and • Provides little • Supports • Supports • Persuasively

Development or no support main point main point supports main
for the main with some with point with
point underdevelo developed welldeveloped
ped reasons reasons reasons
• No reflective and/or and/or and/or
comments; examples examples examples
no analysis
of assertion/ • Few • Some • Reflective
quotes reflective reflective comments that
comments comments provide
• No (often that provide insightful
transitional restates analysis of analysis of
elements assertion); assertion/ assertions/
little analysis quotes quotes
• Undeveloped of assertion/
ideas with quotes • Some • Appropriate
little or no appropriate transitional
detail; does transitional elements
not draw • More
elements
conclusions transitional
or elements • Fully
needed or • Well-
demonstrate developed
critical some developed
inappropriate ideas with ideas with
thinking
ones adequate excellent
detail; detail; draws
• Rewrite
necessary • Moderately draws some insightful
developed conclusions conclusions
ideas with and and
some detail; demonstrat demonstrates
draws few es some critical thinking
conclusions critical
and thinking
demonstrate
s little critical
thinking
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Organization • Introduction • Intro missing • Intro • Intro grabs

and Format missing or key info informative attention, is
severely informative
underdevelop
ed • Some • Organizes
organization of ideas to • Effectively
ideas to build build an organizes
• Little or no
an argument argument ideas to build
organization
a logical,
of ideas to

build an coherent
argument argument
• Thesis • Most body
weak/not paragraphs
• Body arguable with organized • Body
paragraphs weak verb around thesis paragraphs
missing or clearly
tend to organized
• Body • Most
summarize around thesis
paragraph not topic/conclU
organized ding sentences
• Missing around thesis strong • Strong
topic/concludi topic/concluding
ng sentences sentences
• Weak
topic/concludin
• Conclusion g sentences
missing or
severely
underdevelop
ed

• Rewrite
necessary
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Language • Little or no • Some use of • Appropriate • Effective and

Use, Style and use of elements of use of creative use of
Conventions elements of style elements of elements of style
(Sentence style style to
structure, word • Contains enhance
choice, • Many errors frequent • Uses correct meaning
grammar, in grammar, errors in grammar,
spelling, spelling, and grammar, spelling, and • Uses correct
punctuation) grammar,
punctuation, spelling, and punctuation
makes punctuation with few spelling,
reader’s errors punctuation
comprehensio • Limited throughout with
n difficult vocabulary • Appropriate very few errors
(some slang/ vocabulary
• Simplistic colloquial
• Sophisticated
vocabulary expressions) • Some varied precise
(many slang/ sentence vocabulary
colloquial • Inadequate structures
expressions) sentence
• Varied sentence
structure • Inconsistencies structure
• No variety in with tense,
sentence • Many errors some active
with tense, • Appropriate verb
structure verbs tense with active
weak/passive
verbs verbs

• Displays • Many run-ons or

glaring errors fragments • A few run-ons • No run-ons or
that seriously or fragments
compromises • Displays many fragments
understanding errors • Displays overall
of writing that • Displays some accuracy
compromise errors that do
understanding not compromis
• Rewrite of writing e understandi
necessary
ng of writing

TOTAL POINTS
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Reflection

Directions: Put a checkmark [✓] on the blank which corresponds to how well you learned the
lesson.
Reflection Statements Always Sometimes Never
1. I can compare the differences in
meaning of the information expressed
by a speaker by observing a speaker’s
nonverbal cues.

2. I can identify the principles and

components that best reveal my
persona during speech preparation and
delivery.

3. I can provide strategies in enhancing

one’s persona during speech delivery.

4. I can observe and readily spot the best

nonverbal communication used by a
speaker when he or she communicates
with an audience.

5. I can apply appropriate strategies in

speech delivery after familiarizing its
principles and standards.

References for Learners:

Kleisner K, Chvátalová V, Flegr J. Perceived intelligence is associated with measured intelligence

in men but not women. PLoS ONE. 2014;9(3):e81237.
doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0081237
M.G. Frank, in International Encyclopedia of the Social & Behavioral Sciences, 2001.
https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-804490-2.00005-1

Tickle-Degnen, Linda, and Robert Rosenthal. "The Nature of Rapport and Its Nonverbal
Correlates." Psychological Inquiry 1, no. 4 (1990): 285-93. Accessed September 10,
2020. http://www.jstor.org/stable/1449345.

Tipper CM, Signorini G, Grafton ST. 2015. Body language in the brain: constructing meaning
from expressive movement. Front Hum Neurosci. 9:450.
doi:10.3389/fnhum.2015.00450

Answer Key
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Prepared by:

FLORENCE C. DE VEYRA
SST-lll, English
Oral Communication Teacher
Angeles City Science High School - SHS