Mature graduates are different. That is why your speech should be different if you are speaking at a graduation ceremony for them. They are, after all, quite likely to be very committed. They will often know just what they want in life and be working towards a certain goal. They will usually have more family responsibilities and less free time. So your speech should reflect your understanding of these facts. It should also be inspirational because sometimes such students are stuck in a rut of working, studying and home commitments. They may not have considered a wider horizon or new opportunities. Just as younger students do they will appreciate some humour in your speech and you can make references to people or places younger students may not know. There are thousands of different courses which are attended by such mature students. If you are speaking at their graduation ceremony make sure your speech is relevant to them and their age.

Share on Facebook

It’s hard to believe but another calendar year is coming to an end. That means in schools everywhere teachers are giving their end of term speeches. Each term is different of course. When pupils are going on their summer vacation you say one thing. Just now though many of them are celebrating Christmas and the holiday season. So the speech should be uplifting and light-hearted yet it should also speak of work well done and more to do. The speaker will bear in mind that the pupils are all anxiously awaiting the bell that ends that school term. They will be fidgeting and dying to get out of school. So as he bids them goodbye and exhorts them to enjoy the holiday break the teacher should just think what it was like for him when he too was waiting for the fun to start. If he does that he will certainly be able to end his speech on a seasonal note.

Share on Facebook

Just now children are wearing donning towels and wearing crowns. Some will be shepherds and some kings in their school nativity plays. Older pupils will be doing their final rehearsals for the school play or concert of the year. Teachers everywhere will be frazzled as they prompt and encourage and soothe stage nerves. Added to that is the fact that they are supposed to welcome parents and friends to the annual event. What should be said on such an occasion? Well of course they must speak about the hard work and dedication of the actors and actresses. They must pay tribute too to the back room staff for the production. A few gracious words to the teachers involved in helping are also obligatory. Above all they should speak of the importance of the occasion in the school calendar. They should in other words set the tone for the evening and when it is over give their votes of thanks.

Share on Facebook

Elections aren’t always about governments. Of course there are often elections and by-elections for governments. There are some for mayors and school superintendents. Just now though many students are running for their school/college councils. What they say in their election speeches will obviously affect their chances of being elected. Such speeches should be light-hearted in tone simply because they are speaking to fellow students. They should emphasise the fact that they too understand the needs of students because they share those needs. They should speak of what aspects of the school or college they feel need changing and promise to work for such changes. They should speak of what they can offer the school/college too because committed students on a council can make a big difference to the school or college. They should be honest about what it is possible to achieve and make their promises accordingly. Students aren’t fools and they will respect them for this honesty and possibly elect them for that very reason.

Share on Facebook

Most pupils have a favourite teacher. Quite often, though, they don’t express their appreciation of the work of that teacher. They don’t say “Thank you” when leaving the school but they should. Think of the training a teacher has to do. Think of the interest a good teacher takes in his or her pupils. Consider how much time and effort they put into helping and encouraging their pupils. Manners really matter and expressing gratitude is good manners. Very often in later years the student will think back and mention what a wonderful teacher they had. That’s fine but it would have been much nicer to actually tell them that to their face. So give a little speech of thanks or frame a poem saying just how much you learnt in the class. You’ll be glad you did and so will the teacher in question.

Check out our sample speeches

Share on Facebook

It’s time for the high jump and the long jump. In other words it’s time for the school sports day. It’s a day for perspiration and perseverance. Teachers blow whistles and students run sprints while their parents shout encouragement. It’s a day when the non- academic have a chance to shine. It’s a time for pride and prize giving and the presentation of medals. The head teacher has the problem of giving a speech suitable for the occasion. Naturally he will welcome the parents. He will speak of the importance of sport in a student’s development. He should speak too of how well the day has been organised by the staff and of the sportsmanship of the students involved. Above all he will ensure that those who have not succeeded in actually winning those prizes will feel that they are winners too.

Check out our sample speeches

Share on Facebook

Persuasive speeches are not only intended for students. Any public speaker can choose a topic that appeals and use it to persuade his or her audience. Teachers, for instance, often have to address students and a topic such as volunteering can be fun might encourage their pupils to do something for others. They might give a speech telling them or to have the courage of their convictions and say “No” or that beauty is only skin deep. They would surely feel at home telling the pupils that good grades matter but the students might pay more attention if they spoke about body language… Someone speaking at a political gathering might choose to wax eloquent on the fact that freedom of speech is worth fighting for. Alternatively, they might speak about piracy or even terrorism, all of which topics should be of concern to legislators these days… A member of a group such as Toastmaster might appeal to the audience by speaking of an unusual subject such as colour blindness or by explaining that Aliens don’t wear green suits. It’s easy, of course, to give the more usual speeches but a good speaker will find it pays to say something different. It doesn’t matter who you are or who is in the audience there is a persuasive speech to make you, and your audience, think.

Check out our sample speeches

Share on Facebook

Most of us don’t run for President. Yet a lot of us are involved in other elections in one way or another. You might, for instance, be running for Mayor. You could be going forward for election as a school superintendent or even as a school captain or member of a school council. What we say on such occasions is very important. The first thing we should remember is that you should never underestimate the intelligence of your listeners. They will know if you are lying or even stretching the truth a little and they will have no respect for what you say if they know it cannot be delivered. So it is stupid to promise that you will end poverty or change the running of the town or school. It is much better to tell them what you yourself are actually going to do about the problem. It is important too to try to establish an empathy with your audience. If they are worried about a new highway cutting their town in two say you are worried about it too. Then give a concrete reason such as you will find it difficult to get your children to school safely. If you are going for a school position talk about building on the positives and making changes by persuasive methods. In other words don’t antagonise listeners but give good rational arguments for what you believe. A touch of humour goes down well, particularly with students. Above all remember that people have a short attention span so make your speech short and concise and detail your points. When you win remember to be gracious to the losers and thankful to those who voted for you.

Check out our sample speeches

Share on Facebook

Who has to give the most speeches? There are, of course, professional speakers who usually speak on business matters or political affairs. Teachers, though, must come a close second. After all they give both welcome back to school speeches and end of term speeches. They say a few words when someone retires or at when it is the anniversary of the school. They welcome guests to school plays and to sports days. More importantly perhaps they give motivational speeches to their pupils when they are graduating or speak to staff members about creating equity in the classroom or about classroom discipline. Obviously their speeches have to be geared to the ages of their pupils. What a teacher in an elementary school says and what a college professor says will be worded differently. Their most important message is probably that good grades matter but they have to put that into the context that, for many students, this is not an aspiration. Most teachers too think that education has a broader meaning while still having to follow a state curriculum and ensure that their pupils sit examinations. Teachers, therefore, often face a real challenge when writing their speeches treading a careful line between the expectations of parents and authorities and their own inner beliefs. Teaching reading and writing has always been challenging but their own rhetoric is yet another challenge for teachers today.

Check out our sample speeches

Share on Facebook

Teachers are always giving speeches. They speak at graduations and at the school sports. They say a few words at prize-giving day too. Then there are teachers’ retirements, open house speeches and welcome back to school speeches. There are school concerts where they are expected to speak too. It’s no wonder that end of term speeches are really the end. What should they say and how do they find something new to say? Naturally it depends on the term in question. Christmas speeches can literally be about Christmas and what it means or the teacher may be called upon to give a happy holiday speech if that does not apply. At Easter and summer too he or she has to bid a fond farewell to the pupils and wish them well during the vacation. Naturally the teacher must refer to the term that has passed and the things the students have done during that term. He or she might amaze the students by saying that the teachers too are looking forward to getting away from them! After all pupils always think teachers have it easy while being a student is hard going. The teacher will have to include a few words of advice in the speech because no teacher worth his or her salt can avoid giving good advice. That goes with the territory. Whatever a teacher says though you can bet he or she will heave a sigh of relief as the say their “Au revoirs.” After all, despite what students may believe, they are only human.

Check out our sample speeches

Share on Facebook